If I had to pick my favorite spice mix, zaatar would probably be high up on the list, if not my favorite. Middle Eastern in origin, this spice mix can be bought at any Middle Eastern grocery store, but if you’re gluten free like I am, you’ll likely need to make it at home, as zaatar sometimes contains toasted wheat flour as part of the ingredients…
Zaatar is generally made from the herb hyssop, in the mint family. My mom grows it in her garden, so I am able to get it for free, but if you can’t buy or get hyssop easily, you can make your own zaatar with marjoram or oregano or a mix of the two, as both are closely related to hyssop and have a similar flavor profile.

I use foraged sumac (deseeded and made into a spice) in my zaatar mix- if you can’t forage it, you can buy it (also at Middle Eastern grocery stores) or use citric acid in its place.

Zaatar is yummy on rice and chicken, but is typically eaten either mixed with olive oil as a dip for bread, or brushed onto flatbreads with olive oil and baked. This is known as pita zaatar and is a popular street food in the Middle East. Breads are also eaten with Greek yogurt topped with olive oil and zaatar. Delicious!
My favorite way to use zaatar was one that I thought really weird at first- on pizza! The tastiest pizza I ever tasted was with a pizza base, tomato sauce, green olives, diced tomatoes, diced onion, feta cheese, and zaatar.

Here’s my “pita zaatar” I made with my gluten free flat bread. It was certainly a hit!

If you’ve never tried zaatar before, give it a shot! You may fall in love with it like I have!

Homemade Zaatar Spice Mix Recipe- Gluten Free

Ingredients:
7 tablespoons hyssop, marjoram or oregano or a mix