Palestinian Za’atar
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
Method
- Simply combine the dried herb, sumac, toasted sesame, and salt — no further cooking or grinding required beyond toasting the sesame.
- Only the sesame seed requires toasting, done separately before combining with the other room-temperature ingredients.
Origin: Palestine.
Use: Mixed with olive oil as a dip for bread, or sprinkled directly onto flatbread dough before baking (manakish). Central to Palestinian identity and cuisine specifically, with wild za’atar foraging holding cultural significance.
Storage: Keeps 2-3 months sealed and dark before the herb component loses potency; sesame’s oils can also turn slightly stale over time.
Variations: Wild-foraged za’atar herb is a matter of particular cultural significance in Palestine, where foraging restrictions in some areas have made the practice a documented point of cultural and political tension.
Substitutions: A mix of dried thyme, oregano, and marjoram can approximate the herb base where true za’atar herb is unavailable.
- Dried za'atar herb — 1/2 cup
- Sumac — 1/4 cup
- Toasted sesame seed — 1/4 cup
- Salt — 1 tsp
- As for classic za'atar, with Palestinian formulations often favouring a higher proportion of the herb itself relative to sesame, and sometimes incorporating a small amount of cumin
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