Pumpkin Salad

Why We Love This Recipe

• Balanced flavor and textures: with peppery arugula, roasted pumpkin, crunchy pecans, creamy, salty feta and pops of pomegranate, this pumpkin salad has it all. It really does taste as good as it looks and is the perfect fall recipe!
• Homemade dressing: We think our homemade vinaigrette tastes better than store bought. Plus, it's super easy to whip together in less than 5 minutes and complements the ingredients perfectly!
• Loaded with fall flavors: This recipe makes for the perfect fall holiday entertaining dish or an easy weeknight dinner. You can even prep the toppings and let everyone choose their own, making it super customizable for guests. Feel free to add a protein of choice and even a grain to make it a bit more filling!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this pumpkin salad:

Ingredient Notes

• Pumpkin: To make this recipe, you'll need to find a pie pumpkin. They're readily available in most stores in the US during fall, but they can sometimes be difficult to find. If you can't find any fresh pumpkin, you can substitute with kabocha squash (it has a similar flavor and texture), or even butternut or acorn squash.
  • To prepare it for this recipe, peel off the tough, outer skin with a vegetable peeler, then slice and half and use a spoon to remove the seeds. From there, you can slice it into long ½-inch thick strips, then dice into cubes.
• Pecans: We love pecans in this recipe for an added crunch and extra fall flavor. If you aren't a pecan fan, feel free to sub in any nut of choice like walnuts, cashews, or almonds.
• Pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds): You can also sub these for another nut or seed of choice, but they're the perfect pairing for fresh pumpkin!
• Arugula: Arugula is the perfect green for this salad – it's a great base and adds a nice peppery kick. Feel free to sub with mixed salad greens, spinach or baby kale if preferred.
• Pomegranate: Technically optional, but they add a great pop of sweet and tart flavor to this pumpkin salad. If preferred, you could also swap with dried cranberries.
• Feta: Vegan or regular crumbled feta works great in this pumpkin salad! Shaved parmesan would be another great choice.

Instructions

PREP: Preheat oven to 375˚F/190˚C. 

(1) Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Dice pumpkin into ½-inch cubes. Add to a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until well coated. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until fork tender.

(2) Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl.

(3) In a large bowl, combine arugula, pumpkin seeds, pecans, pomegranate seeds and roasted pumpkin. Pour the dressing over and toss well to coat. Optional: top with feta. 

Tips and FAQs

• Customize to your liking: Feel free to customize this pumpkin salad to make it your own. It's super easy to add a protein (chickpeas, tofu, grilled chicken, etc) or other toppings like sliced apples, avocado, or other roasted vegetables. To make it more filling, you can also add in a grain like cooked brown rice, quinoa or farro. If adding a grain or protein, we'd suggest increasing the amount of vinaigrette to make sure there's plenty of flavor.
• Storage: If you're not eating this pumpkin salad right away, we suggest storing the dressing separately. If you are making for meal prep, wait to add the roasted pumpkin until before serving.
• Fork test: The pumpkin is finished cooking when you can easily insert a fork into the cubes. If there's any resistance, leave them in for a bit longer!
• Toast the pecans and pepitas: You can purchase pre-roasted nuts, or do it on your own in just a few minutes. To do so, add the nuts/seeds to a small pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, until they just start to brown. Be careful - they burn very easily.

Other Fall Salads to Enjoy

Tried this recipe? Leave a comment with a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ below. You can also snap a photo and tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram. We can't wait to see what you're cooking!