Halloumi and Veg Traybake in 45 Minutes

Chunky Mediterranean vegetables and thick slabs of halloumi roast together in a single tin until sweet, charred and golden. It's a fuss-free vegetarian main that comes together with almost no hands-on work, ready in under an hour.

This is the traybake to reach for on a busy weeknight: chop, tip everything into one tin and let the oven do the graft. The halloumi turns golden and squeaky while courgette, peppers and red onion soften into sweet, slightly charred jammy edges. Add the cheese partway through so it crisps without drying out. Barely any washing up.

Ingredients

• 450 g halloumi — 2 blocks, sliced into 1cm slabs
• 2 red peppers — deseeded and cut into chunks
• 2 courgettes — cut into thick half-moons
• 1 red onion — cut into wedges
• 250 g cherry tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves — left whole, skin on
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 lemon — half juiced, half in wedges to serve
• 0.5 tsp chilli flakes — optional
• 1 small handful fresh basil or parsley — to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C fan / 220C / gas 7. Tip the peppers, courgettes, red onion, cherry tomatoes and whole garlic cloves into a large roasting tin.
2. Drizzle over 2 tbsp of the olive oil, scatter on the oregano, smoked paprika, chilli flakes if using and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well so everything is coated, then spread into a single layer.
3. Roast for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften and colour at the edges.
4. Meanwhile, pat the halloumi slices dry with kitchen paper and toss with the remaining 1 tbsp oil.
5. Take the tin out, give the veg a stir, then nestle the halloumi slabs on top. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the vegetables are tender and charred.
6. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins and stir it through the veg. Squeeze over the lemon juice and scatter with torn basil or parsley.
7. Serve straight from the tin with lemon wedges on the side.

Serve it with

• Warm flatbreads or crusty bread
• Fluffy couscous or bulgur wheat
• A dollop of garlicky tzatziki
• A crisp green salad
• Lemony herbed rice

Why this works

Adding the halloumi partway through means it turns golden and squeaky rather than tough and rubbery, while the vegetables get a head start to caramelise and concentrate their sweetness.

Common swaps

• Swap courgette for aubergine, cut a little smaller so it cooks through
• Use a mix of green and yellow peppers for colour
• No smoked paprika? Ground cumin gives a warm, earthy note instead
• Add a drained tin of chickpeas with the veg for extra bulk and protein
• Try feta instead of halloumi, crumbled on for the last 8 minutes

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcrowding the tin so the veg steams instead of roasting; use a large tin or two
• Adding the halloumi at the start, which leaves it dry and squeaky-tough
• Skipping the pat-dry step, so the cheese never browns properly
• Cutting the vegetables too small, so they collapse before the halloumi is golden

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Cool leftovers quickly and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat in a hot oven or air fryer at 200C for 8-10 minutes to crisp the halloumi again; microwaving works but the cheese softens.

Allergen notes: contains Milk. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.