Za’atar (My secret ingredient)
Za’atar. For me, this is what I call one of my “secret ingredients.”
I have fond memories of being in the streets of Lebanon, eating manousheh—a type of flatbread that’s popular street food across many Middle Eastern countries.
My favourite ones were always the za’atar manousheh, topped with labneh, fresh mint, cucumber, and tomato. Simple, fresh, and absolutely full of flavour.
It’s the herbaceousness of the za’atar blend, finished off with the tang of sumac, that makes it so special. And the best part? You can use it in almost anything. Salads (my go-to), breads, marinades, meats, cheese—you name it. It brings depth and brightness in one hit.
One of the key ingredients in a good za’atar blend is thyme—specifically wild thyme, which unfortunately isn’t available in South Africa. So I just use regular dried thyme, and honestly, it works just fine.
Try my bone marrow flatbread recipe with za’atar—just swap the butter for labneh and fresh mint, and you’ll get a taste of traditional Lebanese manousheh.
Homemade Za’atar
Makes about 90g
A fragrant Middle Eastern spice blend—perfect sprinkled on bread or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
30g sesame seeds
30g sumac
15g dried thyme
15g dried oregano
10g salt
Method
Toast the sesame seeds, thyme, and oregano in a dry pan over medium heat for 5 minutes or until fragrant.
Grind the thyme and oregano lightly in a spice grinder or blender.
Mix with sesame seeds, sumac, and salt.
Store in an airtight container.