Baked Halloumi cooked with the most scrumptious roasted veggies piled on top of creamy, cheesy, butter polenta is exactly the way I want to add more veggies into my life. Trust me. This is the way.
It’s January and as much as I’d like to, I just can’t live on cookies and eggnog forever. Believe me, I’ve tried. So when I feel like it’s time to add back in the vegetables that have been overlooked over the holidays and replaced by chips, dips and wine, this is a good place to start.
You can take my chocolates and my eggnog, but you can’t take my cheese.
I love a good, hearty, satisfying vegetarian main because it keeps my whole family happy and I know we’re eating our colours… And as long as there are lots of flavours and textures my meat eaters are content and my veggie girl is happy too. This meal fits the bill and had everyone in my house cleaning their plates.
Anything Special You Need to Know?
*Halloumi cheese is so perfect in this recipe. It gets soft and a little browned in the oven but it doesn’t melt. It’s salty and chewy and delicious. More about Halloumi here.
*You can mix up the vegetables to use whatever you have on hand. I like this combo, but you can swap in carrots, parsnips, turnips or even regular potatoes.
*I use regular polenta for this dish, which does require some attention while cooking. You can make a batch of quick-cooking or instant polenta instead if that’s what you have, just stir in the butter and cheeses the same way at the end.
Recipe-ish…
Baked Halloumi and Root Vegetables on Polenta
Ingredients
- For the polenta:
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup polenta
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 cup asiago cheese grated
- 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup butter
- For the vegetables:
- 2 cups butternut squash diced
- 2 cups sweet potato diced
- 1 cup rutabaga diced
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp herbes de Provence
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 cups halloumi cheese cubed
Instructions
- On a baking sheet toss the vegetables with the garlic, oil, vinegar, herbs and S&P.
- Place in the oven at 425 for 30 minutes.
- While the vegetables roast, make the polenta.
- Bring the broth and salt up to a boil and slowly whisk in the polenta. Turn the heat down to low and cook, whisking often, for about 25 minutes.
- Stir in the cheeses, the butter and S&P to taste.
- After the vegetables have cooked for 30 minutes in the oven add the halloumi to the pan and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
- Serve the polenta with the vegetables and halloumi piled on top.
Let me know what you think!
If you like this Recipe for Baked Halloumi and Root Vegetables on Polenta then you’ll probably love my Vegetarian Zuppa Toscana. It’s another vegetarian meal that is super satisfying.
