Roast roots orzo with halloumi & green tahini dressing

A winning combination of sweet, earthy carrots and beetroot, grilled halloumi cheese and a creamy, herby dressing

If you’re looking for a new midweek meal to try this week, make this. This warm, winter pasta salad is a gorgeous combination of flavours - sweet, earthy roasted carrots and beetroot, salty, cheesy halloumi and a fresh, creamy, herby dressing.

It’s easy and on the table in less than 30 minutes. You prepare the vegetables and roast for 20 minutes, and while they cook all the rest of the ingredients come together, ready for you to assemble once the 20 minutes is up. It also packs around 35g of protein.

This would also make great packed lunch if you want to meal prep for the week/make extra. You could also roast some extra veg while you’ve got the oven on, to keep for other meals/salads.

I adore beetroot, and it also turns the pasta a glorious pink colour too, making this such a vibrant dish.

Hope you love it.

You’ll need (serves 2):

• 2-3 beetroot (about 180-200g)

• 2-3 carrots (about 180-200g)

• Oil for roasting

• 150g orzo pasta

• 3 tbsp tahini

• 3 heaped tbsp Greek yogurt

• 1 garlic clove

• Large handful parsley

• 1 block halloumi (approx 200-220g), sliced

• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200C (or you can cook the veg in an air fryer - no need to preheat if so).

Peel the beetroots and cut into small pieces, about 1-1.5cm cubes (they do need to be quite small, or they will need much longer to cook). If they need peeling peel the carrots (if clean and the skin is in good condition, you can skip it). Cut into chunks a little larger than the beetroot.

Toss the veg in a little oil in a roasting tin or air fryer basket. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, shaking half way through.

While you wait, cook the orzo according to packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

While the pasta and veg cooks, make the dressing. In a small food processor (alternative below if you don’t have one), blitz the tahini, parsley, garlic and yogurt with just enough water to blend it into a loose sauce. Season with salt and pepper. You can also use a pestle and mortar. If you don’t have either, chop the parsley finely and mince the garlic, and mix the ingredients in a small bowl.

Heat a large frying pan with a little oil and fry the halloumi until golden brown on both sides.

When the veg is cooked, in a large bowl, mix it with the orzo pasta, adding salt and pepper too. Mix until it turns pink.

Divide the orzo mix between two bowls. Top with the halloumi and then finish with the tahini dressing. Dig in.