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You are here: Home » Sandwiches

Za'atar Grilled Cheese Pita Sandwich

Feb 23, 2021 -May contain affiliate links

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Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 2 reviews
over head view of a grilled cheese pita sandwich cut in quarters

This pita sandwich is a Middle Eastern take on a grilled cheese sandwich made with pita bread, feta cheese, and za'atar. This Za’atar Grilled Cheese recipe is the comfort food at its best!

over head view of a grilled cheese pita sandwich cut in quarters

As much as we love an innovative, elaborate meal, we also love simple classics that warm you from the inside out! That’s what this Za’atar Grilled Cheese Pita Sandwich is. It’s just a pita and melted cheese, but we added feta and za’atar to give it a Middle Eastern grilled cheese feel that’s become a family favorite!

What is Pita Bread?

This is a Mediterranean flatbread made simply with flour, water, yeast, and salt that you can split open into a pocket. This makes it perfect for filling with all kinds of different foods such as falafel, hummus, Moroccan Matbucha, roasted beet hummus, and in this case, cheeses and za’atar! Pita bread is also known as Arabic bread or Syrian bread. Greek-style pita bread is pocketless.

What is Feta Cheese?

Feta is a semi-soft briny Greek cheese traditionally made with sheep's milk, although you can find feta cheese made with cow's milk or a combination of both. It’s tangy, and salty which makes feta cheese delicious on sandwiches, watermelon salad, zucchini frittata, shakshuka, pasta, and of course, on this pita sandwich! We love feta made from sheep’s milk the best. It has a delicious, rich flavor.

What is Za’atar?

Za’atar is a blend of herbs and spices that adds warmth and bold flavor to your favorite dishes. It’s simply delicious eaten with bread dipped in oil or sprinkled on veggies, toast, eggs, pizza, or focaccia. A good-quality Lebanese za’atar should only contain four ingredients: the dried za’atar herb, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt. Simple and delicious! Don't be fooled with imitation herb condiments made with oregano, thyme, or marjoram! Check out this article for more information on authentic za’atar. 

How to Make a Grilled Pita Bread Sandwich

It’s as simple as any grilled cheese! Carefully split your pita open, arrange the cheese and sprinkle za’atar, spread butter on the outside of the pita bread, then cook it on the stovetop in a pan or griddle until it becomes a beautiful toasty brown and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

  • ingredients to make grilled cheese pita sandwich: pita bread, cheddar cheese, zaatar and feta cheese
  • a pita bread split in half. On one half there is cheddar cheese, feta cheese and zaatar
  • A grilled cheese pita sandwich placed on a griddle.
  • A grilled cheese pita sandwich on  griddle

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  • Gluten-Free Za’atar Bagel Chips with White Bean Dip
  • Baked Za’atar Eggplant Fries with Tahini Dipping Sauce
  • Salad with Za’atar Croutons and Tangy Tahini Dressing
  • Za’atar Olive Tapenade
Side view of a grilled cheese pita sandwich cut in quarters and stacked

DID YOU LIKE OUR PITA SANDWICH?

If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.

This post was originally published on February 6, 2012. We have republished this recipe to include more useful information and step by step images.

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Side view of a grilled cheese pita sandwich cut in quarters and stacked

Za'atar Grilled Cheese Pita Sandwich


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Vicky Cohen and Ruth Fox
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 grilled cheese sandwich
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This pita sandwich is a Middle Eastern take on a grilled cheese sandwich made with pita bread, feta cheese, and za'atar. This Za’atar Grilled Cheese recipe is the comfort food you’ll crave and make time after time.


Ingredients

  • 1 pita bread
  • 2 oz cheddar cheese or muenster cheese, sliced or shredded
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese*, about 1 ounce
  • 1 teaspoon zaatar
  • 2 teaspoon butter


Instructions

  1. Carefully, split the pita pocket bread in half using a paring knife.
  2. Butter the outside of the two pita bread halves and place on a plate or working surface, buttered side down.
  3. In one half of the pita bread arrange cheddar or muenster cheese, making sure it doesn’t get too close to the edges. If it does, just fold in the edges.
  4. Add feta cheese and sprinkle with zaatar
  5. Place the other half of the pita bread on top of the cheese and carefully place the pita sandwich on a hot skillet, griddle, or panini maker.
  6. Cook on medium heat for about 1 minute or until the pita is toasted and golden brown. Turn the sandwich over and let the other side cook the same way until the cheese is melted.

Notes

  1. For a vegan option, you can substitute non-dairy cheeses for regular cheese. 
  2. Zaatar is a Middle Eastern herb mixture that can be found in specialty stores. 
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Category: Sandwich
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 grilled cheese
  • Calories: 539
  • Sugar: 3.3
  • Sodium: 968
  • Fat: 33.7
  • Saturated Fat: 19.8
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9.9
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 38.7
  • Fiber: 3.9
  • Protein: 23.3
  • Cholesterol: 101.7

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @mayihavethatrecipe on Instagram and hashtag it #mayihavethatrecipe #tahiniandturmeric

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. haleh1948

    February 06, 2012 at 9:28 am

    Love It.

    Reply
    • mayihavethatrecipe

      February 06, 2012 at 9:57 am

      Thank you!! Glad you like it!!

      Reply
  2. Tami Horn

    February 06, 2012 at 10:38 am

    I'm trying this tomorrow!
    Congrats on the website. Looks great!

    Reply
    • mayihavethatrecipe

      February 06, 2012 at 11:20 am

      Thank you!! Please let us know what you think!!

      Reply
  3. susan krisch

    February 06, 2012 at 11:39 am

    looks really good!

    Reply
  4. Sarah

    February 12, 2012 at 8:20 pm

    This looks sooo yummy!!! I love how you add zatar in it!

    Reply
  5. Cindy

    February 24, 2021 at 7:10 am

    My mouth is watering and my stomach is growling just reading the recipe!!! I love grilled cheese and this sounds amazing. I can’t wait to make this for my son when he gets home!!!(and for me too)

    Reply
    • Vicky and Ruth

      February 25, 2021 at 10:49 am

      I hope he enjoys it too!

      Reply
  6. Kim

    February 24, 2021 at 8:35 am

    Is zat’tar generally mixed with salt? Mine is. A teaspoonful would be too much. What is a good brand?

    Reply
    • Vicky and Ruth

      February 28, 2021 at 8:26 pm

      Yes, most zaatars are mixed with salt. This is one brand we recommend: https://amzn.to/3kJ7zKF

      Reply
  7. messy

    May 10, 2023 at 12:48 pm

    What an amazing recipe!

    Reply

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Welcome!

We are Vicky & Ruth, authors of the vegan cookbook Tahini and Turmeric. Born and raised in a multicultural Jewish-Lebanese-Spanish household our culinary journey began in Barcelona, Spain where we learned from our family the rich flavors of Lebanon, Turkey, Israel, Morocco, and Spain. From our mother's fragrant Lebanese dishes to our grandmother's secret Sephardic Turkish specialties, our Moroccan friend's fragrant recipes, our sister's vibrant Israeli creations, and our neighbor's authentic Spanish fare, each dish was a key that unlocked new exciting yumminess.

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