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Drizzled with a light tahini dressing this fully loaded pumpkin salad with warm pears, toasted pecans, crisp croutons and spiced pumpkin seeds is everything a salad should be! Recipe on thecookandhim.com #roastedpumpkin #pumpkinrecipes #pumpkinsalad #vegan #tahini #roastedvegsalad #warmsalad

Maple Roasted Pumpkin Salad

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 45 mins | Total: 60 mins | Quantity: serves 2-4

Ingredients

Roasted Vegetables:

  • 3 + 1/2 cups (500g) diced pumpkin (skin removed and discarded)
  • 1 large parsnip – peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
  • 2 red onions – peeled and cut into wedges
  • 3 cloves garlic – peeled
  • 1 tblsp oil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 tblsp maple syrup
  • salt and pepper
  • 3-4 slices stale bread torn into chunks
  • 3/4 cup (80g) pecans

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

  • 1 cup (70g) pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp dried sage

Warm Pears:

  • 3 small firm pears – peeled, core removed and cut into segments
  • 1 cup (180g) cooked chestnuts – crumbled
  • 1 tblsp vegan butter

Dressing:

  • 1 tblsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tblsp tahini
  • 3 tblsp olive oil
  • pinch salt

Lettuce leaves of choice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 Fan / 200 C / 400 F / Gas 6
  2. Prepare the pumpkin first - cut in half and scoop out the pumpkin seeds. Put the seeds in a bowl of water and set aside - this helps to remove any of the excess flesh still clinging to them
  3. Cut the peeled pumpkin and parsnip into bite sized chunks and cut the peeled onions into wedges
  4. Put the vegetables into a large bowl along with the peeled garlic, oil, smoked paprika, rosemary, maple syrup and a good pinch each of salt and pepper
  5. Toss everything together to coat the veggies then tip onto a roasting tray
  6. Drain the pumpkin seeds from the water, dry on some kitchen towel or a tea towel then mix with the oil, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper and sage. Tip onto another roasting tray - try to keep them in one layer so they roast evenly
  7. Roast the veggies for 30 minutes
  8. Roast the pumpkin seeds for 15-20 minutes, stirring 2-3 times during the cooking. Keep a good eye on them as they can burn fairly easily. You want them crispy and crunchy
  9. While that's all cooking put all the ingredients for the dressing into a small jar with a lid and shake well to mix
  10. After 30 minutes of cooking the veggies add the chunks of bread and pecans to the tray, turn everything over to lightly coat the bread and nuts then cook for a further 15 minutes until the bread is crisp, the veg is soft and the pecans are lightly toasted
  11. Once you've added the bread and nuts to the oven saute the pears by melting the butter in a small frying pan until bubbling then adding the pear wedges
  12. Toss to coat the pears in the butter then cook, tossing from time to time until lightly caramelised
  13. Toss in the crumbled chestnuts and warm through
  14. To assemble put your favourite salad leaves in the bottom of the serving dish, top with the roasted veggies, the warm pears and chestnuts, sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds then drizzle over the dressing

Recipe by The Cook & Him at https://thecookandhim.com/recipes/maple-roasted-pumpkin-salad/