Zaatar Granola

My love for zaatar has no boundaries. I literally sprinkle it over anything I come across in the kitchen. I prepare large batches of zaatar, always give to my zaatar-loving-friends, and store the rest of my production in big jars in my pantry. For my daily-emergency-zaatar-sprinkle needs, I keep a small spice jar filled with my beloved homemade zaatar next to the stove. Best real estate in the kitchen! ;)

Every time I prepare the kids granola for the week I think about a salty version. I tried it today and that was exactly what I was missing on my cereal shelf: Zaatar Granola! It’s crunchy, salty, and has all the unbelievably addictive zaatar flavors.

I tested the zaatar granola for lunch today. I put a little bit on the bottom of the cup, topped it with some plain yogurt, included juicy cucumber sticks, finished with a good amount of zaatar granola and some extra virgin olive oil.

You can use the zaatar granola over yogurt cups, or as cheese topping (I am thinking about Feta cheese and Labneh) or even for a crunchy addition to your salad. Have fun!

Bon appétit!

Video recipe: Zaatar Mix on IGTV

ZAATAR GRANOLA

Recipe credits: Rafaella Sargi

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup (55 g) butter, melted
1/2 cup zaatar*
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Drizzle of honey (optional)

Directions
Prep all the ingredients.
You will need one baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper, a small pot, a large bowl (for mixing) and a jar for storing.

Heat the oven to 275F (135C).

In a large bowl mix the granola, salt, and zaatar. Set aside.
In a small pot slowly melt the butter. Remove from the heat and add the extra virgin olive oil and honey if using, then mix. Pour over the oats and zaatar in the big bowl and gently mix until evenly coated. Spread this mixture on the baking sheet in one even layer.

Bake at 275F (135C) for 45 minutes. Turn the sheet pan and bake at 300F (150C) for 20 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down completely. It will be soft to the touch as it comes out from the oven but it will harden when it cools down. Once completely cooled down, store in an airtight container.

*Zaatar: you can find zaatar in Middle-eastern stores and in some supermarkets. This herb and spice mix is more and more available in regular stores. You can also make your own, click on the recipe link for more details: Homemade Zaatar Mix.