Za’atar-Crusted Grilling Cheese
with Sumac Roasted Veggies over Couscous
- Wheat
- Milk
- Sesame
Did you ever think that you could grill cheese? We’re not talking about sandwiches, but about throwing a big hunk of cheese directly onto the heat so the outsides get beautifully charred while the insides get warm and melty. It took us by surprise, but by golly, it’s tasty. To make it, you’ll dredge the cheese in za’atar, a Middle Eastern herb and spice blend, then serve it on top of bubbly couscous and tender zucchini and onion dusted in tangy sumac. Being cheesy never tasted so good.
Ingredients
1 unit
Zucchini
1 unit
Red Onion
1 unit
Lemon
4 ounce
Grape Tomatoes
¼ ounce
Cilantro
2.5 ounce
Israeli Couscous
(Contains: Wheat)
1 unit
Veggie Stock Concentrate
1 teaspoon
Sumac
8 ounce
Grilling Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 tablespoon
Za'atar Spice
(Contains: Sesame)
Not included in your delivery
4 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
Salt
Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Heat broiler to high. Wash and dry all produce. • Halve, peel, and cut onion into 1-inch- thick wedges; mince 1 wedge. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut into long, thin wedges. Halve tomatoes. Zest and quarter lemon. Roughly chop cilantro.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add minced onion and couscous. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened and couscous is lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes. • Add ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings) and stock concentrate. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until couscous is tender, 6-8 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to use in step 5.
• Meanwhile, toss zucchini and onion wedges on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, sumac, salt, and pepper. • Broil, tossing halfway through, until lightly charred, 10-15 minutes. TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning.
• While veggies roast, slice grilling cheese into four large pieces (eight pieces for 4 servings). • Place Za’atar Spice on a plate. Coat cheese in za’atar, pressing to adhere. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add cheese and cook until browned, 1-2 minutes per side.
• Transfer cooked couscous to a large bowl. Stir in tomatoes, lemon zest, half the roasted veggies, half the cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide couscous mixture between plates. Top with grilling cheese and remaining roasted veggies. Garnish with remaining cilantro. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many love the unique blend of Mediterranean spices and textures, especially the za'atar-crusted grilling cheese 🧀.
- Ease of prep: Most find it quick and easy to make, though some struggle with getting the cheese to crisp without sticking.
- Suggestions: Consider adding chickpeas for extra protein; some prefer cutting the zucchini into smaller pieces for better texture.
- Portions: Several mention wanting more couscous and vegetables to balance out the rich cheese.
- Cooking tips: For crispier cheese, use high heat and cook longer than suggested; a non-stick pan is highly recommended.
Reviews from our home cooks
This was another winner. The grilling cheese with za'atar spice was delicious and so easy to do. The lightly charred red onion plus sumac was wonderful. I like having everything in my meal in one bowl. I prefer the larger Israeli couscous too. The spices made the meal special.
The fresh and roasted veggies mixed with the couscous were the perfect compliment to the grilling cheese. The za'atar was out of this world tasty.
The mix of roasted and fresh veggies in the couscous with not the every day spices was outstanding! Grilling cheese was a new taste sensation made even better with the Za'atar! Two thumbs up.
The grilling cheese and spices (za'atar and sumac) were ingredients that I've never tried before, and I'm so glad I tried this recipe. It was so good! The flavors were awesome! My kids loved this one too. I hope to see it on the menu choices again because I will definitely order it again!
I love grilling cheese and the earthy, herbaceous flavors of the za'atar spice and sumac really make the dish. I'd eat just the herb-crusted grilling cheese without the veggies and couscous!
The sumac couscous & veggie base was fantastic (would have been better if the tomatoes were cooked a little bit). But the slices of rubbery cheese could not be saved... even by caking them in za'atar spice, which I love. Would have rather had slices of eggplant or something that mesh better with the textures of that amazing base. Still, a nice change of pace for me.
The grilling cheese was amazing! I would eat more recipes in the future with grilling cheese as the protein. The Za'atar seasoning was delicious and the sumac complimented the veggies very well.
INCREDIBLE seasoning, both the sumac vegetables and za'atar grilling cheese! Unbelievably easy to prepare with flavors well beyond expectation (perfect prep instruction and final product lended a deceptive depth to my kitchen competency). A fantastic close to a week dominated by an assortment of delicious vegetarian meals.
Absolutely fantastic dish! Halloumi is one of my all time favorite cheeses and the za'atar crust was wonderful with it. Ended up roasting half of my tomatoes with the zucchini (sliced smaller than the spears that they recommended) and left half the tomatoes raw and it was a nice contrast between tart acidity and rich roastiness. Will absolutely order this dish again if I see it available in the future. It was phenomenal.
I'd give this recipe 5 stars if I could. We love the Zatar spice, the sumac, the crisp texture of the cheese with the soft innards, the texture of Israeli couscous. Altogether delicious.
