Soft, pillowy Palestinian flatbread generously smeared with a fragrant blend of wild thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, and fruity olive oil, baked until golden and fragrant.
Manaqeesh bi zaatar (مناقيش بالزعتر) — commonly called zaatar bread in English — is the quintessential Palestinian and Levantine breakfast, sold from bakeries and street ovens from before sunrise, the aroma of wild thyme and olive oil drifting through every neighbourhood. The zaatar mixture here is not the dried herb alone but a precise blend: Palestinian or Lebanese dried wild thyme (Origanum syriacum), ground sumac for tartness, toasted sesame seeds for nuttiness, and good olive oil to bind it into a spreadable paste. This is pressed into rounds of soft dough — either leavened bread dough or the quick version made with Greek yogurt — and baked in a very hot oven or on a saj griddle until the edges puff and blister and the zaatar paste is fragrant and slightly darkened. In Palestinian villages, manaqeesh is folded in half and eaten straight from the oven, often with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh white cheese (jibneh baida). The quality of zaatar mix matters enormously: seek out Palestinian or Syrian zaatar blends rather than generic supermarket versions.
Serves 4
Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add olive oil and warm water. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and rest for 45 minutes until slightly risen.
For a faster version, use 200g Greek yogurt mixed with 200g self-raising flour — no yeast, no wait.
In a small bowl, combine zaatar blend, extra-virgin olive oil, and extra sesame seeds (if using). Stir into a spreadable paste. It should be moist but not oily — adjust with a little more zaatar or oil as needed.
Preheat oven to 230°C (445°F) with a pizza stone or heavy baking tray inside. Divide dough into 4 balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a round roughly 18–20cm diameter and 3–4mm thick.
Spread the zaatar paste generously over each flatbread, leaving a 1cm border. Slide onto the preheated stone or tray. Bake for 8–10 minutes until the edges are golden and the zaatar is fragrant.
Bake in the hottest part of your oven. The high heat is what creates the characteristic puffy, blistered edges.
Serve immediately, folded in half or flat. Accompany with sliced tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, olives, and fresh white cheese.
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Use Palestinian or Lebanese zaatar blend — the wild thyme (Origanum syriacum) has a more intense, slightly lemony flavour than European thyme blends.
The ratio of zaatar to olive oil in the topping should feel like wet sand — enough oil to make it spreadable but not so much that it pools.
For the crispiest result, bake on a preheated cast-iron pan or pizza stone rather than a cold baking tray.
Zaatar and cheese manaqeesh: spread zaatar paste, then scatter crumbled akkawi or feta on top before baking.
Mini manaqeesh: make 8 smaller rounds for breakfast pastry-style bites.
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep wrapped at room temperature for 1 day; reheat in a dry pan or oven for 3 minutes. Do not refrigerate — the bread becomes tough.
Manaqeesh is documented as a baked flatbread across the Levant for centuries, with the zaatar topping becoming its most iconic variant. The word manqousheh derives from the Arabic root for 'engraved' or 'stamped', referring to the finger-pressed dimples in the dough. In Palestinian culture, the neighbourhood bakery (furm) producing fresh manaqeesh in the early morning is a cherished institution, with families often bringing their own prepared topping to be baked in the communal oven.
Dried Italian thyme lacks the sumac, sesame, and the specific flavour of Origanum syriacum (wild thyme). You can make a rough substitute by mixing 2 tbsp dried thyme, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 1 tbsp sumac, and 1/2 tsp salt — but a genuine Palestinian or Lebanese zaatar blend from a Middle Eastern store is vastly superior.
No — this dough only needs a light 45-minute rest to relax and develop a little flavour. It will not double. This is a flatbread, not a sandwich loaf.
Yes. Make the dough and zaatar paste the day before. Store separately in the fridge. On the day, let dough come to room temperature (30 min), shape, top, and bake. The flatbreads can also be half-baked (6 minutes), cooled, frozen, and finished (4 minutes) from frozen.
Per serving (180g / 6.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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