With savory, nutty, salty, tangy and spicy notes, zaatar, a Middle Eastern spice and herb blend, adds exotic and addictive flavors to dishes like eggplant soup, roasted carrots and more. It takes less than 10 minutes to make a jar!
What is Zaatar?
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend made by combining herbs with sesame seeds and powdered sumac — a dark red berry with a bright, tangy flavor. Like other spices and spice mixes like ras el hanout, curry powder, and barbeque, how za’atar changes from region to region depends on where you are in the Middle East.
We’ll blend herbs including dried oregano, dried thyme and dried marjoram, powdered sumac, and lightly toasted sesame seeds to create our authentically flavored Jatar spice blend. The recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make and you can enjoy its delicious flavor layers in many dishes.
Why you will love this recipe
- simple. Like most spice mixes this is a very simple recipe and only takes a few minutes to pull together. Anyone can make it, experienced cook or not!
- flavored. The flavor of ja’atar spice is so deliciously addictive, you’ll find yourself sprinkling it on almost everything you make. It has tangy, savory, salty and spicy notes that are amazing sprinkled over dishes like this Eggplant Hummus or added to stir-fried vegetables, soups and stews.
- versatile. You can use this spice blend in a variety of dishes, Middle Eastern or not. You can go through your batch faster than you expect because you’ll be sprinkling it on everything!
Materials
- Herbs: oregano, thyme, marjoram, The ground is sumac And Stay red pepper. Sumac is easily available at the grocery store — I got my jar from Costco. You can source it online, I’ll add a link to the recipe card below.
- sesame seeds. Use unhulled sesame seeds if possible; If you can’t source unseeded seeds, it’s best to use regular white sesame seeds.
Storage instructions
Store the zaatar spice mix in an airtight jar or container in a cool, dark cupboard or refrigerator.
How to use Zaatar
- Add the za’atar to the hummus with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Use it as a seasoning for fried potatoes.
- Use it to make a delicious Lebanese flatbread, man’oushe.
- Add it to Middle Eastern themed stews and soups.
- Drizzle it over the avocado toast.
- Use it to garnish a simple salad of chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, olives and walnuts.
- Mix with vegan yogurt and olive oil and drizzle over stuffed pita bread with salad and falafel.
- Add it to toasted vegetables and dips, like this Roasted Vegan Squash Dip.
A more global spice blend
If you like this Zatar recipe, check out our more Mediterranean recipes at Holy Cow Vegan!
Za’atar spice mix
With savory, nutty, salty and spicy notes, za’atar, a Middle Eastern blend of herbs and spices, adds an exotic and addictive flavor to many dishes, including soups, stews, flatbreads and hummus. It takes less than 10 minutes to make a jar!
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Serving: 8 tablespoon (approx.)
Calories: 19kcal
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instructions
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Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about five minutes or until nutty and fragrant. They should color slightly but don’t let them burn.
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Place the herbs – marjoram, oregano, thyme, sumac and red pepper flakes – in the bowl of a blender or spice grinder and blend to a powder. You can also do this with a mortar and pestle.
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Remove the ground herbs to a bowl and add the toasted sesame seeds. Mix
Recipe notes
Some cooks prefer to leave the dried herbs as they are and not mix them. I like the mixture so the mixture adds more flavor to the recipe, but you can leave them whole if that’s your preference.
Storage instructions
Store the zaatar spice mix in an airtight jar or container in a cool, dark cupboard or refrigerator.
nutrition
Worship: 1table spoon | Calories: 19kcal | Sugars: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.5g | Monounsaturated fats: 0.4g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg
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