Open-Faced Ka'ak Sandwich With Avocado, Za’atar, and Halloumi Recipe

Ka'ak serve as the basis for open-faced sandwiches featuring a simple avocado-based spread and griddled halloumi.

By
Reem Kassis
Reem Kassis: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Reem Kassis
Reem Kassis is a Palestinian writer whose work focuses on the intersection of food with culture, history, and politics. She has written two cookbooks: The Palestinian Table (2017) and The Arabesque Table (2021).
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Updated Jan. 22, 2021
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Daniel Gritzer

Why It Works

  • The creamy, fresh-tasting avocado spread complements the warm, browned halloumi.
  • The za'atar on the avocado spread echoes the za'atar in the ka'ak dough.

This sandwich works really because of its contrasting flavors and textures, and is a great way to showcase the versatility of this variation of ka'ak, an ancient ring-shaped bread that may be a precursor to the modern-day bagel. The ka'ak is both crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside; the avocado offers a creamy and sweet background to the bright notes of lemon and bitter notes of olives; the warm, griddled halloumi plays well with the freshness of the avocado spread; and the za’atar in the filling echoes the za'atar in the bread. Do try to source the cracked green olives sold in Middle Eastern grocery stores, as their flavor is quite different, carrying notes of bitterness and citrus not found in standard grocery store green olives.

Recipe Facts

Active: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Serves: 2 servings

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Ingredients

  • 2 ka'ak with za’atar, turmeric, and nigella seed

  • 1 medium (8-ounce; 225g) Hass avocado, halved, pitted, and flesh scooped

  • 15 green olives (preferably a Middle Eastern variety), pitted and sliced in quarters

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon

  • 1 teaspoon za'atar blend, plus more for sprinkling (see note)

  • Kosher salt

  • 4 1/2 ounces (125g) halloumi cheese, cut into eight 1/4-inch-thick slices and patted dry

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, mash avocado well. Stir in olives, lemon juice, and za'atar. Season with salt.

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  2. Using a serrated knife, slice ka'ak in half and toast.

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  3. Meanwhile, set a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, add halloumi, and cook, turning once, until well browned on each side, about 2 minutes per side.

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  4. Spread avocado mixture on ka'ak halves. Top each with 2 slices warm halloumi. Sprinkle with za'atar and serve open-faced.

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Notes

Za’atar blend is usually a mixture of ground, dried thyme and oregano leaves mixed with salt, sumac, and sesame seeds. It is available at all Middle Eastern grocery stores and some supermarkets as well. If unavailable to you, you can substitute with 1/2 teaspoon ground dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds, and a pinch each of sumac and salt.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
617 Calories
29g Fat
65g Carbs
27g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 617
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 38%
Saturated Fat 10g 52%
Cholesterol 49mg 16%
Sodium 1176mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 65g 24%
Dietary Fiber 7g 27%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 9mg 46%
Calcium 586mg 45%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 524mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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