Orzo bake with pumpkin and crispy halloumi
As temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, the craving for uncomplicated comfort food from the oven increases. This warming pumpkin and orzo bake with halloumi is perfect for just such moments. It combines savory ingredients into a satisfying meal while saving you a lot of washing up.
- 1 red onion
- 500g Hokkaido pumpkin
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- salt and pepper
- 250g cherry tomatoes
- 225 g Halloumi
- 300 g Orzo
- 700 ml vegetable broth
- 3. Pesto
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C (top/bottom heat).
- Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Wash and dice the pumpkin. Peel the garlic cloves and then crush them.
- Place the onion wedges, pumpkin cubes, and garlic cloves in a large casserole dish 🛒 and toss them with olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash the cherry tomatoes and halve them. Dice the halloumi.
- Then add the orzo, vegetable broth, cherry tomatoes and pesto to the vegetables, ensuring everything is well mixed.
- Next, evenly distribute the halloumi cubes over the casserole. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the halloumi is golden brown and the orzo is cooked through. Check occasionally and add a little broth or water if needed. Let the casserole cool briefly after baking, then enjoy it hot.
Simply delicious: Pumpkin and orzo casserole with halloumi
The basis for this oven-baked dish is the popular Hokkaido pumpkin. This variety not only brings a slightly nutty sweetness but also has a crucial advantage in preparation: you don't need to peel it, as its skin becomes wonderfully soft during cooking. Its flavors harmonize perfectly with the Mediterranean components of the recipe. Orzo pasta is used as a filling side dish. These small pasta shapes may look like grains of rice, but they are made from durum wheat semolina and absorb liquid exceptionally well.
What would a truly delicious oven-baked dish be without a generous layer of cheese? Instead of classic grated cheese, halloumi provides that special something. This firm grilling cheese from the eastern Mediterranean doesn't melt completely in the heat, but retains its shape. In the oven, it develops a golden-brown and crispy crust on the surface, while remaining pleasantly soft inside. Due to its naturally high salt content, the cheese creates an exciting flavor contrast to the mild sweetness of the Hokkaido pasta. If you cut the halloumi into even cubes or slices and generously distribute them over the pasta, every serving will be covered in the flavorful crust.
The end result is a steaming dish of pumpkin and orzo casserole with halloumi on the table, combining a variety of textures and flavors. With minimal effort, you've prepared a complete and satisfying dinner that works wonderfully for both everyday meals and entertaining guests.
Especially in the colder months, a casserole is always a good idea. How about a croque monsieur casserole, a dumpling casserole with mushrooms and bacon, or lemon rice with spinach and creamy feta? We can hardly decide what to prepare and enjoy first.
