Za’atar is one of my favorite ingredients to use when cooking. I roast potatoes with it and chicken, too. So it was only a matter of time until I found a way to make a za’atar-flavored .
I don’t make my own za’atar, but rather buy it in bulk whenever I am in Israel. You can either buy za’atar at a Middle Eastern or specialty spice store, at Trader Joe’s, or make your own. Za’atar is traditionally made with a mix of oregano, sesame seeds, sumac and salt. I actually chose to add extra sumac in this recipe because the za’atar mix I bought didn’t have a strong flavor, but you can leave that out if you prefer.
To ensure your za’atar stays as fresh as possible, it’s recommended to purchase it in small batches and/or store it in the fridge. You can read more about za’atar storage here.
This challah has a lovely, subtle flavor that is perfect with a savory meal. I would serve this challah with hummus, tahini and baba ganoush for a lovely start to dinner.
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Note: The challah dough needs to rise for 3 hours, and then an additional 45-60 minutes.
Savory Za’atar Challah
This Middle Eastern herby, earthy spice blend is the perfect pairing with challah.
- Total Time: 4 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tbsp dry active yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ¼ cup lukewarm water
- 4 ½ cups of all-purpose, unbleached flour (preferably King Arthur flour)
- ½ Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp za’atar
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp jarred chopped garlic
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp water
- additional za’atar, sesame seeds and thick sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a small bowl, place yeast, 1 tsp sugar and lukewarm water. Allow to sit around 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy on top.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together 1½ cups flour, salt, za’atar, sumac, garlic and sugar. After the water-yeast mixture has become foamy, add to flour mixture along with oil. Mix thoroughly.
- Add another 1 cup of flour and eggs and mix until smooth. Switch to the dough hook attachment if you are using a stand mixer.
- Add another 1½- 2 cups of mixed flour, mixing thoroughly and then remove from bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead remaining ½ cup flour into dough, continuing to knead for around 5 minutes.
- Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp towel. Allow to rise at least around 3 hours, punching down at least once if possible.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Braid challah into desired shape. Allow challah to rise another 45-60 minutes, or until you can see the size has grown and challah seems light. This step is very important to ensure a light and fluffy challah.
- In a small bowl beat 2 egg yolks with 1 tsp water.
- Brush egg wash liberally over challah. Sprinkle with additional za’atar, sesame seeds and thick sea salt.
- If making one large challah, bake around 27-28 minutes; if making two smaller challahs, bake 24-26 minutes.
Notes
The challah dough needs to rise for 3 hours, and then an additional 45-60 minutes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes + 4 hours rising time
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Jewish
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