Haloumi and Vegetables Bake

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If you're looking for a delicious and easy dinner recipe that's packed with veggies and bursting with flavor, then this haloumi and vegetables bake dinner is perfect for you! Featuring roasted haloumi cheese alongside colorful vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes, this sheet pan meal is sure to become a new family favorite. For future reference its halloumi or haloumi, just like donuts or doughnuts.

As an entrée or side dish, this recipe is sure to impress your guests with its delicious flavors and colorful presentation. One of the things that makes this recipe so great is that it's incredibly versatile. You can mix and match different vegetables depending on what you have on hand or what's in season.

Why You'll Love This Haloumi Veggie Tray Bake

Ditch the Dishes - Your roasted veggie sheet pan with crispy haloumi all bakes on one tray! Cleanup is a breeze with this dish.
Veg Out - This veggie sheet pan bake is a delicious way to get your daily serving of veggies. Plus, it is naturally vegetarian. Meatless Monday has never been yummier!

Ingredients for Halloumi Veggie Tray Bake

Halloumi - Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese that develops a lovely outer crisp, with a gooey center. Roasted vegetables pair perfectly with the uniquely salty haloumi taste. You will need 8 oz, small cubed.
Bell Peppers - This veggie sheet pan is fun because you can easily customize it by using your favorite veggies. However, I recommend including bell peppers. I used one red, one green, and one orange bell pepper, roughly chopped.
Tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes are gorgeous in a haloumi entree. The oven lends them a soft, dreamy texture, bursting with juicy flavor. I use 1 pint of tomatoes.
Garlic - Garlic is a major player in this halloumi recipe. You don’t have to worry about perfectly mincing it. For this recipe, you will simply smash 4 cloves of garlic for your veggies.
Squash - I used 1 yellow squash, and 1 zucchini squash for my dish. These sliced squashes bring so much to the dish, from vitamins to color to texture!
Pesto - Grab an 8 oz jar of your favorite pesto to easily add flavor and moisture to your roasted haloumi and veggie tray. If you have greens and herbs on hand, you can even make your own!
Red Pepper - ¼ tsp red pepper flakes will add a little zest to this dish.
Salt & Pepper - A sprinkle of salt and pepper goes a long way in bringing out the flavors of your dish. I use about ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
Parsley - You will need 3 tbsp freshly chopped parsley. You may also want to have a little extra on hand for garnishing.
Lemon - You will need both 1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 1 whole lemon, thinly sliced.

Substitutions

You can substitute your favorite veggies. Eggplant and mushrooms can also make lovely choices.
This dish is all about the haloumi. However, if you can’t get your hands on it, you can swap it out for feta.
Serving vegan or dairy intolerant eaters? There isn’t exactly a halloumi cheese substitute on the market, however there are some great alternatives. There are recipes for tofu based haloumi alternatives you can make at home. Violife also makes a Mediterranean style grilling cheese. It is very similar to halloumi, and works great in its place.

How to make Haloumi Veggie Tray Bake

Prepare a baking dish or grill pan with non-stick spray. Preheat the oven to 375F. Start by preparing all the veggies by smashing the garlic, slicing the zucchini and rough chopping the bell peppers into bite size to two-bite size pieces.
Evenly coat the squash, zucchini, garlic, tomatoes and bell peppers with pesto, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Fill the sheet tray with prepped veggies and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the tray and squeeze about 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice on top of the veggies. Add haloumi cubed, lemon slices and chopped parsley. Cook halloumi by raising the heat.
Raise heat to 400 F and bake for 12-15 minutes and broil at the end for 1-2 minutes to develop color. Let cool and garnish with fresh lemon and parsley as desired. Serve warm with quinoa, couscous or flat bread.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, coat your baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat your oven to 375F. While your oven is preheating, prepare your veggies. Smash your garlic. Slice your squash and zucchini. Roughly chop your bell peppers so that they are bite size, or a little bigger.

Pour your entire jar of pesto onto the veggies. Add your red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Coat the veggies evenly.

Spread your veggies onto the sheet pan and bake for 25 minutes. They should begin to soften, but you don’t want them to be completely done yet. Next, remove your tray from the oven. Add your fresh lemon juice, cubed haloumi, sliced lemon and chopped parsley.

Bring your oven temperature up to 400F. Add your sheet pan back to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, broiling for the last 1-2 minutes. Remove your halloumi and veggies from the oven and cool. Garnish with more lemon and parsley if desired. Enjoy warm as a side dish, or atop couscous, quinoa, or flatbread.

Cook's Tips

Do not overcook your halloumi, or the texture will be unpleasant. Remove it when it is golden brown and crispy.
Make sure you cut your veggies in similar sizes so that they cook evenly.

Storage Instructions

Leftovers will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat your grilled halloumi and veggies in the microwave in 60-second intervals. You an also use olive oil and make fried halloumi.
Best enjoyed fresh.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy leftovers cold atop a halloumi salad.
This dish makes a delicious filling for a halloumi veggie sandwich. Just add a little mayo, spinach, or onion to a sandwich roll and enjoy!
This dish is delicious with a grain like couscous, quinoa, or rice. You can also serve it with flatbread. Hummus and falafel make great sides with this dish.

FAQ:

Why is my halloumi rubbery?

Halloumi can get rubbery if overcooked, or when reheated. If you are cooking for just one or two people, you may prefer to bake just half of the recipe at a time, since it is best fresh.

Can I prepare this dish in advance?

Yes, you can chop all of your veggies ahead of time and store them in an airtight container until ready to roast. You can also marinate your halloumi cheese in advance for added flavor.

Is it halloumi or haloumi?

It can be spelled both ways. It's like donuts or doughnuts. It's origin I believe are Middle Eastern and is a stable in this culture's food.

Are you supposed to rinse halloumi?

Halloumi is very salty. Some people dislike this and prefer to rinse or even soak their halloumi in water to draw out the salt. This step is not necessary unless the taste bothers you. If you want to get rid of the excess salt, you can simply pat it dry with a paper towel before cooking.

Looking for more delicious dinner recipes? Be sure to try these:

Hummus Pasta

Chicken Veggie Patties