Here’s an unexpectedly delicious, vegetarian, super easy roasted pumpkin salad I have been making for years! It’s crunchy, creamy, salty, sweet, and dressed with a beautifully tangy lemon vinaigrette. Besides caramelised, roasted pumpkin, this salad includes goat cheese, toasted pecans, and rocket (arugula if you are in the U.S.). It’s perfect alongside roasted or grilled meats, on a bed of warm chickpeas, or enjoyed simply on its own!
Let’s face it, salads get a bad rap. They’re usually seen as something to decorate a plate of meat, or pasta, or any main dish. But in defence of salads everywhere, I’m here to tell you that they are not a mere accessory! And this is coming from someone who eats mainly meat!
This easy roasted pumpkin salad has so many satisfying flavours and textures—from the creamy goat cheese to the crunchy pecans to the peppery rocket. You could easily have it for lunch, or for a light dinner, that takes only 30 minutes to make. And you definitely won’t feel as though it’s a ‘decoration salad’!
Now, I may be biased, because I love pumpkin, and especially love goat cheese. But, I think pumpkin and goat cheese a very underrated classic flavour combination! I’ll even go so far as saying, no cheese pairs better with pumpkin!
If you need more convincing, try my pumpkin brown butter gnocchi with goat cheese and crispy sage – it’s unbelievably moreish! The sweetness of caramelised roasted pumpkin, and the creamy saltiness of goat cheese are just a match made in heaven. Paired with a tangy, lemon vinaigrette…perfection!
Ingredients
I like to use rocket (arugula in the U.S.) for the leafy base. But you can also use mixed leafy greens if you like! I just love the peppery flavour of the rocket. Then, of course, you will need pumpkin. I use Japanese/Kent pumpkin, but butternut would also work well!
You’ll also need goat cheese. This is the one I buy from Coles/Woolies, it’s my personal favourite! It’s just the right amount of ‘goat cheese flavour’, saltiness, and creaminess. If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, feel free to use feta instead! You will also need pecans, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for extra crunch. But if you just want to stick to pecans, that is also totally fine. The dressing is a simple vinaigrette of lemon, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper!
How to Make this Easy Roasted Pumpkin Salad
Besides roasted some pumpkin, the rest of this salad is purely an assembly task! Cut your pumpkin into 2-3cm (one inch) pieces, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast until caramelised. No need to peel the skin – just give it a good scrub! It softens while cooking and is completely edible.
You want to make sure that the pumpkin becomes caramelised and gets those lovely, brown, almost molasses-like edges. This is achieved by roasting in a hot oven (220°C), and is what is known as the Maillard reaction. It brings out the natural sugars and sweetness of the pumpkin, and intensifies the flavour!
While the pumpkin is roasting, toast off your pecans, sunflower seeds and pepitas in a dry pan for a few minutes until toasted. Make sure you toast the pecans separately to the seeds, as the pecans will take a bit longer to toast!
This is also a good time to make the vinaigrette. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a bowl, add your olive oil, salt and pepper. Then whisk for about 30 seconds until emulsified, and set aside.
Then it’s time to assemble this easy roasted pumpkin salad! Once the pumpkin is roasted (this should take around 20-25 minutes), place the rocket in a large bowl, and scatter the roasted pumpkin pieces on top. Crumble in the goat cheese, and scatter the pecans and seeds on top. Dress with the vinaigrette, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Whenever I have some extra pumpkin lying around, this easy roasted pumpkin salad is my go-to side for a perfectly cooked steak. But it really would work well with any grilled or barbecued meat or fish! To keep it vegetarian, you can serve it on a bed of warm chickpeas, quinoa, or lentils. It’s also perfect alongside a simple pasta, or risotto. But often, I just sit there and eat this beautiful, crunchy, creamy, flavourful salad on its own!
I truly hope you love this recipe! xxx
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Goat Cheese and Pecans
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
Method
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Preheat your oven to 220°C fan.
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Scrub the pumpkin well, and remove the seeds. No need to remove the skin! Cut into 2-3cm (one-inch) pieces, and place onto a lined baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until caramelised and tender.
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Meanwhile, toast your pecans in a dry pan on low heat for 2-3 minutes, until lightly toasted. If using sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toast them for 1-2 minutes (do not toast them with the pecans - they might burn since they are much smaller)!
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Make the vinaigrette by whisking the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl for 30 seconds, or until emulsified. Set aside.
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Once the pumpkin is caramelised and roasted, remove from the oven. Place the rocket (arugula) in a large bowl. Scatter the warm pumpkin on top, then crumble on the goat cheese. Scatter the pecans, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (pepitas) on top. Finally, drizzle on the vinaigrette, and enjoy!
