If you aren't already familiar with za'atar, clear out some room in your spice cabinet because this herby blend deserves a front row spot. This Middle Eastern mix of dried herbs and spices is a glorious combination of earthy, nutty, zesty, and tangy flavors, and it goes on just about anything.
Here's everything you need to know about this dynamic blend:
What Is Za'atar?
While many people now associate the word za'atar with the spice mix, it is the Arabic word for a wild, mint-related herb that is a pillar of Levantine cooking and similar to oregano and marjoram.
Since the herb can be difficult to find, za'atar is commonly made from dried thyme, oregano, sumac, and sesame seeds. But the recipes vary depending on what region they're from, with each household having their own special blend. Some za'atar recipes also contain salt, marjoram, sumac berries, dried dill, dried orange zest, caraway seeds, or hyssop.
How to Make Za'atar at Home
To make your own za'atar blend, mix together dried thyme, oregano, sumac, and lightly toasted sesame seeds. There's no rule for how much of each to include, but a good guide to follow is equal measurements of all ingredients. Feel free to experiment and discover what ratio tastes best to you.
If you are adding salt to your mixture, be conservative. It's easy to over season a dish when using salted spice mixes, so you're better off adding salt separately.
Traditionally za'atar is made by drying fresh herbs in the sun, but store-bought dried herbs will do the trick. When buying dried herbs, though, look for ones that are bright in color as that indicates freshness and flavor. The same goes for buying a pre-made za'atar blend — seek out one that is vibrant, not dull and clumped.
Some spice mixes are one-trick ponies, but the uses for za'atar are endless. Often it is baked into flatbread, mixed with olive oil or tahini to make a dip, tossed into salads, rubbed onto meat, or sprinkled over hummus.
If you are using za'atar in a cold dish or any preparation that it will not be heated up in, first bloom it to unlock all of its flavor. To do so, heat up oil or butter in a skillet, take it off the heat and then add the za'atar. This gently fries the spices and herbs, which releases fat-soluble compounds and evenly distributes flavor.
Ready to try it for yourself? Here are some of our readers' favorite ways to use za'atar:
It doesn't get more classic than this. Yeasty rolls are brushed with olive oil and za'atar before being quickly baked in a piping hot oven until golden brown.
More is better when it comes to za'atar in this recipe. Some chicken brands inject brine into the meat to add extra plumpness, so it's best to use an unsalted za'atar blend and salt to taste.
Za'atar can be sprinkled on poached or fried eggs, or on shakshuka, enhancing the overall breakfast experience. Another great (and simple) use is to season chicken with za'atar, roast or grill it and serve it over rice. And oven-roasted potatoes pair well with a generous sprinkling of za'atar and olive oil.
Za'atar can be sprinkled on poached or fried eggs, or on shakshuka, enhancing the overall breakfast experience. Another great (and simple) use is to season chicken with za'atar, roast or grill it and serve it over rice. And oven-roasted potatoes pair well with a generous sprinkling of za'atar and olive oil.
Za'atar is a mixture of different plant leaves, fruits, and seeds and contains hundreds of antioxidant compounds, especially polyphenols, and fiber, with pre-clinical and clinical evidence suggesting health-promoting effects in cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
Za'atar is a spice blend composed of herbs such as thyme, oregano, marjoram or a combination of the three, along with other spices including sesame, sumac, cumin or coriander.
Ground thyme is the most common substitution for the za'atar herb, but other variations on the recipe call for equal-parts mixtures of any number of herbs: thyme, oregano, marjoram, cumin, or coriander.
What is the best way to store Za'atar and the Za'atar spread? The dried Za'atar blend can be stored in a cabinet, pantry, or in the fridge to preserve shelf life even longer. It is best to keep your Za'atar Extra Virgin Olive Oil condiment spread in a cabinet, pantry, on counter, and not in the fridge.
There have been studies claiming that regular consumption of za'atar in your diet can improve your brainpower and cognition. The spice blend contains circulation-boosting power due to its rich mineral content that can enhance your brain and incite neural activity.
How to use Zaatar Spice? Keep this seasoning blend handy and you will think of it as a finishing flavor for all kinds of dishes, like fried eggs, salad dressings, roasted and fresh vegetables and chicken, dips such as hummus and baba ganoush, bread, potatoes, atop avocado toast and kale chips.
Zaatar or Za'tar (zaah-tur) is a common noun in the Arabic language and refers to both a Middle-Eastern herb spice mixture and importantly a distinct herb plant in the mint family. The herbal plant is referred to in English as bible hyssop or Syrian oregano, but the mixture is just called zaatar.
Often it is baked into flatbread, mixed with olive oil or tahini to make a dip, tossed into salads, rubbed onto meat, or sprinkled over hummus. If you are using za'atar in a cold dish or any preparation that it will not be heated up in, first bloom it to unlock all of its flavor.
Za'atar is used as a seasoning for meats and vegetables or sprinkled onto hummus. It is also eaten with labneh (yogurt drained to make a tangy, creamy cheese), and bread and olive oil for breakfast, most commonly in Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Syria, and Lebanon, as well as other places in the Arab world.
It's great to simply season some avocados or tomatoes for a snack (drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil), to generously season pillowy homemade bread rolls, to jazz up some breakfast eggs and spinach pasta, or to include with olive oil for dipping as part of a big Mediterranean spread.
Zaatar has a number of outstanding health benefits, like being able to boost the immune system, improve skin health, build strong bones, improve circulation, clear out the airways, ease inflammation, give you more energy, improve your mood, help you remember things, and treat chronic diseases.
Za'atar is both the name for wild thyme, a herb that grows primarily in the hills of the eastern mediterranean and most importantly, the name of a spice mix that has many variations in the middle east. “There are 22 herb species referred to as za'atar in the region.
You can add it to a marinade before grilling some chicken or pork, or in this roasted sweet potato recipe. The tangy flavor cuts through rich flavors, so it's the perfect match to any dish that you would typically pair with lemon. You can even add sumac in baked goods and desserts!
And it's not just the za'atar — you should also be storing your sesame seeds in the fridge, or even the freezer, to preserve their freshness. So there you have it — stick your za'atar and sesame seeds in the fridge in an airtight container, and make sure to periodically clean out your spice cabinet.
Some uncommon Middle Eastern spices such as sumac, za'atar, and dukkah have become my go-to's. They're perfect on fish, salads, meats, and vegetables. Sumac is a red-purple powder that adds a lovely lemony flavor and gorgeous color.Za'atar is a lemony hyssop or thyme, sumac, and sesame seed blend.
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