Golden cubes of salty halloumi and sweet roasted vegetables transform a simple bowl of brown rice into a deeply satisfying meal. You'll toss the warm grains with a quick, homemade cashew and parsley pesto that brings everything together. Tossed with hearty chickpeas, it's a colorful, plant-based dinner that doesn't skimp on flavor or texture.
Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
50 min
Servings
4
Course
Dinner
Ingredients
2 red onions, cut into chunky wedges
3 peppers, sliced (we used green, red and yellow)
3 courgettes (about 600g), cut into batons
5 tbsp olive oil
200g brown basmati rice
85g cashew nuts
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200g halloumi, cut into chunky cubes
Instructions
1Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan or gas mark 6). Place the chunky red onion wedges, sliced peppers, and courgette batons into a large roasting tin. Toss them with two tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
2Spread the vegetables out evenly, using two tins if necessary. Crowded vegetables will steam instead of roasting and won't develop those sweet, caramelized edges. Roast for 25 minutes until tender and starting to brown.
3Cook the brown basmati rice according to the package directions. While the rice simmers, blend the parsley, cashew nuts, the remaining three tablespoons of olive oil, the crushed garlic clove, and a little seasoning to create a thick pesto.
4Remove the roasting tin from the oven and stir in the drained chickpeas and cubed halloumi. Return the tin to the oven for another 10 minutes until the cheese is golden.
5Stir the cashew pesto into the cooked rice. Portion the herby rice into bowls and top with the warm roasted vegetable and halloumi mixture.
Notes
Make ahead: You can blend the cashew pesto up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Swap: If you don't have cashews, walnuts or pine nuts work beautifully in the pesto.
Storage: Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water.