The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Halloumi & Aubergine Caponata with Brown Rice Penne & Green Olives
It's Mediterranean-inspired comfort food, with some Mindful Chef twists! Think grilled aubergine swirled into a vibrant tomato caponata sauce. Tangy olives are balanced with sweet, honey halloumi. Stir in brown rice penne and top with halloumi cheese for protein. Easy, delicious and heartwarming!
1/3 daily fibre
7 plants
Serving size
Ingredients
- 15ml hot honey (honey, chilli extract)
- 1 handful of fresh basil
- 30g pitted green olives (Green Olives, Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Lactic Acid (E270))
- 200ml tomato & herb sauce (tomato, cooked onion, water, tomato puree, carrots, caramelised onion, olive oil, basil, cornflour, garlic, date syrup, salt, garlic powder, acidity regulator: lactic acid.)
- 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (Tomato Puree, Sundried Tomatoes, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Pine Kernels, Salt)
- 110g baby tomatoes
- 120g brown rice penne pasta (Soya) (Brown rice flour 100%)
- 1 aubergine
- 1 onion
- 250g halloumi (use half) (Milk) (cow's milk, sheep's milk, goat's milk, salt, dried mint, microbial rennet.)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 669
Protein: 26g
Carbs: 69g
Fat: 33g
Ingredients
- 1 handful of fresh basil (use half)
- 15ml hot honey (use half) (honey, chilli extract)
- 30g pitted green olives (use half) (Green Olives, Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Lactic Acid (E270))
- 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (use half) (Tomato Puree, Sundried Tomatoes, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Pine Kernels, Salt)
- 110g baby tomatoes (use half)
- 1 onion (use half)
- 1 aubergine (use half)
- 200ml tomato & herb sauce (use half) (tomato, cooked onion, water, tomato puree, carrots, caramelised onion, olive oil, basil, cornflour, garlic, date syrup, salt, garlic powder, acidity regulator: lactic acid.)
- 120g brown rice penne pasta (use half) (Soya) (Brown rice flour 100%)
- 250g halloumi (use a quarter) (Milk) (cow's milk, sheep's milk, goat's milk, salt, dried mint, microbial rennet.)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 669
Protein: 26g
Carbs: 69g
Fat: 33g
Halloumi & Aubergine Caponata with Brown Rice Penne & Green Olives
It's Mediterranean-inspired comfort food, with some Mindful Chef twists! Think grilled aubergine swirled into a vibrant tomato caponata sauce. Tangy olives are balanced with sweet, honey halloumi. Stir in brown rice penne and top with halloumi cheese for protein. Easy, delicious and heartwarming!
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Turn the grill to high (240C)
- Line a baking tray with silver foil
- Bring a medium saucepan filled with salted water to a boil
- Pull out a large frying pan & a sieve
Grill the veg
- Dice the aubergine into 2cm chunks. Cut the onion into 1cm wedges. Add both to the foil-lined baking tray and toss with 2 tsp oil. Season with salt and pepper
- Grill for 12-15 mins, until starting to char
Prep & boil
- Cut the half pack of halloumi into 2cm cubes and pat dry. Halve the tomatoes. Thinly slice the olives
- Add the penne to the saucepan and boil for 7-8 mins, until cooked, then drain
- After 12-15 mins, add the halloumi to the veg tray. Drizzle with the honey and grill for a final 5-6 mins, until golden
Simmer the sauce
- Heat the large frying pan with 1 tsp oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the tomatoes and olives
- Cook for 1-2 mins, then add the sundried tomato paste. Cook for 30 secs, then pour in the tomato & herb sauce
- Simmer for 2-4 mins, until thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper
Assemble the caponata
- Pick the basil leaves and roughly chop
- When ready, stir the grilled veg into the tomato sauce, along with the cooked penne and half the basil. Season with salt and pepper
Plate up
- Share the caponata pasta between bowls, topped with the grilled halloumi. Garnish with the remaining basil
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