Zaatar

Zaatar can mean a fragrant herb, often wild thyme, or the Middle Eastern spice blend made with dried zaatar, sesame seeds and sumac. The blend is tangy, herbal and nutty.

Mix it with olive oil and spread it over flatbread before baking, or sprinkle it over hummus, eggs, roasted vegetables or grilled meat just before serving. For a quick snack, dip bread in olive oil and then in zaatar.

Stir zaatar into olive oil to make a loose paste, spread it over flatbread dough and bake at 220 °C until the bread is puffed and golden, usually 8–12 minutes. This bread is known as manakish or man’oushe.

Keep dried zaatar blend in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the cooker; it keeps its aroma best when protected from heat and moisture. Fresh zaatar herb should be wrapped loosely and refrigerated, then used within a few days.

For a similar tangy, herby flavour, mix dried thyme with sesame seeds and a little sumac. If you do not have sumac, a small squeeze of lemon added to the dish can provide some of the sour note.

No. Thyme is a herb, while zaatar often refers to a seasoning blend that includes dried zaatar or thyme, sesame and sumac. Thyme has 433 kcal per 100 g; the zaatar blend is richer in energy because it contains sesame seeds.

Yes: dried zaatar blend is ready to eat, so you can sprinkle it straight onto dips, salads or cooked dishes. Fresh zaatar leaves can also be eaten, for example in salads or tucked into flatbread.

A typical sprinkle is about a teaspoon, though blends differ in how much sesame they contain. Zaatar provides 19 g of fibre per 100 g, but a sprinkle is a small portion.