Cardamom and Tea

I don’t have a ton of hot takes, but I will go ahead and make one here: Most of the internet is getting za’atar wrong. This post is my effort to set the record straight.

Let’s start with the good news: The best za’atar recipe is also the absolute easiest recipe, because it involves driving to the store or shopping online for a bag of the real deal.

So why can’t you just blend your own from ingredients you might find at the supermarket?

Za’atar is often described in English as “wild thyme.” And many recipe writers insist that you can blend your own by using any old thyme and combining it with sumac and sesame seeds. But the wild thyme in za’atar has very little in common with the kind of thyme you’ll most often find in US supermarkets in those little plastic shakers.

I had never had access to fresh, wild thyme before my friend Mai brought me a bouquet of herbs, including a bunch of real wild thyme, which absolutely blew my mind and inspired me to write this post. Now I know the difference!

I do have a recipe at the end of this post, but I highly recommend reading on before skipping to it. This is an herb that needs to be understood fully before you make your own blend.

This post contains affiliate links (learn more).

what is the deal with za’atar?

what is za’atar, the herb?

It’s a wild herb, which grows in the eastern Mediterranean. It’s kind of similar to oregano or thyme, but it’s its own thing.

ok but is za’atar thyme? … or what?

Sorta-kinda! Za’atar is a family of wild herbs. The wild varieties are related to things like oregano and thyme, but are not the same as the thyme that’s sold in most US supermarkets.

Wild thyme is as different from French thyme as Thai basil is from Italian basil—you wouldn’t use Thai basil in a marinara recipe that calls for Italian basil (unless you were getting creative with it).

I thought it was a blend of herbs and spices—true or false?

“Za’atar” is both the name of the herb and the name of the herb/spice blend. It’s often mixed with sesame and sumac (among other things), and everyone’s blend is different.

how can I find the best za’atar?

I personally really like Ziyad’s (affiliate link). Buy a brand from your favorite Middle Eastern market and enjoy! You can also find it on Amazon and elsewhere online. As long as it’s from a Middle Eastern source, you can probably count on getting the real deal.

what if I want to blend my own?

I mean, herbs are delicious! If you use whatever thyme is available to you, I’m sure it’ll be tasty. I like to use 1 part sumac, 1 part thyme, and 1 part sesame. But the resulting blend will be very different from those found in Middle Eastern markets.

In the meantime, check out a few of my favorite recipes featuring this herb blend (or visit the archives for a full list), and enjoy!

A note on authenticity

While wild thyme and French thyme are really quite different, I’m not exactly claiming that a za’atar recipe made from French thyme is “inauthentic”—it’s just important to acknowledge that it’s very different from what most people in the Middle East mean when they say “za’atar.” Lots of folks (my family included) have learned to make do with the ingredients available in their new home after immigrating.

za’atar recipes

za’atar recipe

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Ingredients

1 part dried wild thyme
1 part sumac
1 part sesame seeds

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Instructions

Combine all ingredients and store in a jar at cool room temperature.

Alternatively, if you don’t have access to wild thyme, you can buy a bag of za’atar from a Middle Eastern market or online. This actually my recommendation for the best za’atar (no need to blend it with anything!). Check out the article above this recipe for more info on why.

Notes

Note that measurements are all 1 part by volume (so 1 tablespoon, 1 tablespoon, 1 tablespoon; or 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup).

Let’s be honest. Your average vinaigrette is a little… intense. And not in a good way. They hit your salad like a freight train, and you get a noseful of balsamic vinegar or a total oil-slick.

And every time you try to “balance” the two by adding less of one, you just end up with too much of the other. Not only do oil and vinegar not mix, they are bitterly competitive. You can’t just “add more vinegar” or “cut back on the oil” and expect harmony.

You need something else to smooth it all out.

The fix? Water!

Yes, water!

In 2019, food writer Samin Nosrat blew minds everywhere by suggesting we add water to our dressings. And she was right. A splash of water doesn’t just dilute; it transforms. It takes your vinaigrette from shouting to speaking in full sentences. Suddenly your greens taste dressed, not drenched. Coated, not clobbered.

But—and here’s the important part—not every salad wants water. If you’re tossing delicate greens, a little water can work wonders. But if your bowl’s full of juicy tomatoes or crisp cucumbers, there’s already a lot of water waiting in there. Skip the water and let the vegetables’ juices do the rest.

It’s a small shift, but it truly changes everything.

ideas for using that vinaigrette

Here are some ideas of ways to use this vinaigrette, plus tips on whether to add water to it or not.

effortless wins

Tossed with crisp greens, shaved Pecorino or Parmesan, + a bit of flaky sea salt (add water)
Drizzled over burrata, strawberries, tomatoes, and thyme (don’t add water)
Coat potatoes or other veggies before roasting with vinaigrette instead of oil (don’t add water)
Use in your favorite garden salad (see note in recipe to decide whether to add water)

fancy-ish

Mixed into a cold lobster salad (add water)
As a dipping sauce for artichokes (add water)
Drizzled over roasted squash stakes, dates, feta, and rosemary (add water)—there’s a recipe for this in my second cookbook, Piecemeal. Add the dates toward the tailend of roasting so they don’t burn.
Brushed onto bread for an antipasto sandwich (don’t add water)