Prep Time 10 minutes
When it comes to Middle Eastern cooking, the spice blend cherished and craved for is undoubtedly Zaatar.
Just a handful of ingredients make up this addictive, aromatic herb mixture: salt, ground sumac (a tangy ground berry), dried thyme and toasted sesame seeds. However, the recipe is flexible and you can put your own twist on it, adding ingredients like cumin, coriander, fennel, caraway seeds, and marjoram to the mix.
Zaatar is mostly used as a condiment, pretty much anything goes with this multi-purpose spice and once you have a taste of its bright, woodsy and nutty flavor I know you will get creative with how you use your zaatar.
It is great on fried eggs for breakfast. Sprinkled on cottage cheese for a light lunchtime snack, mixed with feta cheese, humus or labneh as an appetizer. As an ingredient, you can use it to flavor grilled vegetables like zucchini and in various meat and poultry dishes.
Zaatar
by
Derek Farwagi
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp ground sumac
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp dried thyme
Instructions
- In a small frying pan on medium heat, gently toast the sesame seeds till golden brown. ( keep stirring the seeds to avoid burning).
- Mix with the other ingredients
- Store in an airtight container.
Here are some recipe ideas on how to use it.
Feta Cheese Zaatar Dip
Prep time 10 min. There are infinite uses for Zaatar spice mix and here is one of my favorites. Like my Egyptian Feta Cheese Dip there is no real recipe to this dip. Just crumble… More
Grilled Zucchini With Zaatar Dressing
Cook and Prep time 10 min Za’atar has a definite thyme flavor with overtones of nutty sesame seeds, the aromas of coriander and cumin seeds laced with lemony sumac. You can make… More
Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs With Zaatar
Prep time 10 min. Cook time 30-40 min. Let me introduce you to Zaatar, Arabic for thyme, the herb. It is also the name of a very aromatic herb and spice condiment made up of dried… More
GET INSPIRED. SUBSCRIBE NOW.