Roast Pumpkin & Beetroot Salad Topped With Pumpkin Seeds

I love to mix different colours and flavours together when making a salad! Adding in some different roasted vegetables is a great way to change up the texture and the flavour of any meal.  

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• Ingredients
• Method

Salads can be so filling and tasty! It’s all about adding the right ingredients to help keep your tummy happy and to keep you feeling full. This salad includes vegetables, grains, protein and some healthy fats — everything you need to make a filling salad. Plus, the dressing makes it even tastier and I've included a super simple pumpkin seed recipe for added crunch!

Warm Roast Pumpkin & Beetroot Salad Recipe

Roasted beetroot and pumpkin add a delicious touch of sweetness to this salad, making it ideal to share with friends. Plus, the roasted pumpkin seeds add the perfect amount of crunch. 

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 50 mins
Serves: 4
Dietary preferences: Vegetarian, Vegan option, Dairy-free option

Ingredients:

• 1kg kent pumpkin, unpeeled, seeded, cut into  8 wedges
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 small bunch of beetroot, trimmed, peeled and quartered
• 100g pearl couscous
• ½ small bunch of silverbeet, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 100g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled (optional)

Roasted pumpkin seeds

• 60g pumpkin seeds
• 2 tsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• pinch of ground cumin
• ¼ tsp dried rosemary
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Dressing

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
   

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Place the pumpkin in a large bowl and drizzle with half of the oil. Sprinkle over the chilli flakes and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss gently to coat and transfer to one of the lined trays. 

3. Place the beetroot in the large bowl and drizzle with the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and toss gently to coat. Transfer to the tray with the pumpkin.

4. Roast the pumpkin and beetroot for 15-20 minutes or until the pumpkin is golden and the beetroot is tender. Turn the pumpkin and beetroot with tongs halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oven and set aside.

5. To roast the pumpkin seeds, place the pumpkin seeds on a bowl. Add the oil, paprika, cumin, rosemary, salt and pepper and toss gently to combine, ensuring that all the pumpkin seeds are coated. Transfer to the second lined tray and roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy, stirring occasionally.

6. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Stir in the pearl couscous and simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes until al dente. Add the silverbeet in the last minute of cooking time and cook until wilted. Drain well and set aside.

7. To make the dressing, whisk the mustard, lemon juice, maple syrup, thyme and olive oil together in a small bowl.

8. Place the roasted pumpkin and beetroot, pearl couscous, silverbeet, spring onions and avocado in a mixing bowl. Drizzle over the dressing, season with salt and pepper, if desired, and toss gently to combine.

9. To serve, place the beetroot and pumpkin salad on a serving plate or bowl and top with the crumbled goat’s cheese and roasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Make your own roasted pumpkin seed salad

One great thing about making roasted pumpkin seeds at home is it means less waste, especially during the fall season when some of us are carving pumpkins for Halloween! Pumpkin seeds make a great snack, especially once they are seasoned and roasted. Yum! Roasted pumpkin seed recipes that are healthy can be hard to find but this one is definitely a winner. 

Do you know someone who loves everything pumpkin-related? Be sure to share this recipe with them!