Description
This Mediterranean Halloumi Veggie Bake is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring roasted seasonal vegetables paired with salty halloumi cheese and a fresh herby sauce made from roasted garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar. Perfect as a hearty side or a vegetarian main, this recipe combines simple ingredients with bold flavors in a quick 40-minute oven-roasted preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 small red onion, halved and sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow), diced 1/2-inch
- 1 ½ cups halved grape tomatoes
- 5 garlic cloves, skin on
Seasoning and Oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Halloumi and Sauce
- 1/2 lb halloumi cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup parsley leaves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for roasting the vegetables.
- Roast the vegetables: On a sheet pan, toss the zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, and whole garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Spread evenly and roast for 25 minutes until the vegetables are just starting to brown and soften.
- Prepare the herby sauce: Once the garlic is roasted and soft, squeeze the garlic flesh out of its skin into a food processor. Add parsley leaves, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Begin pureeing while slowly drizzling in 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil until the sauce is smooth and combined.
- Combine and serve: After roasting, combine the roasted vegetables with the halloumi cheese cubes and drizzle the herby sauce over the top. Serve warm for the best flavor.
Notes
- Halloumi cheese can be lightly grilled or seared before adding if preferred for extra texture, though it is fresh and ready to eat as is.
- You can substitute the lemon juice with a splash of red wine vinegar for a different tartness profile.
- The herby sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Use kosher or sea salt for best flavor; regular table salt may be saltier so adjust quantities accordingly.
- Feel free to add other Mediterranean vegetables like eggplant or mushrooms if available.
