Ainsley Harriott Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla with Sun-Dried Tomato Salsa Recipe

Ainsley Harriott Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla Recipe is the kind of dish that makes you rethink what a quesadilla can be. Chargrilled courgette, creamy bigilla, soft goat’s cheese, toasted pine nuts, and a generous dusting of za’atar are folded into a crisp tortilla and served alongside a punchy sun-dried tomato salsa. Ainsley first made this recipe as part of his Taste of Malta series on ITV, weaving together Maltese pantry staples and Levantine aromatics into something that feels both familiar and completely new.

The result is lighter and more interesting than anything you’d expect from a quesadilla. Furthermore, it comes together in under 30 minutes, making it an ideal choice for a quick weeknight supper or a relaxed weekend lunch.

Ainsley Harriott Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla Ingredients

For the Quesadilla

• 2 courgettes, trimmed and sliced thinly with a peeler
• Light olive oil, for drizzling
• 4 small to medium corn tortillas
• 4–8 tbsp Maltese bigilla, refried beans, or hummus
• 4 tbsp soft fresh gbejna or soft goat’s cheese
• 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• 8 black olives, pitted and sliced
• Za’atar, for sprinkling
• Pul biber or dried chilli flakes, for sprinkling
• Small handful of mint and coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• 60g cheddar or similar hard melting cheese, grated
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sun-Dried Tomato Salsa

• 6–7 sun-dried tomatoes (approx. 50g) in oil, drained and patted dry
• 1 roasted red pepper (approx. 85g), from a jar or roasted fresh, skin removed and deseeded
• ½–1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 1 small clove of garlic, bashed
• A small handful of coriander leaves
• ½ lemon, for squeezing
• Light olive oil, for loosening
• Sea salt, to taste

How To Make Ainsley Harriott Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla with Sun-Dried Tomato Salsa

Step 1 — Make the Sun-Dried Tomato Salsa

Put the sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red pepper, chilli, garlic, coriander, and a pinch of salt into a mini food processor. Pulse until you have a textured sauce — not completely smooth, as a little texture makes it more interesting. Then stir in a little olive oil and add lemon juice and extra seasoning to taste. Set aside while you prepare the quesadilla. As a result, the flavours will have time to develop and deepen.

Step 2 — Char-grill the Courgette

Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Put the courgette slices in a bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook for 1 minute on each side until chargrilled and lightly marked. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. The char adds a smoky depth that balances the richness of the cheese and bigilla beautifully.

Step 3—Assemble the Za’atar Courgette Quesadillas

Lay out 4 tortillas on your work surface. Spoon and spread 1–2 tablespoons of bigilla onto each tortilla, creating a large circle in the centre and leaving a small gap at the edges. Over one half of each circle, spread or dot half a tablespoon of gbejna or goat cheese. Sprinkle pine nuts and sliced olives over the cheese. Then arrange the chargrilled zucchini slices on top. Sprinkle over the za’atar, pul biber, and herbs. Finish with a scattering of grated cheddar. Fold the tortilla in half and brush the top lightly with oil.

Step 4 — Cook the Quesadillas

Place the griddle pan back over medium heat. Cook one or two quesadillas at a time, oiled side down, for 2–3 minutes. Brush the top lightly with oil, then carefully flip and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until lightly crisp and golden, and the cheese has melted. Keep warm while you cook the remaining quesadillas.

Step 5 — Serve

Cut each quesadilla in half and serve immediately alongside the sun-dried tomato salsa.

Recipe Tips for the Best Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla

Slice the Courgette Thinly: Using a peeler gives you thin, even ribbons that chargrill quickly and fold neatly inside the tortilla. Thicker slices take longer to cook and can make the quesadilla difficult to fold.

Don’t Skip the Chargrill: The griddle marks on the courgette add a smoky flavour that is central to this dish. Additionally, chargrilling removes excess moisture from the courgette, which prevents the tortilla from going soggy.

Use Bigilla If You Can Find It: Bigilla is a Maltese speciality made from dried fava beans, marjoram, mint, garlic, and sometimes chilli. It is richer and more complex than standard hummus. However, if you can’t find it, good-quality hummus, bean dip, or refried beans work well as a substitute.

Make the Salsa First: The sun-dried tomato salsa improves as it sits, so making it ahead of the quesadilla gives the flavours time to come together. Consequently, even 10 minutes of resting makes a noticeable difference.

Cook in Batches: Avoid overcrowding the griddle pan. Cooking one or two quesadillas at a time ensures even heat distribution and a properly crisp result on both sides.

Za’atar Is Not Optional: Za’atar is the spice that ties the Levantine and Maltese elements of this dish together. Its herby, nutty, slightly tangy character works perfectly against the creamy cheese and smoky courgette. Use a generous amount—it is not a background flavour here.

What To Serve With Ainsley Harriott Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla

This Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla is a satisfying dish on its own, but here are a few additions worth considering:

• The sun-dried tomato salsa: Already included in the recipe and essential — punchy, textured, and a perfect contrast to the creamy filling.
• A simple green salad: Dressed with lemon and olive oil, it adds freshness and balance to the richness of the cheese and bigilla.
• Extra bigilla or hummus: Set out a small bowl on the table for dipping — it works as well as a side as it does inside the quesadilla.
• A glass of crisp white wine: A Maltese Girgentina or a dry Sicilian white both complement the za’atar and courgette beautifully.
• Yoghurt with mint: A cooling spoonful alongside the salsa adds another layer of contrast that works particularly well if you’ve been generous with the pul biber.

How To Store Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla

Cooked quesadillas: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, place in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until the tortilla crisps up again. Avoid the microwave — it softens the tortilla and removes the texture that makes the dish.

The salsa: The sun-dried tomato salsa keeps in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 4 days. In fact, it often tastes better the next day once the flavours have had time to fully develop. Stir before serving and add a squeeze of fresh lemon to brighten it back up.

Assembled but uncooked quesadillas: These can be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge for a few hours, wrapped tightly. Cook directly from the fridge — just add an extra minute per side to ensure the filling heats through properly.

The chargrilled courgette: Store separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. It can be added cold to salads or reheated briefly in a pan before using in another quesadilla or wrap.

Make It Your Own — Creative Twists on Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla

This Ainsley Harriott Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla is already a creative fusion of Maltese and Levantine flavours — which means it has plenty of room to be taken further.

The Fully Vegan Version 🌱

Swap the gbejna or goat’s cheese for a good vegan soft cheese and replace the cheddar with a vegan melting alternative. Everything else in the recipe is already plant-based. The bigilla is naturally vegan, and the sun-dried tomato salsa needs no adjustment. With the right substitutes, this dish loses nothing of its character.

Halloumi Za’atar Quesadilla 🧀

Replace the goat’s cheese and cheddar with sliced halloumi. Grill the halloumi in the griddle pan alongside the courgette until golden on both sides, then assemble. The result is a saltier, chewier filling that holds up particularly well to the za’atar and pul biber.

Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Version 🫑

Add sliced roasted red peppers alongside the courgette and replace the goat’s cheese with crumbled feta. The combination of sweet pepper, salty feta, and smoky courgette against the za’atar is one of those flavour combinations that feels immediately right.

Walnut and Pomegranate Twist 🍷

Add a tablespoon of roughly chopped walnuts and a few pomegranate seeds to each quesadilla before folding. The walnuts add crunch, and the pomegranate brings a sharp sweetness that beautifully cuts through the richness of the cheese and bigilla.

💬 Bigilla is the ingredient that sets this Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla apart from anything else on the table. If you can find it, use it. If you can’t, a good hummus is a worthy substitute — but track down the real thing when you can.

Ainsley Harriott Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla: Nutrition Facts

Per serving, based on 4 servings

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	420 kcal
Protein	16g
Carbohydrates	38g
Fat	24g
Saturated Fat	8g
Fibre	6g
Sugar	5g
Salt	1.1g

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is bigilla? Bigilla is a traditional Maltese dip made from dried fava beans — also known as tic beans — flavoured with marjoram, mint, garlic, and sometimes chilli. It is richer and more earthy than standard hummus and is therefore commonly served as an appetiser in Malta with crackers or bread. If you can’t find bigilla, however, a good-quality hummus, bean dip, or refried beans make the best substitutes for this Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla recipe.

What is za’atar? Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend made from dried thyme or oregano, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. It has a herby, nutty, and slightly tangy flavour that works particularly well with grilled vegetables and soft cheese. As a result, in this Za’atar Courgette Quesadilla, it is the spice that ties the Maltese and Levantine elements of the dish together.

Can I make the salsa in advance? Yes. The sun-dried tomato salsa can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in an airtight jar in the fridge. In fact, it actually improves with time as the flavours develop. Additionally, add a squeeze of fresh lemon before serving to brighten it back up.

What can I use instead of bigilla? If bigilla is not available, the closest substitutes are a good-quality hummus, a white bean dip, or refried beans. All three provide the creamy, savoury base that the quesadilla needs. However, bigilla has a stronger, more herby flavour than hummus, so consequently add a pinch of dried marjoram or mint to your substitute to get closer to the original.

“Ainsley first made this recipe as part of his Taste of Malta series on ITV “

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