This Roast Pumpkin and Feta Salad with Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette is the bright and fresh antidote to bland and boring salads. It's great as a meal on its own or paired with some tasty barbecued meat as the perfect side dish.
When it comes to salad I won't accept anything less than amazing. No matter how good it is for me, if it doesn't excite me it just isn't going to be made.
My secret to creating drool-worthy salads is this - pop your favourite ingredients in it. And no, I'm not talking about lettuce (is that anyone's favourite ingredient??).
Roast Pumpkin would have to be one of my all-time favourite salad ingredients, followed closely by avocado and ALL THE CHEESE. So it's really no surprise that this Roast Pumpkin and Feta Salad with Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette is one that I'm obsessed with.
I made it for the first time for Christmas lunch and out of the 5 or so salads we had on the table, this one was the only one that was completely demolished. A sign of a good salad if there ever was one.
I've since made it countless more times and I just can't get enough of it. It's a no stress, simple salad made with everyday ingredients. Serve it as a meal on its own or a tasty side next to some barbecued meat.
INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED FOR ROAST PUMPKIN & FETA SALAD
Here's a quick glance of what you need to put this Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad together (full measurements listed in the printable recipe card below)...
- Pumpkin
- Spinach
- Feta Cheese
- Avocado
- Almonds
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Honey
- Salt + Pepper
INGREDIENT TIPS & SUBSTITUTIONS
Pumpkin: Any good roasting pumpkin or butternut squash will work well. I use jap or kent varieties here in Australia.
Oil:I use two different types of oil in this recipe – Olive Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). Olive oil is great for roasting, and EVOO is perfect for salad dressings.
Nuts: I've been loving using chopped almonds in salads - either raw or dry roasted work perfectly. Having said that, many nuts would compliment this salad well. If you don’t have almonds on hand, try pine nuts or walnuts instead.
Dressing: I’ve made a simple honey balsamic vinaigrette for this salad. If honey isn’t your thing, you can substitute for maple syrup or brown rice / rice malt syrup OR simply omit altogether if you don’t want a sweetener.
How to roast pumpkin for salads:
The key when roasting pumpkins to put in salads is to ensure its golden and tender but not MUSHY. The pumpkin will be mushy if it's cooked too long, so it helps to keep an eye on it while it's roasting.
- Preheat oven to 200C / 390F.
- Place pumpkin pieces on baking tray lined with baking paper / silicone mat and drizzle olive oil on top. Use your hands to ensure all pieces are covered, then spread pumpkin out in a single layer with no pieces touching.
- Roast for 20 minutes, flipping half way (use an egg flip if the pumpkin is sticking) until the pumpkin is golden and fork tender.
- Allow to cool slightly or completely (depending on your preference) before adding to your salad.
How long can I store this salad for?
You can prep your roast pumpkin ahead to make this salad even quicker to prepare. Roast pumpkin will be good in the fridge for up to 5 days, allowing you to easily portion out for work lunches or an easy weeknight dinner.
You can alsoprep the salad minus the dressing, nuts and avocado and portion out for a day or two.Then when the time comes simply add in the rest of the ingredients.
I don’t recommend prepping salads too far in advance, as I find the ingredients don’t tend to hold up that well. But prepping this for a work lunch the night before is absolutely fine.
MORE SCRUMPTIOUS SALAD RECIPES:
- Easy Greek Salad
- Mexican Chicken Salad
- Middle Eastern Bean Salad
- Mango Avocado Salad
- Chickpea Avocado Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potato, Avocado and Feta Salad
- Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Feta Salad
- 35 Easy and Yummy Salad Recipes
- OR see all Salad Recipes
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📋 RECIPE
Roast Pumpkin and Feta Salad
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This Roast Pumpkin and Feta Salad with Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette is a bright and fresh antidote to bland and boring salads. It's great as a meal on its own or paired with some tasty barbecued meat as the perfect side dish.
Ingredients
Roast Pumpkin
- 600 grams / 1.3 lbs Pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Salad
- 60 grams / 2 oz Feta Cheese
- 1 Avocado, diced
- 2 cups Spinach Leaves
- handful Almonds, roughly chopped
Dressing
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- Salt + Pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C / 390F. Place pumpkin pieces on baking tray lined with baking paper and drizzle olive oil on top. Mix with your hands to ensure all pieces are coated and arrange in a single layer on the tray. Cook for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway, until golden and tender but not mushy! (see note 1)
- Place dressing ingredients in a jar, loosen honey with a spoon then secure the lid and shake vigorously until combined.
- Arrange salad ingredients in a bowl, drizzle with dressing and lightly toss.
Notes
- Pumpkin - Any good roasting pumpkin or squash will work well. I use jap or kent varieties here in Australia. Roast pumpkin turns mushy when cooked too long. Keep an eye on it while roasting - you want it golden and fork tender but still holding its shape. If pumpkin is sticking to the tray, loosen with an egg flip.
- Oil - I use two different types of oil in this recipe – Olive Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). Olive oil is great for roasting, and EVOO is perfect for salad dressings.
- Nuts -Many nuts would compliment this salad well. If you don’t have almonds on hand, try pine nuts or walnuts instead.
- Dressing -If honey isn’t your thing, you can substitute for maple syrup or brown rice / rice malt syrup OR simply omit altogether if you don’t want a sweetener.
- Storing - You can prep roast pumpkin ahead and will store in fridge for up to 5 days. You can also prep the salad minus dressings, avocado & nuts and store for up to 1-2 days.
- Inspired by this salad from Recipe Tin Eats.
- Nutrition - Nutrition information is a rough estimate based on 1 serve of this salad.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 267Saturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 186mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 5g
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First published January 22, 2019. Updated October 12, 2020 with extra tips - no changes to the recipe.
