A delicious pita bread from Lebanon – Zaatar bread or the Zaktar bread topped with the zaatar spice mix. Learn how to make this yeast-based Middle Easter delicacy with detailed step-wise pictures.
Today, I am going to share popular pita bread from Lebanon – it’s the Zaatar bread or Zaktar bread. It is also known by the name manakish zaatar. It’s a flatbread topped with Zaatar spice mix. To simply put, it’s the Middle Eastern delicacy similar to pizza/focaccia.
This zaatar bread is one of the easy flatbreads to prepare and you can use it in different ways. Skip the topping and use the pita bread to make paneer schezwan pockets or pita pocket salads or even you can serve the bread with Indian curries.
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So what’s it Zaatar?
It is a balanced mix of herbs and spices like thyme, oregano, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds. So now what is sumac? Sumac is a dried red berry native to the Middle East which is dried and ground into a coarse powder. The ground sumac is a versatile powder which used extensively in Middle Eastern cooking.
Traditionally Zaatar is blended with olive oil and used as a bread topping. As I found the Zaatar spice mix online, I did not look out for sumac. But if you can source sumac, you can prepare your own zaatar mix by adding the same amount of dried thyme, sumac, dried oregano, and toasted sesame seeds. Some recipes call for dried basil too.
Here is the simple Zaatar bread recipe,
Ingredients Required
For Yeast Proofing:
- Sugar – ¼ tsp
- Active Dry Yeast – 1.25 tsp
- Water – ½ cup
For the Bread:
- All-purpose flour – 1.5 cups
- Salt – ½ tsp
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp + 2 tsps
For the topping:
- Zaatar spice mix – ¼ cup
- Olive oil – ¼ cup
How to Make Zaatar Bread
Yeast Proofing:
- In a bowl add the lukewarm water, sugar and yeast and mix
- Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Preparing the Dough:
- In a large bowl add the sifted flour, salt, and olive oil and combine them.
- Now slowly add the yeast mix and combine to form a dough.
- Knead the dough for 10 minutes.
- Transfer this mixture to a wide bowl greased with oil and cover it with a cling wrap/plastic wrap and set aside until the dough has doubled in size. It took me about 1.5 hours this time.
Preparing the topping:
- Mix the za’atar spice with ¼ cup of olive oil in a small bowl and set aside.
Preparing the bread:
- After the dough has risen, divide the dough into four equal portions
- Knead the dough on a dusted surface and roll out into a thin round shape.
Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the pizza stone drizzled with semolina or cornmeal while preheating.
- Now press fingertips all over the rolled bread forming indentations
- Spread the prepared topping over the bread leaving the edges.
- Carefully place this on the pizza stone and bake for 8 minutes.
Let it cool and serve with hummus or cucumber sauce or with your favorite curry. This bread tastes great without any sides. Thanks to the Zaatar topping. :-)
Storing Leftovers
You can store the leftover bread for upto two days in room temperature and for upto 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to wrap it tightly or place them in an air-tight container. I haven’t tried freezing them so I can’t talk much about it.
Recipe Notes
- You can bake this in the regular cookie tray. I used my pizza stone.
- Instead of active dry yeast, you can use instant yeast, and instant yeast can be added directly to the dough and no proofing required.
- Adjust the zaatar spice mix as per your preference.
- Temperature plays a significant role in dough rise. So the rising time varies.
📖 Recipe
Zaatar Pita Bread | Manakish Za’atar Bread
Ingredients
For Yeast Proofing
- ¼ tsp Sugar
- 1.25 tsp Yeast
- ½ cup Water
For the Bread
- 1.5 cups All purpose flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp + 2 tsps
For the topping
- ¼ cup Zaatar spice mix
- ¼ cup Olive oil
Instructions
Yeast Proofing
- In a bowl add the lukewarm water, sugar and yeast and mix
- Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Preparing the Dough
- In a wide bowl add the sifted flour, salt, and olive oil and combine them.
- Now slowly add the yeast mix and combine to form a dough.
- Knead the dough for 10 minutes.
- Transfer this mixture to a wide bowl greased with oil and cover it with a cling wrap and set aside until the dough has doubled in size. It took me about 1.5 hours this time.
Preparing the topping
- Mix the za’atar spice with ¼ cup of olive oil and set aside.
Preparing the bread
- After the dough has risen, divide it into four equal portions
- Knead the dough on a dusted surface and roll out into a thin round shape.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the pizza stone drizzled with semolina or cornmeal while preheating.
- Now press fingertips all over the rolled bread forming indentations
- Spread the prepared topping over the bread leaving the edges.
- Carefully place this on the pizza stone and bake for 8 minutes.
- Let it cool and serve with hummus or with your favorite curry. Err; this bread tastes great without any sides. Thanks to the Zaatar topping.
Notes
- You can bake this in the regular cookie tray. I used my pizza stone.
- Instead of regular yeast, you can use instant yeast, and instant yeast can be added directly to the dough and no proofing required.
- Adjust the zaatar spice mix as per your preference.
- Temperature plays a significant role in dough rise. So the rising time varies.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
I bought some Zaatar spice mix at a Middle Eastern market a while back thinking I would try to make the bread, and of course I haven’t done it. My daughter really loves it! I’m going to have to try your recipe!
:-) Thanks
Zaatar totally rocked this day.. Could see various verisos in Zaatar today.. Lovely share Vidya :)
Thank you. :-)
This one is surely the winner of the day, yours has turned out so good!
oh yes.. :-) Thanks Valli.
What an amazing bread that is. I can imagine how flavorful and tasty it must have tasted with that za’atar spice on top. Yummy!!
Thank you Pavani.
Nice to see so many versions of the Zata’ar spiced breads and pitas. Yours turned out great!
Thank you Namratha
Lovely pita bread with the Zaatar mix. We have come to love this spice as well.
Thanks Harini. :-) It’s very flavorful naa?
wow..that bread is calling me, looks super flavorful. This middle eastern bread is a favorite at home and I can see that you have done a amazing job with it,kudos.
:-) Thanks Vaishali.
That looks lovely!!!
Thank you.
I have tasted Pita bread but Zaatar is new to me. So A-Z marathon over ah great job Sri. I came across lot of new and interesting recipes
Yeah ma. It’s over. :-) Thanks a lot
Same pinch, even i baked Zaatar manakish, and this bread rocks na, i have baked many time with zaatar and this bread is our family favourite now.
:-) I completely agree with you Priya. Love this bread very much and it pairs well with Indian Curries too.