Zaatar Cheese Rolls

This the best appetizer you can make! Think of it like a rolled up manaeesh except the bread is a fluffy and pillowy dinner roll dough. It’s cheesy and packed with so much flavor from the zaatar. Let’s make them!

The Filling

There are two components for the filling! One is the zaatar and the second is the cheese. First, let’s start with the cheese. I like to use a blend of the following three cheeses:

• mozzarella cheese
• feta cheese
• parmesan cheese

The mozzarella cheese adds a goeey stretchiness. The feta cheese adds a nice tanginess and the parmesan cheese adds a salty umami profile. Feel free to change the cheeses however you’d like depending on your taste. You can also add in Arabi cheese like ackawi cheese or nabulsi cheese. You can also add some spices and herbs at this step if you’d like such as dried mint, aleppo pepper, or even chopped parsley.

Moving on to the second component, we’re going to combine olive oil with zaatar. It’s so important for both of these ingredients that you get the highest quality you can find. Extra virgin olive oil with a rich color and zaatar from the Arabi store which either can be Palestinian or Lebanese. I highly recommend buying zaatar from an Arab/Middle Eastern grocery store and supporting their businesses versus buying it from Trader Joe’s. It will not only be more flavorful, but cheaper for a larger protion.

The olive oil and zaatar is just a 1 to 1 ratio of both. Mix them together in a bowl and it’s ready to go.

The Dough

Let’s move on to the dough! This part is actually super simple because of one hack that I’ve been doing for years on days where I don’t want to make the dough from scratch. You can find frozen dinner roll dough in the freezer section of a lot supermarkets. They come individually portioned out in the bag and then you just have to thaw and let them rise. The brand I love is called Rhodes!

Take out the dough and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper that’s oiled. Make sure each dough ball is spaced apart since they will double in size. Cover it with plastic that wraps that’s also oiled and place in a warm place until thawed and proofed. I like to do this first thing in the morning so they’re ready to assemble and bake later in the day before dinner. You can also let them thaw on the tray overnight in the fridge too.

Assembling and Baking

Once the dough is proofed, stretch each roll out into a long thin rectangle. Add a generous amount of zaatar and olive oil all across and then sprinkle the cheese on top. Roll up tightly and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure the seam side is placed down on the tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Combine together one egg with a splash of milk. Whisk until smooth and then brush it on top of each roll and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of each one. You can also opt for black seeds as a garnish too.

Bake for 20 to 24 minutes in the oven at 350°F until golden on top and fully cooked through in the center. Allow to cool for a few minutes before enjoying warm!

Craving for More Bread? Try These Recipes Out!

• Everything Bagel Focaccia
• Chicken & Cheese Pastry Rolls
• Meat Stuffed Naan
• Spinach and Cheese Rolls
• Cheese Fatayer

If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

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