Za'atar
Za'atar is an aromatic Middle Eastern spice blend of dried thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac, often mixed with olive oil and used as a dip, bread topping, or dry seasoning.
How to buy
Blends vary by region, with Lebanese, Palestinian, Jordanian, and Syrian versions differing in their ratio of herbs to sesame to sumac. Look for a green, herb-forward color rather than a mostly brown, dusty appearance, and check that the sesame seeds look and smell fresh rather than stale.
How to store
Keep it airtight in a cool, dark pantry and use within about 6 months, since the dried herbs lose their aroma over time. Keep it dry, since any moisture invites mold, and if you mix it with olive oil ahead of time, refrigerate that mixture and use it quickly.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Herbal and savory with a bright tang from sumac and a nutty note from toasted sesame. It reads as oregano-like but earthier and more floral than plain dried oregano.
- Texture
- A coarse, dry blend with visible sesame seeds that turns into a thick, spreadable paste once mixed with olive oil.
- Aroma
- Fragrant and herbaceous with a toasty sesame note and a faint citrusy tang from the sumac.
How to prepare
- Mixed with olive oil — Stirred into olive oil to make a dip or spread for warm bread.
- Sprinkled over flatbread — Dusted onto dough before or after baking for a fragrant, savory crust.
- Rubbed onto meat or vegetables — Used as a dry seasoning crust before roasting or grilling.
- Blended into labneh — Stirred into strained yogurt for a savory breakfast spread.
Classic dishes
Mediterranean
- Za'atar flatbread — A simple olive-oil flatbread topped with za'atar, popular across the eastern Mediterranean.
- Za'atar focaccia — A fusion bread combining Italian focaccia technique with a Middle Eastern za'atar topping.
Middle Eastern
- Man'oushe — A Lebanese flatbread topped with a thick layer of za'atar mixed with olive oil before baking.
- Labneh with za'atar — Strained yogurt drizzled with olive oil and topped generously with za'atar.
- Musakhan — Roasted chicken and sumac-cooked onions served over flatbread, often dusted with za'atar.
- Fattoush — A bread salad whose dressing sometimes includes za'atar for extra herbal depth.
- Za'atar-crusted fish — Fish fillets coated in za'atar before baking or searing for a fragrant, savory crust.
- Hummus topped with za'atar — Pureed chickpeas finished with a sprinkle of za'atar and a pool of olive oil.
- Za'atar roasted vegetables — Root vegetables tossed with olive oil and za'atar before roasting until tender.
- Za'atar pita chips — Pita bread brushed with olive oil, dusted with za'atar, and baked until crisp.
- Za'atar and olive oil dip — A simple bread dip made by pooling olive oil and sprinkling za'atar over it.
- Shakshuka with za'atar garnish — Eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce, finished with a dusting of za'atar.
- Za'atar-rubbed lamb kebabs — Skewered lamb seasoned with za'atar before grilling over an open flame.
- Bourekas with za'atar — Flaky filled pastries sometimes topped with a sprinkle of za'atar and sesame.
- Za'atar scrambled eggs — Eggs scrambled with a spoonful of za'atar stirred through for a savory breakfast.
Substitutions
- Sumac — Sumac alone supplies the tartness but not the herbal or nutty base; a rough homemade za'atar can be made with dried thyme, toasted sesame, and sumac in a 2:1:1 ratio.