Looking to use up some storecupboard spices? Want the best grilled kebabs? Put sumac to use with our easy recipes, or see more inspiration with our Middle Eastern mezze recipes. Now try our za'atar recipes.

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What is sumac?

This wine-coloured ground spice is made from dried berries. It has an appealing lemon-lime tartness that can perk up plenty of recipes. Using sumac instead of lemon juice or zest immediately enhances dishes, giving a fascinating and exotic twist. Fish, poultry and vegetable dishes all spring to life in a new way. Simply sprinkle over yogurt as a dip, too.


Best sumac recipes

Hole-in-the-wall beef skewers

These kebabs are simple to make and cook fast on a barbecue. Rather than serve them in a wrap, smear a plate with a slick of hummus, add the skewers – then top the meat with a really zesty mix of red onion, sumac and parsley.

Beef skewers on a bed of hummus a plate

Fennel salad

A seriously simple fennel salad recipe, with a pomegranate molasses and sumac dressing. Use a mandoline or sharp knife to slice the fennel as thinly as possible.

Fennel salad

Sumac and olive oil-roasted salmon with spiced carrot salad

Coat salmon in olive oil and sumac for a a showstopping centrepiece.

Sumac and olive oil-roasted salmon with spiced carrot salad recipe

Sumac-roasted chicken traybake

This sumac-roasted chicken traybake is packed with flavour, plus it's low in calories and gluten free. Serve with zesty yogurt dressing for a quick and easy summer dish.

Chicken Traybake Recipe with Sumac

Squash toast with feta, sumac and poached egg

Try this squash toast with feta, sumac and poached egg for a quick and healthy, vegetarian brunch for one under 300 calories.

Squash toast

Sumac chicken and green bean salad

This sumac chicken and green bean salad is ready in just 20 minutes and under 300 calories, perfect for an easy midweek meal.

Sumac Chicken Recipe with Green Bean Salad

Sumac roast cauliflower and chicken salad with mint yogurt

Ready in under 30 minutes, this minty chicken and tangy lemony roast cauliflower dish makes a quick and easy low-calorie gluten free meal for two.

Sumac Roast Cauliflower Recipe with Sumac And Easy Chicken Salad

Fried aubergine sticks with sumac and honey

Easy aubergine sticks: designed to impress your friends and family as a quick dinner-party starter, or as part of an easy lunch. With a minty yogurt dip, this Mediterranean-inspired recipe with sumac and za'atar just needs a drizzle of honey to finish it off.

Fried Aubergine Sticks Recipe With Sumac and Honey

Roasted butternut and feta salad with quinoa, avocado and sumac

This recipe is from head chef Tim Yates at the East London restaurant 100 Hoxton. This colourful dish is flavoured with sumac, ras el hanout (a North African spice) and coriander; and can be made in advance.

Roasted butternut and feta salad with quinoa, avocado and sumac

Fattoush with crisp spiced chickpeas

A vibrant, summery salad that mixes chickpeas with herby pitta croutons, radishes, tomatoes, sumac and a pomegranate molasses dressing.

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Fattoush with crisp spiced chickpeas

Adana kebabs

These Turkish-style kebabs are named after the city of Adana and flavoured with chilli and sumac. Make them to feed a crowd at your next barbecue.

A wooden background has circular flatbreads with dark lamb skewers and a pot of white sauce and a pot of chopped onions

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe Portrait
Janine RatcliffeFood director

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