Snack Better By Adding One Spice To Your Favorite Potato Chips

The good old-fashioned plain potato chip has been a classic since the 1800s for a reason. Its crunchy texture provides the ideal contrast to creamy dips, and its bracing saltiness pairs perfectly with a nice, cold beer (even potato chips and champagne make the perfect pairing). The snack is so popular that it has inspired countless flavors across the globe — as far ranging as Spicy Cajun Crawtators to India's Magic Masala — but have you ever considered adding your own twist on taste? Enter za'atar spice blend, the seasoning you didn't know your potato chip always needed.

Za'atar is an incredibly versatile Middle Eastern mix made of toasted sesame seeds, marjoram, sumac, thyme, oregano, and salt, giving it an aromatic, citrusy flavor and slightly crunchy texture. You can make a homemade za'atar blend or find it ready-made in most markets, including Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. The blend is commonly sprinkled over dips like hummus and baba ganoush, but perhaps its most popular use is as an ingredient for man'oushe, a Lebanese flatbread covered with a paste of olive oil and za'atar. Clearly, the spice is snack-worthy, and a plain potato chip is the perfect blank canvas. But don't stop there — there are lots of other combos worth exploring.

With its fresh and tangy flavor, za'atar spice is a particularly apt accompaniment for sour chips like those in the salt and vinegar family. Try a generous shake on options like classic Cape Cod Sea Salt & Vinegar, Whole Foods Himalayan Salt & Apple Cider Vinegar Kettle Potato Chips, or Boulder Canyon Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt. Similar tart chips like Kettle Crinkle Cut Dill Pickle or Ruffles Sour Cream & Onion also fit the bill nicely. Something spicy like Tim's Jalapeño chips would complement za'atar's tangy flavor as well.

Za'atar's toasted flavor and slightly crunchy texture make it a great dip add-in too. Extra creamy options with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt base are our top choice — similar to ranch dip, but skip the Kraft packet and mix in a generous helping of za'atar. Or try our protein-packed ranch snack dip with cottage cheese, but swap in za'atar for the spices and seasonings portion. In a nod to its traditional uses, using the blend to top tzatziki or homemade hummus wouldn't be out of hand either. Try some interesting twists on the latter with our summery zucchini hummus or 5-ingredient edamame hummus.