Basic Za’atar Seasoning

A small black bowl with za'atar - a mix of white sesame seeds, sumac, salt and dried thyme.

Za’atar seasoning is a nutty, earthy blend of dried herbs, spices and sesame seeds. This savory mix is very popular in Middle Eastern cuisine as a versatile seasoning for hummus, labneh, fish, meats, cheeses and more. While there are ready-made versions available in many stores, it is a lot more fun to make one yourself. The basic version contains only four ingredients: dried thyme, white sesame seeds, sumac and salt.

a bowl with ingredients for za'atar seasoning like white sesame seeds, sumac, salt and dried thyme

Dried thyme: earthy and woody with a hint of lavender, it adds a savory, herby flavour to the seasoning.

Sesame seeds: raw seeds have very little aroma. Roasting releases a sweet, nutty taste with subtle notes of honey and vanilla.

Sumac: sumac is a flowering plant whose dried berries (or more precisely, drupes) are the base for the powdered spice. Centuries ago Romans imported sumac from Syria to use it as a souring agent. Sumac has a sharp, acidic taste and can act as a substitute for lemon or lemon zest.

Together with salt, these four ingredients create a herby, earthy and tart mix that is an instant flavour booster.

How to use za’atar seasoning?

You can easily enhance many of your everyday meals with this versatile blend. For example, sprinkle it over your Eggs and Avocado toast or use as a seasoning for roasted vegetables. Add za’atar and olive oil to fresh yoghurt and use as a dip for Crispy Chicken Wings. A combination of za’atar, lemon and honey with EVOO makes a great dressing for salads with or without protein. And make sure to try this delicious recipe of Pan-Fried Prawns with Za’atar in Orange & Balsamic Glaze! Remember, imagination goes further than knowledge – get creative and add more flavours to your cooking with this wonderful seasoning.

***

A small black bowl with za'atar - a mix of white sesame seeds, sumac, salt and dried thyme.

Basic Za’atar Seasoning

Prep Time 15 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing Bowl
  • 1 air tight container
  • 1 pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 tbsp dried thyme
  • 1.5 tbsp white sesame seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp salt
  • 1/2 tbsp sumac

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pan to medium and dry toast sesame seeds until the turn golden. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.
  • Mix together 1 tbsp dried thyme, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, sumac and salt.
  • Store the seasoning in an airtight container in a cool dry place.

Notes

  • Above quantities are for a standard 27g spice jar.

21 Responses

  1. I’m still learning from you, while I’m making my way to the top as well. I certainly love reading all that is posted on your blog.Keep the tips coming. I loved it!

  2. Hello my family member! I want to say that this article is awesome, great written and include almost all vital infos. I would like to see more posts like this .

  3. Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to assert that I get in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.

  4. The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.

  5. Hey there! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website? I’m getting fed up of WordPress because I’ve had problems with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform. I would be awesome if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

  6. you are really a good webmaster. The site loading speed is amazing. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. Moreover, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a magnificent job on this topic!

  7. Thank you for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I am very glad to see such excellent information being shared freely out there.

  8. Hello my friend! I wish to say that this post is amazing, nice written and include almost all significant infos. I’d like to see more posts like this.

  9. It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I am satisfied that you simply shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.

  10. I carry on listening to the news broadcast speak about getting free online grant applications so I have been looking around for the finest site to get one. Could you advise me please, where could i acquire some?

  11. Great goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely great. I actually like what you’ve acquired here, certainly like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read far more from you. This is actually a tremendous site.

  12. Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read something like this before. So nice to find somebody with some unique ideas on this subject. realy thanks for starting this up. this web site is one thing that is wanted on the internet, someone with slightly originality. useful job for bringing something new to the internet!

  13. I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was curious what all is required to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet smart so I’m not 100 sure. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks

  14. It’s really a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you simply shared this useful info with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.

  15. I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was wondering what all is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100 sure. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

  16. I was wondering if you ever thought of changing the page layout of your website? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or 2 images. Maybe you could space it out better?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating