Description
A delicious and vibrant Roast Pumpkin, Spinach, and Feta Salad featuring tender roasted pumpkin cubes, fresh baby spinach, tangy feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, and a balanced balsamic dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or side dish, this salad combines sweet, savory, and nutty flavors with a delightful texture contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkin
- 600 g pumpkin (after peeling), cut into 3 cm cubes
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Dressing
- 2.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper
Salad
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (35 g)
- 150 g baby spinach leaves (4 handfuls)
- 60 g feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 220C/430F for a standard oven or 200C/390F if using fan/convection.
- Roast Pumpkin: Toss the pumpkin cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them evenly on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the pumpkin pieces, then roast for an additional 10 minutes until they are golden but still firm. Use a spatula to loosen the pumpkin from the tray while hot to prevent sticking. Let cool if serving at room temperature.
- Prepare Dressing: In a jar, combine extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Shake well to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning to keep a slightly sharp flavor to balance the salad.
- Toast Pine Nuts: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the pine nuts until they turn light golden and become aromatic, about a few minutes. Remove immediately to prevent burning.
- Toss Spinach: Place the baby spinach in a large bowl. Drizzle with a small amount of dressing and gently toss to coat the leaves.
- Combine Salad: Add roasted pumpkin, a portion of the crumbled feta, and pine nuts to the bowl with spinach. Gently and briefly toss to disperse the feta evenly without breaking it up too much.
- Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving plate. Sprinkle the remaining feta and pine nuts on top. Just before serving, drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad for the best flavor distribution. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Any type of pumpkin or squash can be used as a substitute for the pumpkin in this recipe.
- If pine nuts are not available or are too costly, chopped almonds or macadamia nuts make excellent alternatives.
- Be careful not to overcook the pumpkin to avoid mushy texture. The pumpkin should be tender with a golden surface on the baked sides.
- Loosen the pumpkin from the baking tray immediately while hot using a spatula to prevent sticking.
- Most of the dressing tends to settle at the bottom because it doesn’t stick well to baby spinach, so calories from dressing in the salad are likely less than calculated.
