Wild-thyme + sumac + sesame + salt blend. Dusted on labneh, oil-rubbed flatbread, roast vegetables. The Levantine breakfast staple.
Za'atar refers both to wild Levantine za'atar (Origanum syriacum), an oregano-marjoram relative and the spice blend. The blend dates back centuries in Palestinian and Lebanese villages; Israel restricted Origanum syriacum harvesting in 1977 as endangered, which pushed cultivated production. Brooklyn-based Burlap & Barrel and London's Belazu sell single-origin versions today.
Palestinian za'atar tends to be more thyme-heavy with less sumac; Lebanese versions add more sesame and sometimes caraway; Jordanian blends often include wheat flour as filler in cheaper grades. The blend is so identity-laden that Israeli vs. Palestinian rights to call it 'theirs' is an active food-politics flashpoint.
Olive-green and brick flecks. Lemon-tart sumac hits first, then resinous wild thyme, sesame nutty back. Coarse — sticks to oil, doesn't dissolve. A spoonful on labneh with olive oil eaten with warm pita is the Levantine breakfast.
Origanum syriacum (Lebanese: za'atar farsi) is the authentic herb — culinary thyme and oregano are not the same plant. Sumac brings the tartness; without it the blend tastes dusty. Sesame must be toasted; raw seeds taste cardboard. Stored in olive oil it goes rancid in weeks; dry it lasts a year.
Variations
Palestinian Nablus blend (heavier on hyssop, less sumac); Lebanese za'atar akhdar (greener, more sesame); Aleppine red za'atar (with sumac dominant, almost burgundy); Jordanian commercial blends (cheaper, often wheat-cut). Brooklyn's Sahadi's and Boston's Sevan are reliable U.S. retail sources.
On the Palate
Where Za'atar sits in the Lebanese flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
3 steps · 2 min active + 4 min waiting
- 13 min
Toast 50 g sesame seeds in dry pan 3 min until light gold.
Watch outWatch the sesame closely and pull it at light gold — it goes from pale to burnt in seconds, and scorched seeds turn the whole blend bitter.
- 22 min
Combine sesame + 60 g dried wild thyme (oregano OK) + 30 g sumac + 1 tbsp salt.
Watch outDon't skimp the sumac — it's what brings the tartness; leave it short and the blend just tastes dry and dusty.
- 31 min
Mix well; store airtight; sprinkle on labneh, oiled flatbread, roasted vegetables.
