For your gluten-free guests, a Saffron Orzo with Griddled Halloumi recipe

Vitality
    Published: 10 August 2021. Recipe by: Natalie Thomson.

    If you’re hosting gluten-free guests, this vibrant and delicious summer recipe is the perfect dish to whip up!

    Prep time: 20 minutes

    Cook time: 25 minutes

    Serves: 4-6

    You’ll need: 

    • 2-3 tbsp olive oil 
    • 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 
    • 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped  
    • 1 stick of celery, peeled and finely chopped  
    • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 
    • Pinch of saffron 
    • 250g gluten-free orzo pasta 
    • 400ml Bouillon vegetable stock 
    • 1 tbsp dried oregano
    • 150g mixed colour cherry tomatoes, halved 
    • 250g halloumi, thickly sliced 
    • 25g parsley, roughly chopped 
    • 75g pistachios, chopped 

    What to do: 

    1. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add half the onion, the carrot and the celery and cook until softened. Add the sliced garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes on a low heat. 
    2. Add the saffron, orzo pasta, vegetable stock, dried oregano and some salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8 minutes or until the orzo is tender and the liquid has completely evaporated. 
    3. While the pasta is cooking, heat a little more olive oil in a small pan and add the rest of the onion. Cook on low until the onion is completely soft. Add a little salt, then turn up the heat and cook until the onion is golden. Watch so it doesn’t catch and burn. Set aside. 
    4. Once the pasta is cooked, put to one side to cool slightly, adding in the halved cherry tomatoes. Stir a few times as the pasta cools to stop it from solidifying. 
    5. Heat a griddle pan and cook the halloumi pieces on high for 1-2 minutes each side.
    6. Once the halloumi is cooked, stir the chopped parsley through the orzo and top with the halloumi, caramelised onions and chopped pistachios. Serve. Enjoy!

     

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    Vitality

    At Vitality, everything we do is driven by our core purpose: to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. We focus on encouraging healthy living and rewarding people for doing so – a key element of our Shared Value model. To find out more visit vitality.co.uk.