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Sumac

Sumac is a tart spice made from ground dried sumac berries and is used to season salads, meats, and dips.

Sumac — illustrative ingredient image

About Sumac

Sumac is a tart spice made from the dried fruit of sumac plants, usually ground before use. It is sprinkled over salads, grilled meat, fish, vegetables, rice, flatbreads, and dips, and is often added at the table as a finishing seasoning. Culinary sumac is distinct from ornamental or wild plants that are not used in the same way.

Its flavour is sharply sour, fruity, and lightly astringent, providing acidity without liquid. Coarse preparations can include crisp or fibrous berry fragments, while finely ground sumac feels smoother on the tongue. Colour ranges from brick red to deep reddish-brown, and the strength varies with fruit, processing, freshness, and added salt.

Sumac is sold as coarse crushed berries, a powder, or a salt-containing seasoning blend. It can be stirred into marinades and dressings or scattered over finished food. Checking the label matters because blends may be saltier and less intensely fruity than unsalted ground dried berries.

Ingredient type
seasoning

Forms & related ingredients

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Where sumac appears

7 linked foods

Find foods to recognise by country and type. Recipes and products vary; these are recorded ingredient connections.

Showing 1–7 of 7

Main dishes

Salads

Breads

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for sumac

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Sumac

English

Sumac fruit

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Sumac nutrition & diet

Sumac nutritional value

Representative benchmark: Spices, not further specified

Representative nutrition benchmarkOfficial table values for a comparable food category, not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient.

Per 100 g of 100 g edible portion in the named official reference form.

Calories
349kcal
Protein
12.1g
Carbs
30.5g
Fat
14.5g

Representative benchmark from a comparable official food-composition category; it is not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient. The displayed reference form must be considered, and species, cultivar, recipe, brand, processing and preparation can change values.

Portions & preparation

Use the exact sumac preparation, since ground dried berries, coarse flakes, and blended seasonings distribute differently. A small seasoning portion is usually incorporated across a dish, while salt or oil added to a commercial blend belongs to the blend. Confirm whether seeds, stems, or other spices remain in the product.

Compare the right form: Match the reference to ground dried sumac berries or a named sumac blend, including edible plant parts, salt, oil, and other spices.

Diet considerations

Sumac is a plant-derived spice when it consists solely of dried sumac fruit. Compatibility changes in za’atar-style or other blends containing sesame, cereal ingredients, salt, or animal-derived additions. It may season meat, dairy, legumes, or grain dishes, so the surrounding recipe—not the spice alone—determines broader dietary patterns.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    May be compatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · May be compatible
May fit a paleo pattern, depending on the cut or form, processing and added ingredients.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Pacific Nutrient Database 2020 — 01.1.9.4.0_99 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .