I dare you to try making your own spice blend at home, and I recommend starting with this delicious tabil spice blend!

Nom Nom Paleo's month of Whole30 recipes, day 14.

It’s Day 14 – you still with me? Now that we’re two weeks into the Whole30®, your palate’s probably craving some variety – and there’s no better way to keep things lively than with fragrant, flavorful spices and blends.

A collage of images showcasing the ingredients for tabil spice blend.

I love buying spice blends from specialty stores like Penzeys Spices and Spice Hound. Every time I visit my local Penzeys, I get lost in the intoxicating scents of the seasonings on the shelves.

The interior of a spice store.

I know I’m not alone. I mean, people STARTED WARS and DISCOVERED CONTINENTS over spices. They even write love notes to spices.

A child drawing on a piece of paper with a crayon writing, "I love spice."

Sadly, spice blends aren’t cheap or easily accessible to everyone. You can easily drop a small fortune on little jars of powder – provided you can even find a specialty seller that offers the uniquely tantalizing combinations of spices you’re seeking.

A rack of spice blends.

So what’s the best way to maximize flavor while minimizing cost?

Grind your own spice blends!

You’ll get the benefit of the freshest, most intensely-flavored seasonings – and you’ll extend the shelf lives of your blends, too. Spices start to lose their complexity a few months after they’re first ground, but the spices on grocery store shelves may have been ground a year or more ago. Plus, spices are a lot cheaper if you buy ‘em whole – especially from your local Middle Eastern or Asian market.

A closeup of the inside of a spice grinder.

Yes, you’ll need to get yourself a spice grinder. (Don’t even think of grinding spices in your coffee grinder – you’ll end up with janky-tasting coffee and spices. I don’t know about you, but curry-flavored coffee isn’t my idea of a good time.) But electric grinders aren’t expensive (unless you insist on buying a top-of-the-line burr grinder.) Trust me: If you’re a fan of spices, you’ll save money in the long run by making your own blends.

A spice grinder with smoke coming out of the top.

Itchin’ to try blending your own spices? Here are a few fantastic combinations that you owe it to yourself to try:

My contribution to this list is tabil (pronounced “table”) – a potent, versatile Tunisian spice blend made of coriander and caraway seeds, chili flakes, and garlic.

A spoonful of tabil spice blend.

The very first time I tried it, I was hooked, and started throwing this smoky, zippy blend on everything from grilled meats to roasted vegetables. With this blend in your pantry, you’ll have no excuses for turning out blah meals.

This recipe makes ⅓ cup of tabil, and takes just 10 minutes.

Time to make your very own, Tabil Spice Blend!

Makes ⅓ cup

Ingredients:

  • ⅓ cup coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Method:

Toast the coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and pepper flakes in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 2 minutes).

Toasting coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and pepper flakes in a dry skillet for tabil spice blend.

Transfer the spices to a container to cool slightly.

Letting the toasted spices cool in a small bowl.

While the mixture is still warm, add the garlic powder and mix well.

A spoonful of garlic powder is added to the bowl of toasted spices for the tabil seasoning blend.

Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, blitz it in a spice grinder.

The toasted spices and ingredients for tabil seasoning blend in a spice grinder.

The result should be a fine, fragrant powder. Stick your nose in there and smell the tabil. SMELL IT! (But unplug the grinder first so you don’t lose your schnozzle.)

Tabil seasoning blend in a small bowl with a spoon inside.

Store the tabil in a sealed container and stick it in a cool, dark, dry place, and it’ll last for a long, long time.

You can use tabil as a seasoning or dry rub for meats and vegetables. Need some ideas? Try my Tabil Seasoned Sautéed Shrimp or Easy Broiled Tabil Seasoned Mini Beef Patties.

Tabil seasoned shrimp on a plate with sautéed spinach and cherry tomatoes.

Wow. My early recipes sure had looooong names.


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Tabil Spice Blend

4.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Servings 25 servings
There’s no better way to keep things lively than with fragrant, flavorful spices and blends! I present to you my recipe for Tabil, a potent, versatile Tunisian spice blend made of coriander and caraway seeds, chili flakes, and garlic.

Ingredients 
 

  • 1/3 cup coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
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Instructions 

  • Toast the coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and pepper flakes in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
  • Transfer the spices to a container to cool slightly.
  • While the mixture is still warm, add the garlic powder and mix well.
  • Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, blitz it in a spice grinder. The result should be a fine, fragrant powder!

Notes

Store the tabil in a sealed container and stick it in a cool, dark, dry place, and it’ll last for a long, long time.
You can use tabil as a seasoning or dry rub for meats and vegetables. Need some ideas? Try my Tabil Seasoned Sautéed Shrimp or Easy Broiled Tabil Seasoned Mini Beef Patties.
Nutrition facts are calculated for a serving size of 1 teaspoon.

Nutrition

Calories: 6kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.03g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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2 Comments

    1. I just fixed the nutrition facts so that the it reflects one serving, or one teaspoon of Tabil spice blend. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!