Za’atar is a fragrant Middle Eastern spice blend that’s as versatile as it is delicious! Used to flavour anything from pita bread and vegetables to seafood and meat, keep reading to learn exactly what’s in za’atar, and how to make it, use it and store it.
Chances are you have a jar of za’atar spice blend in your pantry right now.
So why am I giving you a recipe for something you already have?
Because what happens if you finish the jar and can’t find the same one? Or what if the one you have at the moment doesn’t taste as good as other ones have in the past? Or what if it’s just really difficult to find za’atar spice blends in your part of world?
Spice blends are a great thing to be able to make at home – because you can make them to you own liking. You’re the one who will be eating it, so it has to taste good for you! You can try my blend out (full recipe in the card below), or read on and find out what’s in it and the role each ingredient plays so you can better customise it to your own tastes.
Why you’ll Love this Za’atar Recipe
- Homemade spice blends are more fragrant and flavourful than store-bought, pre-mixed blends.
- It literally takes less than 10 minutes to pull together.
- Makes enough to use for several dishes (green vegetable soup, anyone?) but not too much that it loses its freshness.
- You can customise the za’atar spice blend to better suit your tastes.
- This blend has a secret, spicy ingredient.
What is Za’atar?
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern Spice blend that’s as tangy and lemony as it is nutty and earthy. It varies from region to region, but it typically contains various proportions of thyme, sesame seeds and sumac, amongst other spices.
Za’atar is also the name for a specific herb that many believe to be hyssop, or wild thyme.
Know your Spices: Sumac
What’s in my Za’atar Spice Blend?
- Sesame seeds. This is the ingredient that made me make my own za’atar spice blend. I much prefer my za’atar with sesame seeds, and very few store-bought blends have a good sesame seed ratio or include it at all! I also make sure to toast the sesame seeds for a beautifully nutty depth of flavour that balances out the thyme.
- Cumin seeds. Not typically found in the mass-produced jars of za’atar, this earthy spice gets toasted with the sesame seeds to add some warmth to the za’atar spice blend. Commonly included in blends from Egypt, Lebanon and Syria.
- Thyme. Thyme is the foundation of any za’atar mix. Thyme, which is part of the mint family, tastes savoury but fresh and flowery, even when dried. Because of the amount of thyme used in za’ater, it’s the flavour you taste first.
- Sumac. If thyme’s the foundation, then sumac’s the star. Its lemony, tangy flavour is what lingers, giving za’atar a brightness that’s surprising to those tasting it for the first time. Learn more about sumac (and how to use it) here.
- Marjoram. My only controversial opinion is my addition of more marjoram than oregano. Marjoram, actually a sub-species of oregano, is sweeter and more floral, offering the za’atar spice blend a more well-rounded and less bitter flavour. If you don’t have marjoram, you can use extra oregano.
- Oregano. Oregano is more pungent and bitter than marjoram, and personally, I’ve never been a fan of dried oregano and a little goes a long, long way. If possible, use dried Greek oregano and not Mexican oregano for this particular recipe.
- Aleppo pepper. If you’re familiar with my recipes, then you know I like spicy food. Aleppo pepper flakes are a smoky-sweet kinda heat and pair really well with the sumac. They’re not as hot as chilli flakes and there’s just enough in this za’atar spice blend to offer just a hint of a hum. Try it!
- Sea salt. Because everything needs a little seasoning.
How to use Za’atar
You can sprinkle za’atar over almost anything and it’ll taste fantastic! Za’atar goes well with: fish and seafood, chicken and meat, breads (man’oushe) and roasted vegetables and fried eggs.
Or bloom it in some olive oil (watch the cook along with me video) to make a topping you can swirl into: hummus, labneh, avocado smash and soups.
Za’atar can be used as a dry rub, a marinade or a vinaigrette. And is especially good on popcorn!
Looking for other Spice-Forward Recipes? Try these:
- Snack: Spiced Honey Glazed Walnuts
- Dessert: Spiced Chocolate Plum Cake
If you make this Za’atar Spice Blend, please be sure to leave a comment and let me know. Did you add the aleppo pepper flakes? Or tag me over on Instagram, I love seeing what you guys are making from the blog!
Za’atar Spice Blend
Ingredients
For the Za'atar Spice Blend
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons sumac
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon aleppo pepper flakes, optional but highly recommended
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
For the Za'atar Drizzle Oil
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons za’atar spice blend
Instructions
- Add the sesame seeds and cumin seeds to a small frying pan over low heat. Stirring often, toast the seeds until the sesame seeds are golden brown. (Make sure to watch them carefully and don’t walk away from them, they can go from golden to black in seconds.)3 tablespoons sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Tip the sesame and cumin seeds out into a mortar and pestle (or use a rolling pin if you don’t have one) and roughly crush the seeds a little to release their flavour. Don’t make a powder or paste, just a very coarse crush.
- In a 1-cup capacity jar with a lid, add the toasted and crushed sesame and cumin seeds, the dried thyme, sumac, dried marjoram and oregano, aleppo pepper flakes (if using) and sea salt. Put the lid on the jar and shake well to combine.2 tablespoons dried thyme, 3 tablespoons sumac, 1 tablespoon dried marjoram, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon aleppo pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- The za’atar spice blend is now ready to use however you’d like!
- To bloom za’atar to use as a finishing oil, drizzle or to dip bread into, heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. When the oil is just warm, add the za’atar and stir until you hear the first sizzle. Remove from the heat and empty the za’atar oil into a bowl to serve.¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons za’atar spice blend
