Za’atar Spice Mix
By the Gracious Vegan
“Za’atar” is the name of an herb and a spice mixture with historical roots throughout the Middle East and northern Africa. The herb za’atar is similar to oregano and thyme, and many cooks (including me) who do not have easy access to za’atar use those instead. The spice mixture can be used in many dishes and to dress up cooked vegetables for those who want to add steamed or roasted vegetables to their diet. See below the recipe for other ideas for using za’atar.
Not everyone may have sumac in their spice drawer. Sumac is a tangy red spice from sumac berries. There’s no substitute for sumac, and it’s easy to find online for purchasing.
Makes about 3/4 cup
Place a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds to the skillet and toast, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and set aside to cool. (Note: if you have roasted sesame seeds, you can skip this step.)
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
Add the following ingredients to the sesame seeds and stir. The za’atar is ready to use. Store in an airtight container, and it will last several months.
1/4 cup ground sumac
2 Tablespoons dried thyme
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
1.5 teaspoons coarse salt
Ways to eat za’atar
A favorite way to eat the za’atar spice mix is to dip fresh bread in olive oil and then in the za’atar. I try to avoid oil, but I still find lots of ways to use za’atar.
On top of hummus (toast, hummus, and za’atar is heavenly!)
On top of avocado toast
On grains
In a pita with chickpeas, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh mint, parsley
On a salad with greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, dressing, croutons or pita chips
On roasted vegetables (can be roasted with them or added afterwards)
In an easy chickpea salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, dressing
On baked potatoes
On cooked grains
Timing: about 10 minutes
Gluten-free