This authentic Zaatar Spice recipe is easy and flavorful! It’s a Middle Eastern spice blend you can easily make at home with spices you already have.
A simple recipe for Za'atar, a flavorful Middle Eastern spice blend that can be used in a multitude of ways. | #zaatar #za'atar #spices #|spiceblend www.feastingathome.com

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?

Zaatar is a Middle Eastern spice blend used in many countries in the Middle East! It varies from region to region depending on where you are. It is typically used to season vegetables, meat, dips, and breads.

What is Zaatar made of?

 Za’atar Spice is a blend of savory dried herbs like:

How to make Zaatar

  1. Mix all the spices, salt and sesame seeds together in a small bowl or jar.

  2. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

  3. 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?

We love to sprinkle it over hummus, labneh,  baba ganoush or over fresh pita bread drizzled with olive oil before going in the oven to toast.
But there are a multitude of uses for Za’atar spice and I’m so excited for you to get acquainted with it and discover your own delicious uses!
You can also purchase Za’atar Spice here at our Bowl and Pitcher Store and most Middle Eastern stores or upscale specialty grocery stores. I really love this Villa Jerada Zaatar Spice Blend! We also have their sumac.

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.

A simple recipe for Za'atar, a flavorful Middle Eastern spice blend that can be used in a multitude of ways. | #zaatar #za'atar #spices #|spiceblend www.feastingathome.com
I hope you enjoy making the Za’atar. Please share how you use it in the comments below.
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Za'atar Spice Recipe, a flavorful Middle Eastern spice blend that can be used in a multitude of ways. | #zaatar #za'atar #spices #|spiceblend www.feastingathome.com

Zaatar / Za’atar Spice

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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. 1 tablespoon dried thyme- crushed (or sub oregano)
  2. 1 tablespoon cumin (see instructions about whole or ground)
  3. 1 tablespoon coriander
  4. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  5. 1 tablespoon sumac
  6. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  7. 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

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Comments

  1. 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?

  2. there appeared to be a creamy coloured slightly fluffy ingredient in the video that wasn’t named. care to clue me in, please?

    1. Thanks Zarhara! The spoon was my Finnish mother’s baby spoon. 🙂 So from Finland I think?

  3. 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






  4. “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!”






  5. 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.






  6. 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,

  7. 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

  8. Thank you, I love this recipe. Next time I’ll use whole spices, today I just needed a quick version and it was perfect.






    1. Oh good Cinde- the whole toasted spices do elevate when you get more time!

  9. 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!






      1. 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.






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