--- title: "Sumac: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Sumac is a tart, lemony spice made from dried red berries. It adds sourness without liquid to za'atar, fattoush, kebabs, onions and roast meat." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sumac" --- # Sumac Sumac is a tart, lemony spice made from dried red berries. It adds sourness without liquid to za'atar, fattoush, kebabs, onions and roast meat. Also called Sumak, Sumach. Sumac is a spice made from the dried and ground berries of the sumac shrub, which grows around the Mediterranean and Middle East. It is a coarse, deep red-purple powder. It tastes tart and fruity, like lemon but softer, with a little salt often added during processing. Because it is dry, it adds sourness to food without making it wet. ## How to use it * **Onions.** Toss thinly sliced red onion with sumac, salt and a little lemon juice and leave for 10 minutes. Serve with [kebabs](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/kebab), grilled meat or in flatbreads. * **Salads.** Sprinkle it over fattoush, tomato and cucumber salads or avocado. * **Rubs.** Mix with olive oil, garlic and salt for chicken, lamb or fish before grilling or roasting. * **Spice blends.** It is one of the main parts of [za'atar](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/zaatar). * **Finishing.** Dust it over hummus, labneh, yogurt dips, fried eggs or rice for color and tang, as you would with paprika. Start with about 1 teaspoon for a salad or dish serving four, then add more to taste. It is mild enough that a little extra does no harm. ## Substitutes * Finely grated lemon [zest](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/zest) with a pinch of salt. Add a little lemon juice if the dish can take liquid. * A few drops of [pomegranate molasses](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pomegranate-molasses) in dressings, for a fruity sourness. * Dried mango powder (_amchur_) for a sour, dry spice. ## How to store it Keep it in an airtight jar away from light and heat. It is best within a year. If it has faded from red to brown and has little smell, replace it. ## Common mistakes * Cooking it for a long time. Its fresh, sour taste fades. Add it at the end or sprinkle it on just before serving. * Worrying about poison sumac. The spice comes from a different plant with red berries. The poisonous plant has white berries and is never sold as a spice. ## In recipes Sumac appears across Turkish, Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian, Iraqi and Iranian cooking. In Iran a shaker of sumac sits on the table to sprinkle over rice and kebabs. Palestinian _musakhan_, chicken roasted with lots of onion and sumac on flatbread, uses it as the main flavor. It is also common on [mezze](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mezze) platters. ## Recipes that use it 2 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2025/06/Fatoush-Hero-1.jpg)Fattoush (Middle Eastern Bread Salad)www.onceuponachef.com · 20 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/fattoush-middle-eastern-bread-salad.html) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2025/04/Roasted-Red-Pepper-Hummus-11.jpg)Roasted Red Pepper Hummuswww.onceuponachef.com · 20 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/easy-roasted-red-pepper-hummus.html) ## Related terms * [Za'atarZa'atar is a Middle Eastern blend of dried wild thyme, sumac, toasted sesame and salt. Mix it with olive oil for bread, eggs, labneh and vegetables.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/zaatar) * [KebabA kebab is grilled or roasted meat, fish or vegetables, often on a skewer, from the Middle East, Turkey and South Asia. See how to grill them evenly.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/kebab) * [MezzeMezze is a spread of small dishes from the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, such as hummus, salads and dips, shared at the table. See what to serve.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mezze) * [Pomegranate molassesPomegranate molasses is pomegranate juice boiled down to a thick, sweet-sour syrup. It adds tang to dressings, stews, glazes and Middle Eastern dips.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pomegranate-molasses) * [ZestZest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, full of fragrant oils. To zest a lemon is to scrape off that layer and leave the bitter pith.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/zest) [More in pantry ingredients](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/pantry-ingredients)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)