* If you don’t have za’atar, feel free to use a little extra oregano to taste. But don’t replace the whole tablespoon with equal parts oregano, because oregano tends to be a lot more fragrant and overwhelming—just use a little extra. If you don’t have oregano, feel free to use as much extra za’atar as you’d like to replace it. And if you don’t have either, feel free to use about 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, or another herb of your choosing.
** Feel free to use pickled red onion, as I’ve done in the photos here. This recipe explains how to make pickled red onions, which keep for a while in the fridge, and are a good way to make sure you don’t have to find an immediate use for the rest of that onion after slicing just a little for this recipe.
More substitutions: You can use supremed grapefruit instead of oranges, if you have those around. Or even feel free to use clementines, but instead of supreming them, simply peel and separate their segments. You can also use whatever kinds of olives you have—I just personally love Sicilian green olives (AKA, Castelvetrano olives), so I listed them here because I think they go the best. If you have romaine instead of kale, go ahead and use it, skipping the massaging step. If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, you can substitute about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon powdered garlic (to taste). The feta is hard to replace, but you can always skip it, especially if you’re vegan.