Za’atar-Crusted Grilling Cheese
with Sumac-Spiced Zucchini & Onion over Couscous
- Wheat
- Milk
- Sesame
Did you ever think that you could actually grill cheese? (We’re not talking about sandwiches.) Just throw a big hunk of cheese directly into a hot pan and cook until the outsides get beautifully golden 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 couscous with 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
6 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 produce. • Halve, peel, and cut onion into 1-inch-thick wedges; mince one wedge. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; thinly slice lengthwise into long 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 cook, slice grilling cheese into four large pieces (eight pieces for 4 servings). • Place Za’atar Spice on a plate. Coat cheese in spice, 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 broiled veggies, half the cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide couscous mixture between plates. Top with remaining broiled veggies and grilling cheese. Garnish with remaining cilantro. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Feb 2026- Flavor: Many loved the unique blend of Middle Eastern spices, especially the za'atar and sumac, which created a delicious and interesting flavor profile 🌶️.
- Ease of prep: Some found it quick and straightforward to make, while others felt it involved multiple pans and more hands-on time than expected.
- Suggestions: Consider roasting the tomatoes with other vegetables; try adding garlic or olives for extra flavor depth.
- Portions: Several mentioned wanting more grilling cheese or a larger overall portion size for a more filling meal.
- Cheese texture: Some found the cheese delightfully crispy outside and melty inside; others noted it can become rubbery if overcooked or cooled.
Reviews from our home cooks
We love this recipe, but knowing that we love it, we purchased Za'atar seasoning so that we could one day make it from the recipe card. So when we saw it as an option, we jumped at it. But the HUGE flaw in this kit is that there needs to be three or four za'atar seasoning packets in order to actually coat the cheese. Also instead of having the cheese over heat, I heated the pan, turned it off and then put the cheese in. It kept it from really melting. Still warm, still delicious, but not a melty mess.
I wasn't sure about the sumac?? So I didn't use it, just threw in some garlic with the zucchini & onion and that allowed the flavor of the cheese & za'atar to be the main focus. Afterward I did a little research about sumac and learned it is a tangy slightly lemony spice, so next time I will try it I think. I liked this variety of grilling cheese a lot, it was super easy to slice compared to the previous varieties! and equally tasty.
The za'atar seasoning with the lemon was delicious! Could have used maybe a spicy element like fresh jalapeño or peppers. Really enjoyed the onions, zucchini and cheese. The couscous brought a nice texture.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this one but I love Mediterranean food and Za'atar is so good, so I was intrigued to try it. And I'm glad I did! I used extra Za'atar since I always have some on hand and it was awesome! Yum! I will absolutely make this again.
This was a truly Delicious meal! But not enough for 2 people. The cheese would probably have been enough if there were way more veggies to fill us up- the zucchini was seriously tiny, I would have prefered more for even a single serving. Also there was no packet (I assume it was a dried spice packet) of Sumac, just the Za'atar mix. I suspect that the veggies didn't miss out Too much from the lack of that ingredient but it was missing nonetheless.
Love this dish! The sumac tomato onion flavors are excellent with the za'atar-crusted cheese. I always am sure to get this healthy but fantastic flavored dish when I see it on the menu of options.
This is my second grilling cheese recipe, and I liked this flavor profile better than the previous one -- and that's even after I completely messed up by adding the Za'atar to the veg by accident, and then "recreating" the spice mix from my own spice cabinet to coat the cheese with. Super tasty and something completely different.
I absolutely love this recipe! My only complaint is that they don't send enough couscous - its really disproportionate compared to the other ingredients. I also choose to sauté my tomatoes in EVOO and the za'atar spice. Chefs kiss!
Delicious. The sumac and za'atar made it really interesting. Used a lot of different pans and sheet pans, but the dishes were worth it.
The idea of grilling cheese seemed like a great idea to me. The vegetables and couscous were delicious. Amazing. I always enjoy couscous and vegetables. The only turn off unfortunately was the cheese itself. It has to absolutely be the first thing you eat and finish before you touch anything else, and sometimes, it's already too late. The cheese squeaks in my mouth as I chew it, it's almost rubbery. While the flavor is fine, it's not great, but not bad either.
