If you have ever sprinkled a dark red powder over hummus or a plate of fattoush and wondered what gives it that bright, lemony bite, you have met sumac. It is one of the great everyday spices of the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and it is easier to use than it looks.
What does sumac taste like?
Sumac tastes tangy, fruity and sharply sour, a little like lemon but rounder and more savoury. It is not hot like chilli or pungent like black pepper. Think of lemon zest with a gentle earthy, slightly fruity depth, and a faint dry astringency on the finish, a bit like a good cup of tea.
That sourness comes from the dried berries of the sumac shrub, which are ground into a coarse, deep red powder. Because it adds acidity without any extra liquid, cooks often reach for sumac when they want a lemony lift that will not make a dish wet.
How do you use sumac in cooking?
The simplest rule is to treat sumac as a finishing spice. Add it at the table or just before serving, so the flavour stays bright. Here are some easy places to start:
- On salads. Sumac is the signature seasoning in fattoush. A generous pinch over tomatoes, cucumber and red onion, with olive oil and a little salt, is all you need.
- With meat and fish. Rub it over chicken, lamb or salmon before grilling or roasting, or scatter it over afterwards. It also works well in kebab marinades with garlic and olive oil.
- On vegetables. Toss roasted cauliflower, carrots, aubergine or potatoes with olive oil and sumac as they come out of the oven.
- With dips and yoghurt. Dust it over hummus, baba ganoush or labneh, or stir it into yoghurt for a quick sauce.
- At breakfast. Try it on fried or scrambled eggs, or on avocado toast instead of a squeeze of lemon.
- In spice blends. Sumac is a key ingredient in za'atar, usually alongside thyme, sesame seeds and salt.
A few tips for cooking with sumac
Start with half a teaspoon and taste as you go. Some brands are salted, so adjust your seasoning accordingly. Keep it in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard, and it will stay vibrant for months. If the colour has faded to a dull brown, it is time for a fresh jar.
If you run out, a mix of lemon zest and a small squeeze of juice is a reasonable stand-in, although you will miss the colour and the fruity depth.
Sumac in a glass
Sumac is not only for the kitchen. At Sumacqua, we wanted to bring that tangy character into a drink. Sumacqua is a sparkling soft drink made with sumac and a blend of ginger, juniper and bay, so you get a tangy, lemony, herbal flavour that is quite different from a typical fizzy drink.
It comes in 250ml cans, with 49 calories per can. It contains no alcohol, no caffeine and no artificial sweeteners, and it is suitable for vegans. The small amount of sugar is natural, coming from lemon and grape juices. You can find the answers to common questions on our FAQ page.
It is best served well chilled, straight from the can or over ice with a slice of lemon. It also works nicely at the table alongside the kind of food sumac loves: grilled meats, mezze, roast vegetables and anything with a squeeze of citrus. It makes a good base for a simple mocktail too. Pour it over ice, add a wedge of lemon and a few mint leaves, and you have something a little more grown up than a lemonade.
Where does sumac come from?
Sumac has been used for centuries across Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and the wider Mediterranean, where it has long been used to add sourness to food. We tell more of that story on our Our Story page, and if you are curious about what ancient writers made of it, have a look at What the Ancients Said About Sumac. For more on why we love the spice, read Why we love sumac.
Ready to try it?
Try a box of Sumacqua for your fridge. Once you have tasted that clean, lemony tang, you will probably start finding excuses to use it everywhere.