My Egyptian father gave me this Zaatar recipe, and I love his version of it! It is earthy, fragrant and complex. He told me the story of how his mother used to make it back in his little village in Egypt.
Growing up, there was always a jar of za’atar right next to our stove, and he would use it to season everything from meat dishes to vegetables, hummus, and pita bread. My mother zaatar in her version of Middle Eastern rice, and salads, and so it just became woven into our daily life. I didn’t really understand how special it was until I started cooking for myself.
Since then, it has been a staple in our catering business, the secret ingredient that elevated our Middle Eastern Recipes.
But first, What is za’atar?
What is Zaatar made of?
- oregano
- marjoram
- thyme
- cumin
- coriander
- sesame seeds
- salt
- the most important ingredient of all: Sumac! Sumac gives zaatar the unexpected tanginess that, to me, is the key to the best zaatar.
How to make Zaatar
-
Mix all the spices, salt and sesame seeds together in a small bowl or jar.
-
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
-
For enhanced flavor, toast whole seeds (cumin seeds and coriander seeds) until fragrant, then grind. This will make the most flavorful zaatar. If you don’t have whole seeds, feel free to use ground spices.
How to use Zaatar Spice?
- Middle Eastern Rice
- Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs, Arugula and Zaatar
- Zaatar Meatballs with Green Tahini Sauce
- Lebanese Slaw (Salatet Malfouf)
- Roasted Eggplant with Zaatar
- Grilled Zucchini with Zaatar, Garlic and Labneh
- Roasted Sunchoke and Barley Bowl with Zaatar Tahini Sauce
- How to Make Labneh
- Authentic Baba Ganoush (Grilled or Baked!)
Za’atar FAQs
What does Zaatar taste like?
Zaatar spice is aromatic and earthy, with a tangy, nutty flavor.
Does zaatar go bad?
Zaatar is a combination of spices and sesame seeds, and the oil in sesame seeds can go rancid after several months. Always smell your zaatar; it should smell earthy and fragrant.
Why is my zaatar bitter?
Zaatar should only have a mild, pleasant bitterness from the thyme or oregano. If your zaatar is overly bitter, it may contain too much thyme compared to the rest of the ingredients.
Does zaatar always have sumac?
Even though zaatar blends can vary, most contain sumac, the spice that gives it its signature tangy flavor.
Other flavorful Spice Blends to try:
- Dukkah Recipe
- Ras el Hanout Spice Blend
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Furikake Seasoning Recipe
- Homemade Yellow Curry Powder
- Garam Masala Recipe
- Chinese Five Spice
More from Feasting at Home
- Chicken Soup
- Vegan Meals
- Green Chicken Chili
- Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
- Chilaquiles Recipe
- Roasting Tomatoes for Sauce
- Birria Recipe
- Dinner Recipes
- Comfort Food Recipes
- Sourdough Starter Recipe
- Chicken Szechuan Style
- Buddha Bowl Recipe
- Lo Mein Noodles
- Stir Fry Recipe
- Enchilada Casserole Recipe
- Chicken Dishes
Watch How to make Zaatar
Zaatar / Za’atar Spice
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: ½ Cup
- Category: Spices
- Method: Toasted
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Description
An authentic recipe for Za’atar Spice – a flavorful Middle Eastern Spice that can be used to season hummus, baba ganoush, vegetables, meats, etc. (My Egyptian Dad’s recipe.)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme- crushed (or sub oregano)
- 1 tablespoon cumin (see instructions about whole or ground)
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon or more aleppo chili flakes- optional
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.
- For the most flavor, toast whole seeds (cumin seeds and coriander seeds) until fragrant, then grind. This will make the most flavorful zaatar. If you don’t have whole seeds, feel free to use ground spices.
Notes
There are many variations of Zaatar. This was my dad’s recipe- he was Egyptian. Other regions have different versions. There is not one “right” way. It varies from area to area, and even household to household.
This Villa Jerada Zaatar Spice Blend is lovely if you rather purchase it! Made in Seattle!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 tablespoon
- Calories: 15
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 88.2 mg
- Fat: 1.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.8 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Re your za’atar recipe: the stated measurements for cumin and coriander is for the GROUND version? So if you have these in seed form and you want the enhanced flavor, you will toast maybe 3+ tablespoons to yield the 1 T the recipe requires?
I would say about 1 & 1/2 tablespoons whole cumin/coriander equals 1 tablespoon ground.
This is amazing!! Thanks so much!!
Great to hear!
TU for your yummy recipe 😁😋
🙂
there appeared to be a creamy coloured slightly fluffy ingredient in the video that wasn’t named. care to clue me in, please?
Hi India- I think you might be seeing the sesame seeds?
Thanks for this recipe, I will try it soon! Also where is your spoon from I lovvve it!
Thanks Zarhara! The spoon was my Finnish mother’s baby spoon. 🙂 So from Finland I think?
Easy, perfect, thanks 🤗
Thanks for posting this !!.. I think this is my favourite spice….and your recipe for it is the best !!!
Thanks Val, nice to hear!
So good!
perfect mix, and always fresh (contrary to most of the za’atar spices sold by stores). Loved it!
Great to hear!
Excellent!
excellent za’atar recipe and it’s always great to have fresh za’atar rather than stale (how long has this been in the cupboard?) LOL
Thanks Marsha. Yes it hard to keep track of all the goodies sometimes!
“Thanks for sharing this fantastic video and recipe on Za’atar! It’s always great to learn more about authentic Middle Eastern flavors. If you’re in the USA and looking for genuine Za’atar from Palestine, I’ll definitely check out greenlandfood.net. It’s essential to support and savor these traditional tastes. Keep up the excellent work!”
Thanks Ahmed, appreciate this!
I love this spice mix, like others, I use it on just about everything! It is so flavorful. The first time I made it, I could not find sumac but even without, delicious.
Awesome to hear CAP!
Sumac is available in Turkish stores.
I try to make my own spice and herb blends–I love trying international dishes and experiencing the “local” flavors that make the regional food so divine, I just found a recipe for chicken with za’atar and I’m going to make a jar of it for not just this dish, but maybe to toss the blend into other dishes,
Great to hear Barbara!
Hi Sylvia, very proud of you for honoring yr Father and mentioning he’s Egyptian, I’m from Egypt, Zaatar wasn’t as popular as Dukkah, although I
loved Zaatar, I bought a version made by Castle Foods
but it looked brownish in the jar, and had paprika?? Could
I add some Oregano and Thyme to fix the recipe, what’s yr expert opinion,thanks Sylvia, Edward
Of course- adjust it to taste!
I made this recipe. What a wonderful addition to my spice journey.
Glad you are enjoying it Shirley!
Thank you, I love this recipe. Next time I’ll use whole spices, today I just needed a quick version and it was perfect.
Oh good Cinde- the whole toasted spices do elevate when you get more time!
Used to make spiced chickpeas. Was really good.
Yum… sounds tasty!
DELICIOUS. I doubled the recipe and did 1/2 thyme and 1/2 oregano and had to sub regular red chili flakes as aleppo chili flakes are impossible to find where I am. That was 3 days ago and today I already am having to make more!
Great to hear Megan!
Thank you for sharing your father’s recipe. I had never heard of Zaatar before I found it being served on bread wraps in a Cafe in Sydney. Your recipe allowed me to recreate that incredible flavour profile at home.
Awesome Darren, so glad you gave it a try!