Oregano Salad - Salatat Za'tar Tilyaanee

posted on: Jul 28, 2026

By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer

Often confused with marjoram, oregano, also called wild marjoram and origan, is a perennial plant of the mint family, native to the Mediterranean region. In classical Arabic oregano is called anrar, but in the eastern Arabic colloquial, the various types of oregano and thymes are lumped together under the name za’tar.  Commonly used as a herbal seasoning in foods, fresh oregano also can play the role of main actor in a dish, such as in this salad, popular in Syria and Lebanon.

            Although there are various types of oregano, as the Arabic name of the salad indicates, Italian oregano is the best choice as it has a milder taste.

Serves 6 to 8

4 cups tightly packed fresh Italian oregano leaves                                                    

4 medium onions, chopped                                  

1 cup crumbled feta cheese   

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 teaspoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons sumach

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

            Combine oregano, onion and cheese in a salad bowl then set aside.

            Thoroughly combine remaining ingredients then stir into salad bowl mixture and serve immediately.

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