This Halloumi Tray Bake is basically summer on a baking tray! Chunks of halloumi cheese with roasted vegetables and gnocchi, finished off with spoonfuls of red pesto. As simple as dumping everything onto a baking tray and putting it in the oven. It is on the table in under 30 minutes.
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This tray bake with halloumi and gnocchi is something we make on repeat in the summer months. It is so easy to adapt with whatever vegetables we have and the kids LOVE it too.
It's a light and fresh summer meal that everyone enjoys and it's just bursting with flavour. A bonus is that it's all done in one tray, so less washing up.
Roasted vegetables are just the best, aren't they? Caramelised edges, releases the natural sweetness and we never have any moaning from our kids. Roasted veg and halloumi is a winning combination and this would be perfect for serving up at a summer dinner party too.
Looking for more halloumi recipes? Why not try our easy Halloumi Curry, zingy Halloumi Fajitas and speedy 10 Minute Halloumi Tacos?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Halloumi - This is the star of the dish. We have used reduced fat, but you could use full fat if you prefer. Don't like halloumi? Swap it for feta instead.
- Gnocchi - You want to use a packet of shelf stable gnocchi rather than fresh, as fresh will fall apart quickly and stick to the baking tray.
- Vegetables - We have used red onions, cherry tomatoes and peppers, but any quick cooking vegetables will work.
- Oil - A good quality olive oil.
- Seasoning - We used an Italian seasoning blend, but you could just add some garlic granules, dried oregano and dried basil.
- Pesto - We used red pesto, but green pesto will work too. If you wanted to add some spice, then you could swap the pesto for Homemade Harissa.
Variations
Meat - This halloumi tray bake really isn't missing meat, and it's a great option for a meat free meal. However, if you wanted to add meat to it then I would recommend chorizo as it will cook at the same time as the other ingredients.
Potatoes - We are big fans of gnocchi, but if you want to swap it then you can use potatoes instead. You will need to dice them up small, or use canned cooked potatoes, so they they are cooked at the same rate as everything else.
Vegetables - This halloumi bake is a great opportunity to get loads of vegetables into one meal. You just need to make sure that they are quick cooking vegetables, so everything cooks at the same rate.
Other vegetables that work well are courgette (zucchini), aubergine (eggplant), broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, sweet potato cubes or asparagus.
Pulses - If you wanted to add extra protein without adding meat, then you could add half a can of drained chickpeas. They would get nice and crispy too.
Extras - Take this halloumi tray bake to the next level and when you add the red pesto, add some olives and chopped sun-dried tomatoes too. Sprinkle on some pine nuts for extra crunch too.
How To Make a Halloumi Tray Bake
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Step 1: Put the gnocchi, halloumi and vegetables onto a large baking tray. Drizzle over the oil and add the seasoning. Mix well to coat everything in the oil and seasoning.
- Step 2: Put the tray into the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and add dollops of the pesto and scatter over the basil leaves.
Serving Suggestions
This halloumi and veg tray bake really has it all in one dish. It has the protein, and carbs and the vegetables. However, we serve this up as a family meal with some bread and salad to make it go a bit further, and hopefully have some leftovers (wishful thinking with my kids).
A Healthy Caesar Salad and some crusty bread with an olive oil and rosemary mix to dip it in go down really well. Pita bread and hummus also work well as side dishes.
If you want some extra vegetables to serve with this halloumi traybake, then try our Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli or Garlic Spring Greens.
Tips For Making The BEST Halloumi Tray Bake
- Don't overcrowd your baking tray, as you don't want everything to steam and just stay soft. You need a little bit of space between all the ingredients so you get those amazing crispy bits on the halloumi and gnocchi.
- You could finish this all off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
- Squeeze some lemon juice over it just before serving to add some freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. We wouldn't recommend freezing this, as they gnocchi doesn't defrost very well.
Yes - it's a great prep ahead of time meal. Mix everything together in the tray and then put it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. You might need to add 5 minutes on to the cooking time if it is coming out cold from the fridge. You could also cook it all, then leave to cool and cover with foil and then reheat it on the tray at dinner time.
More Gnocchi Recipes
If you've tried this halloumi and veg tray bake, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Halloumi Tray Bake with Gnocchi and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) of Gnocchi
- 225 g (8 oz) of Reduced fat halloumi - Cut into cubes
- 1 Red onion - thinly sliced
- 200 g (1.33 cups) of Cherry tomatoes
- 3 Bell peppers - diced
- 2 tablespoon of Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon of Pesto
- 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
- 3 g (0.25 cups) of Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Place 500 g of Gnocchi, 225 g of Reduced fat halloumi, 1 Red onion, 200 g of Cherry tomatoes and 3 Bell peppers onto a large baking tray.
- Drizzle over 2 tbsp of Olive oil and add 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning.
- Mix well to coat everything in the oil and seasoning.
- Put the tray into the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and add dollops of the 2 tbsp of Pesto and scatter over 3 g of Fresh basil leaves.
Recipe Video
Recipe Tips
- Don't overcrowd your baking tray, as you don't want everything to steam and just stay soft. You need a little bit of space between all the ingredients so you get those amazing crispy bits on the halloumi and gnocchi.
- You could finish this all off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
- Squeeze some lemon juice over it just before serving to add some freshness.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Nora says
Have become a big favourite! I love how gnocchi tastes different when baked. Thank you for the idea, Danii!
Heather says
This was fantastic. I made it for my lunches this week so we'll see how it reheats later but fresh today it was perfect. In the future I think I might add more veg (broccoli?) because I like them and for the additional fiber.
Liz says
Made this for dinner tonight after seeing it on Facebook. Absolutely delicious, quick and easy! My husband said best meal ever!
RachelH says
Made this today as needed something quick after a football match & dance rehearsal for the kids, and it was so easy & tasty! Swapped some of the tomatoes for frozen green beans as my son doesn’t like pepper, and added a little chorizo crumb I had in the fridge. Red pesto was a nice change to green, and overall it was perfect!
Judith says
Made this for dinner yesterday. Didn't have enough gnocchi so I added some chopped up pita bread. I also used leek instead of red onions and green instead of red pesto since that's all we had. I also added a small can of tuna to the tray since our halloumi came in a smaller package. It came out delicious and it's sooo easy to make at the end of a long day. Thanks for the recipe, will definitely make it again.
Victoria Collcutt says
Amazing recipe. Loved it and will not cook gnocchi any other way now.
Fay says
This is a lovely dish for either dinner or lunches at work, I wasn't sure how well the Gnocchi or halloumi would reheat but it turned out just as delicious
Louisa says
Super easy & super tasty!