Wild zaatar, aka zaatar barrey or wild, is a variety of zaatar (oregano) found on the Lebanese countryside; not to be confused with the zaatar mix sold in stores as a dry spice mixture; this zaatar is eaten with chopped onions and olive oil as a mezze item; pungent and velvety-textured, it is very popular; here I combined it with the large tomatoes that are called here jabalyeh, meaning from the mountains; in the US, these tomatoes are called heirloom tomatoes.
To make this salad, slice some tomatoes and combine with the zaatar, some olives, chopped white onion, sumac and a drizzle of olive oil.
23 Comments
This heirloom tomato salad looks so refreshing. I am sure the zaatar adds a pleasing fresh herb flavor.
Thank u for publishing the armenian beoreg
Heard about zaatar mix, but wild zaatar in salad looks very interesting..
I haven’t seen such tomatoes for ages…great!
Just love love this salad, my favorite flavors. And I have to say that if they made perfume out of the zaatar, I would wear it! The best aroma ever.
Leave it to Joumana to have the bright ideas, this salad has distinctively flavors, and taste of Beirut. What a tasty and a healthy clean salad, with a burst of freshness, almost like a bed spread of zaatar over the tomatoes, and creating aroma, the sumac comes through with its personality, you wont be able to help yourself. This will make it part of the regular salad rotation at our house. Bravo!
I love the look of the zatar… but can you substitute regular oregano for it??
I love a simple fresh, tomato salad with fresh herbs. What a lovely salad!
What a lovely and unique salad, so fresh and light…
great salad, the tomatoes are goregous..
sweetlife
I’ve been using the Zaatar mix on a few appetixers lately…and now I find out I can get the simple herb which I could use like my Italian oregano…alright…a small light bulb moment ;o)
Ciao for now and flavourful wishes,
Claudia
I’ve never heard of this genus of oregano but I’d love to try it. Mountain herbs are the most pungent…a good thing in my books.
This herb looks much like the marjoram in my garden (it also grows wild all around here and the pinky-purple flowers are brightening the hedgerows right now). I wouldn’t have thought of using so much with a tomato salad but I’ll try this because it looks so pretty! I wonder if I might find zaatar at an Arab grocery
in Paris…
I never knew that zaatar was just oregano! Good to know. I love the simplicity of this recipe…perfect for the tasty and juicy tomatoes of summer.
Hi Joumana. wild oregano! yum. how about some chopped garlic in there too?
brian
Truly the taste of the Mediterranean. Beautiful pic by the way
Nice salad…
Oh my. Yes, yes, yes. I am going to make that – can i use ordinary origano?
Robyn
@Koek!and @Deana: Ordinary oregano: do you like it? if so, sure! I would try it.
@Brian: I omitted garlic but it is added of course, mashed with salt; thanks for reminding me!
I bought Sumac in Turkey and someone gave me some zaatar mix here and I have tried neither yet. Ok. Here goes. I’m going in.
I have only recently been exposed to the dry spice mix za’atar. I had no idea that this version exists. thank you for showing me
I can only imagine how delicious this salad is, love the fresh herbs and tomatoes – this is summer! This is good!
That zaatar salad sings to me!!
Stunning & lovely food!