Fall salads call for a bit of heft, for which chunks of fresh roasted pumpkin are perfect. Combine the pumpkin with bright bits of pomegranate and crumbles of cheese over sturdy greens, and top it all off with more pumpkin in the form of crunchy pepitas, or hulled pumpkin seeds. You can buy the pepitas, but instructions follow for preparing your own, if you wish. However you garnish the salad, and whatever other ingredients you use to customize it, your Roasted Pumpkin Salad is sure to be a hit on an autumn afternoon.
How Do You Roast a Pumpkin?
1. Prep the pumpkin
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Slice the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Save them for roasting on their own!
- Leave the skin on because it’s easier to separate the flesh from the skin after roasting.
2. Season the pumpkin
- Place the halves flesh side up on a baking sheet.
- Rub olive oil into the flesh and sprinkle a little salt. Or use vinaigrette dressing (see below).
- If you’re feeling fancy, sprinkle a bit of sweet paprika on, as well.
3. Roast the pumpkin
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, until soft (like a properly cooked potato).
4. Scoop and serve (or save)
Use immediately by placing the pumpkin making mashed pumpkin in a stand mixer, adding butter or olive oil, salt, black pepper, and a dash of dried sage. Or refrigerate in a sealed container until you’re ready to use it in a recipe like the Roasted Pumpkin Salad below!
5. Pair your Roasted Pumpkin Salad with a lovely wine!
A classic rosé from Provence, replete with minerality and dry with just a touch of fruit, will complement the natural sweetness of roasted pumpkin.
Roasted Pumpkin Salad Recipe
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Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Goat Cheese, Pomegranates, and Pepitas
- Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup vegetable oil or other neutral-flavored oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For the Salad:
- One 2½– to 3-pound sugar or pie pumpkin, cut into 6 wedges and seeded
- Several handfuls frisée or another sturdy green lettuce
- Several handfuls red oak leaf lettuce, leaves of red endive or radicchio, or more frisée
- 6 oz creamy goat cheese like chèvre, crumbled
- ½ to ¾ cup pomegranate arils (about 1 pomegranate)
- ¼ cup toasted salted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, or fleur de sel
Instructions
For the Vinaigrette:
- Place all the ingredients in a glass bowl and combine. Stir well with a small whisk or fork until the ingredients are mixed.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
For the Salad:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet or line it with a silicon mat.
- Place the pumpkin slices on the baking sheet, brush each with about a teaspoon of vinaigrette and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until soft.
- Let cool briefly. Slice the wedge lengthwise into three thinner crescents, then slice the skin away from the pieces.
- Arrange a bed of the greens on a platter or in a large shallow bowl. Tuck red lettuces around the greens. Tuck pumpkin pieces around and throughout the salad. Drizzle with more vinaigrette. Scatter cheese, pomegranate arils, and pepitas over the salad, sprinkle with salt, and serve.
To Prepare Pepitas from Pumpkin Seeds:
- Rinse pumpkin goo away from the seeds as best you can.
- Put seeds in a pan with water to cover by a couple of inches. Bring to a boil and boil for about 10 minutes.
- Drain seeds and lay them out on a clean dishtowel or paper towels. Let cool and dry on the surface. Roll over the seeds lightly with a rolling pin or wine bottle. The outer shells will crack and, with your fingers, you can then work out the green seed pods, the pepitas.
- Toss the pepitas with just a touch of oil. Sauté in a small heavy skillet until just fragrant, and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Recipe and Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by David Bryce
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