Keto Zaatar Salad. Many times it is not a recipe per se that is from a particular region of the world, but the spices that go into it that make it. If you knew just some of the main Middle Eastern spices, tasted this, you might guess the salad came from somewhere in Africa or the Middle East. In this case it is the za’atar that gives it away. Yes, it is a spice blend but it is also a condiment on every table. It is dipped into and sprinkled on everything. It is also baked into breads, put into dips and sprinkled on eggs, and used as a rub on meats. Sumac is another oft used Middle Eastern spice. It is a beautiful dark red in color with the taste of a kind of tart lemon. Black seeds (Nigella Sativa) and not to be confused with black sesame seeds, are another to die for condiment on African and Middle Eastern tables and if you happen to have them they are perfect sprinkled on this salad. Pine nuts are a symbol of love and care for the people being fed as well as showing that the husband is capable of caring for his family. Yes, pine nuts are expensive all over the world. I try to eat zaatar 4-5 times a week and this keto zaatar salad is only one of them. I most often put in on eggplant.
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- 4 C Chopped Lettuce (Your Choice & Mix & Match If/As Desired)
- 1 C Fresh Diced Tomatoes (About 2-3 Romas)
- 1 C Diced Cucumbers
- ½ C Thinly Sliced Red Onion
- 1 T Dried Mint
- ¼ C Olive Oil
- ¼ C Lemon Juice
- 2 Tablespoons Za’atar
- 1 T Crushed Garlic***
- 4 t Aleppo Pepper (If You Happen To Have It)
- 4 t Pine Nuts For Garnish (If You Happen To Have Them)
- Place the first 5 ingredients in a large salad bowl (romaine through mint) and toss.
- Squeeze lemon juice & olive oil into a small bowl.
- Add garlic paste, 1½ T za’atar and whisk briskly.
- Drizzle salad with dressing mixture, then sprinkle with more za’atar, Aleppo pepper, & pine nuts.
- 4 Servings
- 162 Calories, 1.7g Protein, 15.2g Fat, 7.4g Carbs, 2.8g Fiber, 4.4g Net Carbs
- There are zero carbs in Aleppo peppers and pine nuts will only increase the fat as there are 92g fat per cup. Yikes.