Za'atar: Tips, recipes & a little background
All you need to know about the signature spice mix – and herb – of the Levant.
When I head north to visit family in Norway, I've usually got three ingredients in my suitcase. Pomegranate molasses. Pul biber (aka Aleppo pepper). And za'atar.
These ingredients aren’t only essential to the food I make, but living in Turkey, I’ve been able to source excellent versions of each. What’s more, they’re still hard to find in Norway, which is lagging much of continental Europe in discovering the cuisines of the Eastern Mediterranean (my first book, published in 2018, was many a Norwegian’s very first meeting with these cuisines and ingredients). It’s safe to say friends and family appreciate having a personal supplier.
As subscribers of this newsletter, I’d venture that many of you are already somewhat familiar with at least some of those ingredients. But how much do you actually know about them? I’ll take a look at each of these (and surely many more) in this newsletter’s irregular “Ingredient corner” column.
First up: Za’atar, that quintessential flavour of the Levant. What is it exactly? What spices should it contain? What is it used for?
Precision is key here. While the spice mix is well known globally, za’atar is also the name of the herb that forms the basis of the spice mix. Let's have a look at them both.
Za'atar the herb
Botanically, za'atar is a group of wild herbs that grow mainly in the Eastern Mediterranean. It's not one specific herb, but a number of herbs reminiscent of oregano, thyme and savoury.
In other words: Depending on where you are, it'll taste and look slightly different. Sometimes more like oregano, other times more like thyme or savoury. Sometimes you’d be forgiven for thinking a touch of mint is involved. The leaves are usually sturdier than oregano or thyme, inching halfway towards rosemary in texture.
As far as I know, the herbs remain wild and are picked from primarily hilly and mountainous areas across the Levant.
These herbs have a long history that dates back at least to Ancient Egypt. Herbal remains have been found in pharaohs' tombs, probably an indication of its perceived medical qualities at the time. Hippocrates, a Greek physician of stature operating in the 5th century, apparently prescribed za'atar for patients struggling with lung ailments or colds.
Za’atar has been used in the local cuisines of the Levant since at least the Middle Ages. It remains widely used here, both in fresh, dried and pickled form. One of my favourites is a salad of fresh or pickled za'atar with pomegranate molasses and finely chopped tomato. It’s common to add olives as well. It's a popular meze dish that I've enjoyed on several visits to South-Eastern Turkey as well as restaurants in Istanbul specialising in Hatay cuisine. Turks call the herb zahter.
Za'atar the spice mix
In the West, za'atar is best known as a spice mix. When you see za'atar on an ingredient list in a recipe, this is usually what's meant – not the fresh herb.
The spice mix is made of three core ingredients: Dried and finely ground za'atar (the herb), toasted sesame seeds and finely ground sumac, a sour spice made from dried sumac fruits (which I’ll surely return to in a later edition as it’s another of my favourite spices). It's also common to add salt.
Households all across the Levant used to make their own za'atar mixture. Housewives would stake their pride on having a better za'atar than the neighbours. It should therefore come come as no surprise that there are probably as many opinions on how za’atar should be made as there are households.
In addition to the three core ingredients, small amounts of other spices – cumin, coriander or fennel seeds, for example – are sometimes added. Since the herb forming the basis of the mixture will also be slightly different from place to place, you can begin to imagine the incredible diversity that is the world of za'atar spice mixes.
Unfortunately, commercially produced za'atar varies wildly in quality. Some add significant amounts of flour, toasted wheat or chickpeas. They may also go low on the amount of sesame seeds. These are cheaper and often badly lacking in flavour. I highly recommend checking the ingredient list carefully when buying za’atar. It's not always possible to avoid these lower quality blends entirely, but opt for as clean of a za'atar as possible.
Among brands available in the West, Palestinian za’atar has the best reputation. Even here in Turkey, my go-to za’atar blend is sold as “Palestinian za’atar”, though the ingredients are local.
With the exception of the toasted sesame seeds, which remain whole, za'atar spice mix should be very finely ground. Avoid mixtures which remain leafy and chunky. These are unlikely to be particularly authentic and will provide an entirely different flavour profile.
Green or red za'atar
The best known and most used za'atar spice mixture is green in colour, however red za’atar is also available. Red za’atar is heavier on other spices, particularly sumac, which lends the blend its red colour.
While some prefer red za'atar over green, when a recipe calls for za'atar, they almost always mean the green one. If the red one is called for, the recipe should specify so.
Personally, I prefer and keep only green za'atar.
What is the za'atar spice mix used for?
The short, and perhaps not very helpful, answer to this question is: Anything. Za'atar is a sort of everything spice that you can put on whatever you want. But there are some usages that are more common than others.
Za'atar is brilliant mixed with olive oil alongside bread. Whether doused on top of a flatbread for a traditional manoush/manakish bread or served as a dip alongside your bread, it’s an exquisite match for bread.
Eggs are another excellent match for za’atar. Sprinkle over fried or boiled eggs, or make a Middle Eastern twist on your egg salad.
Za'atar can really elevate salads, especially chickpea based ones, roast vegetables or creamy pasta dishes. I also like using it in marinades or as a spice for chicken and salmon. A generous sprinkle on top of soups can also be delicious.
Here are some of my favourite recipes that make use of za'atar. The green spice mix, that is.
Spiced beetroot & chickpeas with harissa yoghurt
An explosion of flavours! A wonderful meal in its own right, or as part of a larger spread of sharing dishes.
Za’atar baked salmon
The za’atar mix on top may look a lot, but it’s just perfect. One of my favourite ways to enjoy salmon.
Chicken with Syrian lentils, labneh & za’atar
Za’atar works well with chicken, and even more so when paired with slightly sour and herby Syrian-inspired lentils and creamy labneh. A delicious dinner!
Pide with za’atar
A marriage of Turkish pide and Lebanese manoushe/manakish..! Sesame seeds and nigella seeds are usually the only “spice” toppings allowed for Turkish pide bread, but za’atar is an excellent match for this fluffy and slightly chewy bread.
🔜 Coming Friday for paying subscribers:
Za’atar potato fritters
A delicious take on latkes incorporating the wonderful flavours of za’atar as well as Greek yoghurt and fresh herbs. Crispy, light and still slightly moist in the middle, this is an excellent snack or side to anything that might otherwise work with fried potatoes.
This recipe will be for paying subscribers. Paid subscriptions enable the newsletters to keep coming, but are completely optional. If you wish to support my work and receive new recipes every Friday, please consider becoming a paying subscriber for only US$6/month or US$50/year (or local currency equivalent).
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With best wishes from Istanbul,
Vidar
This was excellent and informative - I wish I'd written it for ingredient! Looking forward to your notes on Sumac - it was my 3rd ever ingredient feature and remains one of my favourite ingredients (as well as Aleppo pepper and molasses, though I prefer date and have a bottle of cherry I can't wait to try!) https://ingredientbyrachelphipps.substack.com/p/sumac