The Hardest-Working Jar in Your Pantry: 10 Fresh Ways to Use Dukkah

There’s a little jar sitting in most Australian pantries that only ever gets invited out for one job: bread, olive oil, dip, repeat. And look, we’re not knocking the classic. But our Original Dukkah was made to work a whole lot harder than that.

Hand-toasted almonds, hazelnuts and sesame seeds, blended in small batches with coriander, cumin and black pepper. Crunch, warmth and aroma in one twist of the lid, which makes it just about the fastest way we know to turn something simple into something special — especially on nights when dinner needs all the help it can get.

So here they are: ten fresh ways to put your dukkah to work, including a few pairings with our other preserves that we think you’ll be very glad you tried.

1. The Double Dip

Start with the classic (warm Turkish bread, good olive oil, a generous plate of dukkah) then add a third bowl: our Quince Jelly. Sweet, floral quince against nutty, savoury crunch is a combination that empties the breadbasket every single time. Consider yourself warned.

2. Dukkah-Crusted Lamb Cutlets

Press cutlets into dukkah before they hit a hot pan and you’ve got an instant herb-and-nut crust. No crumbing, no fuss. Brush with a little warmed Quince Jelly in the last minute of cooking for a sticky, glossy glaze that belongs at a dinner party but takes fifteen minutes on a Tuesday.

3. The Cheese Board Finisher

You already know our Pears For Cheese. Now bake a wheel of brie until it’s molten, spoon the pears over the top and shower the lot with dukkah. Warm, sweet, creamy, crunchy. It’s the cheese board upgrade your guests will talk about on the drive home.

4. Soup’s Best Friend

Pumpkin, cauliflower, parsnip: every velvety soup needs contrast. A swirl of olive oil or yoghurt and a big pinch of dukkah adds crunch and spice that turns a humble bowl into something you’d happily pay café prices for. (But won’t have to.)

5. Better Brekkie: Eggs & Avo

Poached eggs and smashed avo have been begging for this. A sprinkle of dukkah adds texture and warmth, and if you like your mornings with a bit of attitude, a spoonful of our Red Hot Relish on the side wakes the whole plate up.

6. Golden Crumbed Halloumi

Press thick slices of halloumi into dukkah and pan-fry until golden. Serve with a generous dollop of our Beetroot Relish. The earthy sweetness against salty, crunchy cheese is a vegetarian main (or very fancy snack) in under ten minutes.

7. Roast Veg, But Make It Interesting

Toss pumpkin, carrots or sweet potato in olive oil, roast until caramelised, then scatter with dukkah in the final five minutes so it toasts without burning. Serve with a spoonful of Spicy Apple Chutney or our Onion Jam stirred through. Sides, sorted.

8. The Porridge Plot Twist

Hear us out: dukkah is mostly toasted nuts and sesame, which means it’s secretly brilliant on breakfast. Drizzle your porridge or thick Greek yoghurt with our Sticky Pear Syrup, then finish with a light sprinkle of dukkah. Sweet, spiced, crunchy. Porridge will never be beige again.

9. Retire Your Croutons

Roast veg and grain salads, wilted greens, even a simple leafy number: swap croutons for a scatter of dukkah. For the dressing, whisk a teaspoon of our Lime & Gin Marmalade with olive oil and a splash of vinegar. Trust us on this one.

10. Dessert. Yes, Really.

Good vanilla ice cream, a generous pour of our Sticky Quince Syrup, and a pinch of dukkah over the top. The nuts and warm spice do exactly what praline does in fancy restaurants, except you didn’t have to make praline. This is the one that turns dukkah sceptics into dukkah evangelists.

One Jar, Ten Jobs

That little 125g jar is 100% natural, made from Australian-grown produce with no preservatives and nothing artificial. Hand-toasted and blended right here in our Echuca–Moama kitchen on the Murray. It might just be the hardest-working jar in your pantry.

Grab your jar of Original Dukkah here — and if this list has you eyeing off the Quince Jelly, Sticky Pear Syrup or Beetroot Relish, well… we did warn you about the double dip.

What’s your favourite way to use dukkah? Tag us @QuinceyJonesJelly — we love seeing your creations.