Halloumi Tray Bake with Pesto Rice and Roasted Vegetables Recipe
A vibrant and hearty Halloumi Tray Bake featuring roasted sweet potatoes and colorful vegetables, served with fragrant pesto rice and topped with crispy grilled halloumi and creamy hummus. This easy-to-make meal combines smoky roasted flavors with creamy textures, perfect for a satisfying vegetarian dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1–1.5 inch rounds
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 150 g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 150 g cherry tomatoes
Other Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic glaze (or balsamic vinegar as substitute)
- 250 g prepared rice
- 3 Tbsp pesto
- 225 g halloumi cheese, cut into 6 slices
- Hummus, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 200°C (390°F) to prepare for roasting the vegetables.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Lightly oil a roasting dish, arrange the sweet potato rounds in a single layer, brushing olive oil on top of them. Place the dish in the oven and roast for 20 minutes to start softening.
- Add Vegetables: Remove the dish, flip the sweet potato rounds, and add the mushrooms, red onion wedges, red pepper slices, and cherry tomatoes to the dish. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and balsamic glaze or vinegar.
- Continue Roasting: Return the dish to the oven and roast for an additional 30 minutes until vegetables are charred and most mushroom and tomato juices have evaporated.
- Prepare Rice: Warm the prepared rice. If using leftover rice, microwave for about 1 minute; if using packaged or frozen rice, cook according to package instructions.
- Mix Rice and Pesto: Stir the pesto into the warmed rice thoroughly. Spoon the pesto rice into any empty spaces in the roasting dish with the vegetables.
- Add Halloumi: Arrange the halloumi slices evenly on top of the vegetable and rice mixture. Brush or lightly spray the halloumi with olive oil for crispiness.
- Grill Halloumi: Set the oven grill (broiler) to medium/high. Place the tray under the grill for about 5 minutes until the halloumi is golden brown and crispy.
- Serve: Serve the tray bake immediately, topped with generous scoops of hummus for added creaminess and flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute balsamic glaze with balsamic vinegar if unavailable, though glaze gives a thicker, sweeter finish.
- Use leftover rice or easy-cook/frozen rice to save time prepping the rice component.
- Grilling the halloumi adds a delightful crispy texture; watch closely to avoid burning.
- This dish is vegetarian and can be made gluten free by ensuring the pesto and hummus are gluten free varieties.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat in the oven for best texture.
Keywords: halloumi tray bake, roasted vegetables, pesto rice, vegetarian dinner, easy tray bake, Mediterranean recipes
