Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette (vegan)

Recipe from Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

As you can see, this is an stunner of a fall salad.  We loved all the pops of flavors and textures.  This is company worthy salad!

1 small to medium sugar pie pumpkin or other winter squash (no bigger than 3 pounds) 

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1-2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas (I used about 1 cup of cooked and drained black lentils since I already had them.)

1 medium fennel bulb, very thinly sliced

1 cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

1 small handful fresh mint leaves, torn or minced

5 to 7 ounces arugula or watercress (I used a mixture of massaged kale and lettuces.)

2 ounces vegan feta, crumbled 

Sweet Pumpkin Crunch (Make this in advance and keep in an airtight jar on the counter.)

Creamy Blender Balsamic Vinaigrette (Make this in advance.  Keep in the fridge and use for other salads as well.)

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC and arrange a rack in the bottom of the oven and in the top third.

2. Rinse and dry the pumpkin. Microwave the whole pumpkin for 60 to 90 seconds to make it easier to slice. Slice off the top stem, then slice off any bottom nub from the pumpkin so you have a flat surface.

3. Using your sharpest large knife, carefully slice the pumpkin in half lengthwise Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and sticky pulp. (I used a butternut squash.)

4. Using a Y-shaped peeler, peel the pumpkin halves. If you don’t have a wide Y-shaped peeler, use a sharp knife to peel the pumpkin. Cut each half into wedges, ½” thick.

5. In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin wedges with the maple syrup and olive oil. Season with the cinnamon, several cracks of black pepper, and kosher salt (I used 1½ tsp.) Divide pumpkin evenly across the sheet pans. Keep the bowl for the next step.

6. If adding the chickpeas, drain and rinse them. Transfer them to a dish towel and gently rub to remove water, drying well. Add them to the large bowl and drizzle with a generous 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Scatter chickpeas across empty spaces on the sheet pans. (If using black lentils, spread the lentils onto a separate sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes or so until they are somewhat crispy.)

7. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the pumpkin and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is browned in spots and fork-tender.

8. Assemble the salad. Slice the fennel, and chop the parsley/mint/fennel fronds. Add the salad greens and chopped parsley/mint/fennel fronds to a large bowl. Season with a generous pinch of salt and several cracks of pepper. Add enough Balsamic Vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens, about 1 Tablespoon per ounce of greens used (5 to 7 Tablespoons). Add the roasted pumpkin (and chickpeas/lentils), several handfuls of Sweet Pumpkin Crunch, and sliced fennel. Toss with tongs to combine. Crumble the vegan feta on top. 

Notes:

You can use any type of pumpkin or winter squash. Personally, I prefer kabocha squash, acorn squash, or butternut, as they have a bit more flavor than pie pumpkins.

If your squash is bigger than 3 pounds, don’t use more than 2 pounds of the peeled flesh because you won’t have enough space on two sheet pans.

If you prefer a milder, more neutral salad base, use greens like mesclun, mixed spring greens, baby kale, or even a mix of those with chopped romaine.