This Roast pumpkin salad is so good, it’ll convert even the biggest salad skeptics. Honey glazed pumpkin with feta cheese and pine nuts
With a salad this good, what else do you need?
Believe it or not, I actually prefer this Roast Honey Pumpkin Salad over the vastly popular caesar or potato salads. I know that’s a bold claim, given how irresistible crispy bacon and creamy sauces are, but, trust me, you need this salad in your life! Also, swapping pumpkin for bacon will do our bodies a world of good.
I used my favourite, the no-fuss and delicious butternut pumpkin, or depending where you are, squash. Before roasting, I coated the chunky pumpkin pieces in olive oil and honey for a beautiful caramelised glaze.
The perfectly roasted pumpkin then rests on a bed of baby spinach, rocket (arugula), red onion, toasted pine nuts and crumbled feta cheese. The dressing is a simple but delicious one, using everyday ingredients; honey, lemon, Dijon mustard and extra virgin olive oil.
Toasting the pine nuts before adding it to the salad enhances their nutty, buttery flavour and gives them a nice crunch. Every time I make this salad, I get carried away with tasting the ingredients, so some pine nuts and roasted pumpkin won’t even make it onto the salad.
Get ready for a flavour explosion once the salad comes together! It’s so unbelievably good that I just want to curl up with a bowl of it and watch Netflix. Make this salad for your next gathering or BBQ and watch everyone go crazy about it.
Honey Roast Pumpkin Salad
Roasting pumpkin enhances its natural sweetness and adds a depth of flavour. The high heat caramelises the sugars in the pumpkin, resulting in a creamy texture. Here are some tips to getting this Honey roast pumpkin salad perfect every time!
Over-roasting the pumpkin can turn it mushy and won’t look appealing in the salad. Check the pumpkin while it’s roasting occasionally. Test the pumpkin with a fork; it should be tender but hold its shape.
To prevent wilting the spinach and rocket, add the pumpkin and pine nuts only when they’re cool. Leave them to cool at room temperature before adding to the salad.
If you’re not serving the salad immediately, don’t add the salad dressing. To keep the salad crisp, either add the dressing right before serving or let each person do it themselves.
What are Butternut pumpkin health benefits?
Butternut pumpkin is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre. It’s also low in calories and an excellent source of antioxidants, which can help support overall health and well-being.
What could I use instead of butternut pumpkin?
I love using butternut pumpkin because it’s easy to peel and scoop the seeds out. It’s also pleasantly sweet and nutty, and keeps its shape during roasting. You could swap butternut pumpkin with Kent/Jap, Jarrahdale, Kabocha, Hubbard, or orange sweet potato, but adjust the roasting time accordingly.
More AMAZING salad recipes to try:
Ingredients for Honey Roast Pumpkin Salad
Butternut pumpkin or squash is sweet with a slightly nutty flavor. It has a creamy orange flesh and a bulbous bottom with a long neck. You could swap butternut pumpkin with Kent/Jap, Jarrahdale, Kabocha, Hubbard, or orange sweet potato, but adjust the roasting time accordingly.
Pine nuts are small edible nuts (technically seeds) found in pine trees. With nutty and buttery flavours, pine nuts are popular in dishes like pesto, salads, and pasta. Supermarkets typically stock pine nuts near the health or nuts section.
Baby rocket leaves – I like to use baby rocket because it’s less bitter. If preferred, you could just leave out rocket and use more spinach.
Crumbled feta or fetta – If you’re unable to find crumbed feta, you can make your own. To make crumbled feta, cut feta cheese into small pieces, then gently crumble the pieces with your fingers or a fork until you achieve the desired texture.
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How to make Honey Roast Pumpkin Salad
Step-by-step guide with photos
Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F). Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds, then cut it into approximately 2.5cm / 1-inch pieces. In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin with olive oil and honey until it’s all coated. Arrange the pumpkin pieces in a single layer on a baking tray covered with non-stick baking or parchment paper. Roast the pumpkin for 18–20 minutes, turning it halfway through. Allow the pumpkin to cool at room temperature before adding it to the salad; otherwise, the spinach and rocket will wilt.
Dry toast (using no oil) the pine nuts in a frying pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden. Take care not to burn them, as they’ll turn black and taste quite bitter. Transfer the pine nuts into a bowl, then allow them to cool at room temperature.
For the dressing – Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-top jar and shake vigorously until combined. Alternatively, you could whisk the dressing briskly by hand.
In a large salad bowl, place in baby spinach, rocket, HALF of the pine nuts, onions, and crumbled feta and salad dressing. Gently toss the salad until it’s evenly coated, then arrange it on a large serving platter. Add roasted pumpkin, remaining onions, pine nuts, and feta to the salad, then finish with a drizzle of the leftover dressing.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Honey Roast Pumpkin Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 700g / 1.5lb butternut pumpkin or squash (NOTE 1)
- 1 tbsp (20ml / 0.7floz) olive oil, any kind
- 1 tbsp (20ml / 0.7floz) honey
- 50g / 1.8oz (3 tbsp) pine nuts (NOTE 2)
- 50g / 1.8oz or 1/2 medium red onion, sliced into thin rings
- 60gm / 2oz baby spinach leaves
- 60gm / 2oz baby rocket leaves (NOTE 3)
- 40g / 1.4oz or 3 tbsp crumbled feta (NOTE 4)
FOR THE DRESSING
- 3 tbsp (60ml / 2floz) extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tbsp (30ml / 1floz) lemon juice
- 1½ tbsp (30ml / 1floz) honey
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F). Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds, then cut it into approximately 2.5cm / 1-inch pieces. In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin with olive oil and honey until it's all coated. Arrange the pumpkin pieces in a single layer on a baking tray covered with non-stick baking or parchment paper. Roast the pumpkin for 18–20 minutes, turning it halfway through. Allow the pumpkin to cool at room temperature before adding it to the salad; otherwise, the spinach and rocket will wilt.
- Dry toast (using no oil) the pine nuts in a frying pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden. Take care not to burn them, as they'll turn black and taste quite bitter. Transfer the pine nuts into a bowl, then allow them to cool at room temperature.
- For the dressing – Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-top jar and shake vigorously until combined. Alternatively, you could whisk the dressing briskly by hand.
- In a large salad bowl, place in baby spinach, rocket, HALF of the pine nuts, onions, and crumbled feta and salad dressing. Gently toss the salad until it's evenly coated, then arrange it on a large serving platter. Add roasted pumpkin, remaining onions, pine nuts, and feta to the salad, then finish with a drizzle of the leftover dressing.
