Baked Orzo Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables with Halloumi 

I love this recipe as it somehow manages to incorporate all of my favourite ingredients. It’s an orzo tray bake whilst also being a halloumi tray bake, with the added bonus of mediterranean roasted vegetables.

Why this recipe works

One of the best things about vegetable tray bakes is that you can sit back and let the oven do all of the work for you; this recipe takes it one step further by incorporating baked orzo within the same tray, minimising effort and maximising flavour.

You couldn’t find a more healthy orzo recipe – by cooking orzo within the vegetables, we’re incorporating all of the nutrients within the veggies, within the sauce. There’s also about 3 handfuls of vegetables per serving for this recipe which we love to see.

The oregano adds a Greek vibe to this recipe, which is why I originally called this recipe ‘Roasted Greek Salad’ (with courgette as the substitute for the cucumber of course).

For the halloumi lovers, you’ll also love these recipes ;

• The Best Toast Ever: Halloumi and Avocado Sourdough Toast
• Spicy Tomato Rice topped with Halloumi and Coriander
• Vegetarian Halloumi Caesar Salad

Ingredients

Salad Tomatoes, Red Onion and Courgette
The Mediterranean vegetables that act as the backbone to this recipe. The tray bake has big Greek salad vibes, with the courgette acting as the substitute to cucumber – I don’t think I’ll ever make you roast a cucumber. 

Orzo
Keeping the Greek influence with our pasta choice here. 

Halloumi
The salty, flavour power-house that is pan-fried halloumi is of course our cheese of choice for this orzo tray bake. 

See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.

Recipe information

Can halloumi be baked in the oven?
Yes, you can make this dish completely hob-free by adding the halloumi into the tray to bake along with the orzo. I do prefer the texture that you get with pan-fried halloumi though which is why I’ve kept it cooked separately in this recipe. When you bake halloumi it is slightly tougher and chewier than pan-fried halloumi. 

Is pan fried halloumi healthy?
Halloumi is high in calcium and protein. However, it is also very high in fat. That is why in this recipe we are using one block of halloumi for 5 servings, slicing the cheese into small/thin squares which means that for every serving you get quite a few pieces of halloumi. We’re also not using too much oil, as we’re frying in a non-stick pan and almost grilling the cheese. 

What temperature is best for roasting your Mediterranean Vegetables?
We’re cooking this vegetable tray bake in two stages:

1) to roast the veggies

2) to bake the orzo along with the veggies.

We want the veggies to take on as much colour and char as possible during the first stage of cooking, so I’ve chosen a higher heat than I usually would for roasting mediterranean vegetables at 180°C. Usually I’d roast veggies for longer on a lower heat but this recipe is unique with the baked orzo element! See this other vegetable tray bake for you to try.

What is orzo?
Orzo is rice shaped pasta. Sounds confusing right? Due to its shape, many people think that orzo is a form of rice but it’s actually made from semolina which comes from durum wheat.

Usually orzo is cooked through boiling in salted water but with this recipe we’re taking some shortcuts and cooking the orzo within stock IN the tray (=less washing up/mess/effort/more flavour). The starch in the orzo thickens the stock to form a delicious, veggie packed, oregano infused orzo tray bake.

Other orzo recipes you should try out …

• Creamy Sweetcorn Orzo with Paprika Prawns
• Easy Red Pesto Pasta
• Broccoli Pesto Orzo

How to make this tray bake

Heat oven gas mark 180°C.

1. Using a large baking tray, add the chopped tomatoes, courgette and onion. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and season with the oregano and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir with a spatula to ensure everything is evenly coated with oil and then pop in the oven, timer set to 25 minutes (Image 1).
2. Once the timer goes off, remove the tray from oven and scatter the orzo into the baking tray with the roasted veg (Image 2).

3. Pour the vegetable stock in to the baking tray and, using the spoon, ensure that all the orzo is submerged. Add the kalamata olives at this stage as well before covering with foil and popping back in the oven for 25 minutes (Image 3).

4. Meanwhile, fry the halloumi slices on a medium heat with ½ tbsp of olive oil. One the halloumi slices are golden brown on both sides (approx 2-3 mins per side), set aside to add to tray (Image 4).

5. After the orzo is fully cooked remove the foil, drizzle with red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil (Image 5).

6. Top with halloumi, some lemon wedges and serve (Image 6).

Here are some other tray bakes for you to try ;

• Creamy Lemon and Thyme Chicken Tray Bake
• Spiced Chicken and Cauliflower Tray Bake with a Raita Sauce
• Spicy Chickpea and Roasted Sweet Potato Tray bake

FAQs

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Baked Orzo Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables with Halloumi

by Mimi Harrison

Print

4.73 from 29 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 55 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

£1.54

mains

Greek

Freezable

Servings: 5

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MetricUS Standard

Try this twist to the summer Greek salad classic! Packed full of nutrients from the roasted veg and orzo, a taste of Greece!

Ingredients

• ▢ 750 g salad tomatoes, sliced into wedges (£1.35)
• ▢ 2 red onions, sliced into wedges (£0.50/3)=(£0.33)
• ▢ 3 courgettes, sliced into chunks (£1.20)
• ▢ 250 g orzo (£0.70/2=(£0.35)
• ▢ 450 g (2 blocks) of halloumi, sliced into thin pieces (£3.50)
• ▢ 50 g kalamata olives, pitted (£1.50/2)=(£0.75)
• ▢ 1 lemon, sliced into wedges (£1.20)

Cupboard Essentials

• ▢ 2.5 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 tbsp dried oregano
• ▢ 600 ml vegetable stock
• ▢ Salt & Pepper

Method

• Heat oven gas mark 180°C
• Add the chopped tomatoes, courgette and onion into a large baking tray. Drizzle (around 2 tbsp) of olive oil into the tray and season with the oregano and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Use a spatula to ensure everything is evenly coated with oil and pop in the oven, timer set to 25 minutes.
• When your timer goes off, scatter the orzo into the baking tray with the roasted veg. Pour the vegetable stock into the pan and, using the spoon, ensure that all the orzo is submerged. Add the kalamata olives at this stage as well before covering with foil and popping back in the oven for 25 minutes.
• During this time, fry the halloumi on a medium heat with ½ tbsp of olive oil until golden brown. Approx 2-3 minutes per side.
• When the orzo is fully cooked, drizzle the red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Top with halloumi, some lemon wedges and you’re good to go!

Notes

• Choose fresh and seasonal vegetables with vibrant colours, such as courgettes, tomatoes, and red onion, to enhance the flavours of the dish.
• Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and optimal roasting.
• Fry the halloumi cheese separately until browned and slightly crispy, then set it aside to top the roasted vegetables and orzo towards the end of the cooking process.

Nutrition

Servings: 5 servings

Fat: 19g

Calories: 476kcal

Carbohydrates: 58g

Protein: 21g