Sumac Dressing

Why You’ll Love Sumac Dressing

I’m a big fan of tart salad dressings. The zing of a tangy dressing can brighten and refresh even the simplest garden salads. That’s why I love our sumac dressing.

Our sumac dressing is a perfect blend of tart ingredients like sumac, pomegranate molasses, and lemon juice, balanced with earthy dried mint, punchy garlic, and high-quality savoury olive oil. This creates a delicious, mouth-puckering salad dressing.

Sumac dressing is the star of classic Middle Eastern fattoush salad. Its signature tangy taste makes the salad refreshing and flavourful. It’s also a delicious alternative salad dressing for other leafy green salads, broccoli salad, or our cucumber and golden berry salad. 

What Is Sumac?

So when you find an ingredient like sumac that can help uplift the tartness of salad dressings and sauces with unique fruity flavours, it is tough to resist. 

A quintessential ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking, sumac is a spice derived from the dried and ground berries of the wild sumac bush. 

It has a deep purple-red colour and is known for its distinct tangy flavour. It is similar to lemon but with a unique, milder acidity and fruity taste.

How to Use Sumac?

Sumac is a versatile spice that can enhance the flavour of many dishes with its tangy, lemony taste. It is best used as a finishing spice to preserve its vibrant flavour and colour, though it can also be incorporated into cooked dishes or baked goods. 

It is typically used as a rub for grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and fish and as a seasoning for rice dishes, hummus, labneh dips, or even fresh popcorn!

We love adding sumac to salad dressings just like our spiced yoghurt dressing or sprinkling over berries adding a tangy twist to a sweet fruit salad. 

Sumac is also a key ingredient in the aromatic spice blend za’atar which we love to use in our recipes as well. Try coating halloumi or sprinkling over baby beets.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need for sumac dressing: 

• Sumac: Even a small dash of sumac helps lift the fattoush dressing. This amazing spice offers a tart, lemony taste that enhances the overall flavour of the dressing. 

• Pomegranate Molasses: I adore pomegranate molasses, as it adds a deep, sweet, tangy flavour like no other. It goes so well with sumac and fresh vegetables. Try our pomegranate molasses dressing for other green salads. 

• Olive Oil: Quality olive oil provides a rich, smooth base that carries and blends all the flavours of the sumac dressing.

• Lemon juice: Adds a tangy brightness that complements sumac and dried mint in the dressing. 

• Dried Mint: More concentrated and intense than fresh mint, it adds a deeper, earthier flavour to the sumac dressing. You only need a small amount for this recipe. 

• Crushed Garlic: Infuses the dressing with a robust, aromatic kick to the dressing.

Variations and Substitutions

Sumac replacement: I don’t think there is an equivalent to sumac. There is no harm in having sumac in your pantry, as it is such a versatile spice. However, if you cannot find it, you can add a little allspice and cinnamon and increase the lemon juice in the dressing.

Pomegranate molasses: If you don’t have pomegranate molasses, you can omit it from the salad dressing. Add a little rice malt syrup to balance the dressing’s sweetness. 

Creamy version: For a creamy sumac dressing, add plain Greek yoghurt similar to our dressing for freekeh salad.  

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make sumac dressing:

In a small mixing bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. 

Add sumac, dried mint and crushed garlic and mix together with salad dressing.

Whisk until combined. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

How to Store

If you’re not using the dressing immediately, store the sumac dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep well for up to a week. 

Shake or whisk again before using, as the ingredients may separate over time.

Best Salad for This Salad Dressing

Fattoush Salad Recipe

Colourful, bright and refreshingly delicious, you can not go past this popular Lebanese fattoush salad recipe. We adore the crunchy homemade fried pita chips and zesty sumac dressing all mixed in with chopped seasonal fresh vegetables to create the perfect easy side salad.

Frequently Asked Questions