The Premier Spice Mix: Ras El Hanout

A complex, aromatic and totally enticing spice blend from Morocco, Ras El Hanout was a mix of the very best spices a spice trader had to offer. Although we don’t talk to our spice traders in person anymore, Ras El Hanout still shines out as a premier spice blend that can add SO much flavor to your cooking!

This weekend I reconnected with an old friend, Blake. He used to be our TaeKwonDo instructor, but he has left TKD and now is a rancher. Father of three and happily married, he raises cattle and sheep and offers healthy grass-fed beef and lamb. He had originally messaged me to ask if I wanted any beef, but having just received a BIG bunch of venison from my dad, I said no. We got to chatting, though. I told him about my blog, hoping to give him a little help, and offered to do a post for him. It turns out he was heading to Sioux Falls the next day so he offered to bring me some lamb. That post is yet to come, BUT why wait?

Need some grass-fed lamb or beef?

Grass-fed beef and lamb are super healthy and good for your heart. Adding these superfoods to your diet is a superb idea. If any of you are local to Sioux City, IA, area (or he also visits Sioux Falls, SD, once in a while), Blake would be happy to help supply you with some quality grass-fed lamb or beef. He doesn’t have a web site because the internet connection is iffy out on his farm (yes, rural America still suffers for Internet access), but you can reach him at (605) 595-3632 and he’ll hook you up with some excellent quality grass-fed meat.

Lamb always me think of Mediterranean food because lamb is so often used in Mediterranean cuisine … Greek food (specifically gyros) come to mind, but oh even more, Moroccan food. One of my very favorite cuisines. Not only is the Mediterranean diet super healthy, but it’s SO full of marvelous exotic flavors! I decided my first package of lamb “chislic” needed to find its way into a Moroccan Lamb Stew (recipe coming soon) … I searched around and found this recipe that looked really good as a starting point. It called for Ras El Hanout … my mind started wondering: what is that?

So I did a little MORE searching and I learned that Ras El Hanout means “head of the shop” (that is, “the best of the shop”), and, since the mixture was personalized by each spice vendor, the spice blends varied greatly, sometimes involving up to 30 different spices. Most recipes for Ras El Hanout include cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, peppers, and turmeric. Even amongst the few recipes I found on the internet, the ingredients varied greatly. so I improvised my own blend, based on what I had on hand and my own preferences. The main addition I made was to add some granulated garlic … I was SO pleased with the results. The mixture was delightful!

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More Variations on Ras El Hanout

If you want to try out some other variations on this spice blend, try one of these!

• Ras El Hanout recipe from Epicurious
• Ras El Hanout recipe from The Spruce Eats
• Ras El Hanout recipe from Nathalie at All Recipes

What to make with Ras El Hanout?

I searched about to find some more inspiration for using my new favorite spice blend and thought I’d share my findings with you too, so withour further ado:

Meats/Main Dishes:

• Spiced Meatballs with Ras El Hanout & Yogurt
• Grilled Moroccan Chicken
• Moroccan Short Ribs with Prunes & Ras El Hanout
• Lamb Chops with Ras El Hanout
• Braised Lamb with Ras El Hanout
• Beef Up Pot Roast with Ras El Hanout
• North African Tandoori Salmon
• Ras El Hanout Pork Kabobs

Veggies and Grains:

• Roasted Cauliflower with Ras El Hanout
• Moroccan Couscous with Chickpeas
• Ras El Hanout Rice with Kambocha
• Ras El Hanout Sweet Potatoes
• Ras El Hanout Farro Skillet with Baked Eggs
• Karl’s Zucchini Ras El Hanout
• Israeli Green Beans with Ras El Hanout
• Moroccan Tomatoes with Ras El Hanout Yogurt
• Ras El Hanout Hummus

And surprise! I found a couple desserts too:

• Moroccan Carrot Cake
• Ras El Hanout Crescent Cookies