10 Mediterranean Spices to Add to Your Cooking

Mediterranean food has been a part of my life since I was a baby. As many of you know my family comes from Lebanon and the spices and food of that region make it into a lot of my recipes. I wanted to share ten of my favorite Mediterranean spices that I use in my kitchen.

I am also including some recipes that you can make using those spices that are favorites in my house. My favorite mediterranean spice blend is za’atar and can be found in all of these recipes here.

When I think of Mediterranean cooking in my family, sumac comes to my mind. I have always loved sumac and the sweet, tart and lightly astringent flavor it adds to dishes. To make sumac you crush the dried fruits of the sumac bush. You can typically find this in a local Middle Eastern or Lebanese store or sometimes in the ethnic section of grocery stores.