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Salad servers next to a pumpkin and spinach salad.

Roast Pumpkin Salad with Feta, Pine Nuts & Baby Spinach Salad

The FAMOUS Roast Pumpkin Salad with Feta, Pine Nuts & Baby Spinach recipe is so simple to make and is the perfect vegetarian side dish for your next BBQ, family dinner or celebration.
5 from 18 votes
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Course: Salads
Cuisine: western
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 serves
Calories: 249kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Stove-top

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 600 g pumpkin skin removed and cut into slices or chunks
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper to season
  • 75 g pine nuts
  • 150 g baby spinach leaves
  • 80 g feta crumbled into small chunks

For the dressing

  • 1 tbs honey
  • 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper to season

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
  • Chop the pumpkin into small slices or chunks and remove the skin.
  • Drizzle a flat baking tray with the olive oil, add the pumpkin pieces and season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender (but not too soft). Set aside.
  • Place the pine nuts into a small frying pan over low/medium heat. Cook, while stirring regularly, until lightly golden (keep a close eye on them as they can easily burn). Set aside.
  • Layer the baby spinach, pumpkin, pine nuts and feta cheese in a serving bowl or dish.
  • To make the dressing, place the honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk with the fork until combined.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to combine and serve immediately.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS
Ingredients Info:
  • pumpkin – you can use any variety of pumpkin you like – I generally use butternut or Kent. You can also substitute the pumpkin for roasted sweet potato if you prefer.
  • baby spinach leaves – or substitute with regular spinach (chopped into smaller pieces) or rocket (arugula).
  • feta – you can use Greek feta, soft danish feta or goats cheese for this recipe. Alternatively, you can replace the feta with grilled halloumi which is also a salty cheese.
  • pine nuts – lightly toast the pine nuts until golden. You can substitute the pine nuts with toasted walnuts if you prefer.
More Recipe Tips:
Dressing - you can use my simple homemade balsamic vinegar recipe or use a store-bough balsamic dressing, balsamic glaze or creamy roasted sesame dressing.
Ingredient substitutions - this is a really versatile recipe. See my tips in the recipe post above for variation suggestions (such as using sweet potato in place of the pumpkin, halloumi in place of the feta etc). 
Storing - This roast pumpkin salad is best served on the day it is prepared. Store in the fridge until needed and then pour over the dressing just before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Make Ahead Options - you can prepare the pumpkin, pine nuts and dressing ahead of time. See my recipe post above for details. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 10914IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 2mg