Charred Zucchini, Halloumi & Freekeh with Apricot Sumac Glaze
Smoky, herbal, savory-sweet summer grains with charred zucchini.
Daily recipe · June 03, 2026
A little about this dish
This dish leans into early-summer produce with zucchini treated two ways: quickly charred for sweetness and folded into a lemony herb base for freshness. Inspired by Middle Eastern flavors without defaulting to the usual tropes, it pairs crisp-edged halloumi with freekeh, dill, mint, pistachios, and a vivid apricot-sumac glaze for a savory-sweet finish that tastes layered and looks striking on the plate.
Ingredients (for 2)
- Zucchini — 2 medium — 1 cut into thick half-moons and 1 shaved into ribbons
- Halloumi — 8 oz — sliced into 6 to 8 pieces
- Freekeh — 2/3 cup — rinsed
- Fresh apricots — 2 — finely chopped
- Shallot — 1 small — finely diced
- Garlic — 2 cloves — minced
- Lemon — 1 — zest finely grated and juiced
- Fresh dill — 1/4 cup — roughly chopped
- Fresh mint — 1/4 cup — torn
- Fresh parsley — 2 tbsp — chopped
- Pistachios — 1/4 cup — toasted and roughly chopped
- Plain greek yogurt — 1/3 cup
- Sumac — 2 tsp
- Aleppo pepper — 1 tsp
- Ground coriander — 1 tsp
- Ground cumin — 1/2 tsp
- Vegetable broth or water — 1 1/2 cups
- Honey — 2 tsp
- Extra-virgin olive oil — 3 tbsp — divided
- Salt — 3/4 tsp — plus more to taste
- Black pepper — 1/2 tsp
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🍲🌾⏲️Bring the vegetable broth or water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the rinsed freekeh and a pinch of salt, cover, and cook on low for 18 to 20 minutes until tender but still chewy. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
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Step 2 — 🍑🍯🥄In a small pan, combine the chopped fresh apricots, honey, 1 teaspoon sumac, 2 tablespoons water, and a small pinch of salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until thick and jammy but still a little chunky. Set aside.
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Step 3 — 🥒🫒✨In a bowl, toss the zucchini half-moons with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ground coriander, ground cumin, half of the Aleppo pepper, a pinch of salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
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Step 4 — 🔥🥒🍳Heat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the seasoned zucchini half-moons for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden with some blistered edges, then transfer to a plate.
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Step 5 — 🧀🔥👌In the same pan, add the halloumi slices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until crisp and golden. Transfer to the plate with the zucchini.
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Step 6 — 🌾🍋🌿Fluff the cooked freekeh with a fork. Fold in the shallot, garlic, lemon zest, half of the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, and most of the fresh dill, mint, and parsley. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper if needed.
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Step 7 — 🥒🍋💫Toss the shaved zucchini ribbons with a few drops of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and the remaining fresh herbs so they stay bright and lightly softened.
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Step 8 — 🥣🤍🍋Whisk the plain Greek yogurt with 1 to 2 teaspoons water, the remaining lemon juice, and a tiny pinch of salt until smooth and spoonable.
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Step 9 — 🍽️🌾🧀Spoon the herbed freekeh onto two plates or shallow bowls. Top with the charred zucchini and seared halloumi, then add the zucchini ribbons in loose curls.
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Step 10 — 🥜🌶️✨Spoon the yogurt around the plates and drizzle the apricot glaze over the halloumi and zucchini. Finish with toasted pistachios, the remaining 1 teaspoon sumac, the rest of the Aleppo pepper, and the final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
A final fox tip
If you want to make it even more dramatic, spoon the yogurt first and pile everything over it for a restaurant-style look. You can swap freekeh for bulgur or farro, and if ripe apricots are unavailable, use 2 chopped dried apricots simmered a bit longer. For extra protein, a soft-boiled egg on top is excellent.