How to make roasted pumpkin so much more fabulous with very little effort? A dash of maple syrup for extra caramelisation. Kick of fresh chilli. Plus a sprinkle of feta and shower of walnuts! Serve as a side, a meal, pile on toast or crostini. It’s delicious any which way!

Maple roasted pumpkin with feta and chilli

Something magical happens to pumpkin when you roast it. It intensifies the sweetness and caramelises beautifully.

I’d happily eat it plain. But here, we step it up a notch with a few simple additions that work so well with pumpkin. A dash of maple syrup for extra caramelisation. Plus a hit of fresh chilli, soft nutty crunchy of walnuts and creamy pops of salty feta…..you know this is going to be good!

That’s dinner, right there. Or a mighty delicious side.

Ingredient you need

Here’s what you need to make this.

The roasting stuff

• Pumpkin – Any eating pumpkin. I typically use Kent or Jap which are common varieties here in Australia. Do not use pumpkin intended for Halloween carving, it’s not very pleasant to eat.

  Alternatives – Butternut pumpkin (called butternut squash in the States) or sweet potato!

• Maple syrup – or honey.

• Dried chilli flakes – also called red pepper flakes. I use the regular type you get from ordinary grocery stores but you could absolutely use Asian or other types of chilli flakes. Just be mindful of spiciness!

• Red onion – substitute regular onion, eschalots (US: shallots) or the white part of green onions (I often have bunches in the fridge with the green parts unceremoniously hacked off for garnish purposes so am always looking for uses of the white part).

• Walnuts – Or other nuts of choice. Almonds and pecans come to mind first. Pinenuts, pepitas and other small nuts/seeds would also work but I’d toss them in partway through cooking so they don’t burn into tiny little black (bitter) pellets.

Finishes

• Chilli – This is optional because it’s more for visual than spiciness, because we get enough spiciness from the dried chilli flakes. Large chillis, like the cayenne pepper pictured, aren’t very spicy. Good life rule to remember: the larger the chilli, the less spicy it is!

• Danish feta – This is the feta type that is a bit more creamy than Greek feta. Greek feta also works, though I do like the way Danish feta sort of smears as it semi-melts on contact with the hot pumpkin.

  If you are making to really impress, go premium by using goats cheese!

• Parsley – For pretty green finish.

How to make Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Chilli and Feta

This is a recipe that’s more about the finishes. The pumpkin is roasted with onion and walnuts, all tossed with maple syrup. Then once cooked, sprinkle with feta, red chilli and parsley. Then get stuck in!

1. Cut the pumpkin in 2.5cm / 1″ cubes. To do this I cut into 2.5cm / 1″ slices first. Using a rocking motion as you slice down helps make this easy.

2. Cut the skin off.

3. Then cut into cubes.

4. Pile onto a large paper lined tray with the onion slices and walnuts. Toss with olive oil, maple syrup, salt and chilli flakes then spread it out. The more space between the pumpkin, the better. If the pumpkin is too cluttered, it will stew and go mushy instead of caramelising.

5. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing once at the 20 minute mark, until the pumpkin is light golden and cooked through. You won’t get intense golden colour on the surface, not like plain roast pumpkin cubes (such as in this recipe), because the maple syrup will burn on the edges of the cubes before the surface goes completely golden.

   Also, the onion will get quite dark brown. If you notice at the tossing point that it’s getting a little too brown, just push/pile them all together or bury under pumpkin. This will protect them!

6. Finishing – Give the pumpkin a gently toss to coat it in all the tasty tray juices. Then transfer to a serving platter – single layer is nice for even sprinkling coverage and neat presentation. Sprinkle with fresh chilli, feta and parsley, then serve!

Or – jumble and pile

I know I said a single layer presentation looks nice and neat. But actually, for maximum flavour-melding-more-rustic presentation (aka Nagi style), do most of the sprinkling on the tray, reserving some for garnish. Then transfer into a serving bowl. Flavour jumbling will occur during transfer and piling.

Finish with reserved feta etc to pretty it up.

Whichever way you go, single layer neatness or jumbled piled up rustic-ness, it still rates the same on the deliciousness scale. Which is, in case you hadn’t guessed, very, very high.

Tell me if you serve this as a side or inhale it as a meal! – Nagi x

PS In case you didn’t know I have a whole category of pumpkin side dishes as part of the vegetable and salad side dishes corner of this website! Mostly relatively low effort, like this one, with a scattering of show-offs for special occasions.

PPS This is not the first time I’ve combined pumpkin. See also here and here.

Watch how to make it

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Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Chili and Feta

Recipe video above. A seriously delicious, low-effort way to serve roast pumpkin: with a dash of maple syrup for extra caramelisation, a kick of chilli, warm crunch of walnuts and salty pops of creamy feta.

Serves 3 as a main or 6 as a side. I made this with pumpkin but it is just as delicious made with squash or sweet potato!

Course Roasted, Vegetables

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 3 – 6

Calories 165cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

• 2 lb / 1 kg pumpkin , peeled, cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes (whole, unpeeled weight – Note 1)
• 1 red onion , peeled, halved, then cut into 1cm / 0.4" wedges
• 1/2 cup walnuts , roughly chopped (Note 2)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey (sub brown sugar Note 3),
• 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1 – 1 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes , adjust to taste (Note 4)

Garnishes (Optional)

• 3/4 cup Danish feta (or Greek feta, or upgrade to goats cheese)
• 1 large red chilli (cayenne pepper), deseeded, finely minced
• 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).
• Toss – Place the pumpkin, onion and walnuts on a large, paper lined tray. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup, then toss to coat (hands really is best). Sprinkle with chilli and salt, toss again, then spread out on a tray. Don't crowd them else they will stew instead of roast!
• Roast for 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is lightly browned and cooked through, tossing once at the 20 minute mark.
• Finishes – Remove from the oven. Gently toss again, then transfer to a serving platter in a single layer. Crumble over feta, sprinkle with parsley and chilli. Or do the sprinkling on the tray then pile into a bowl. Serve immediately!

Notes

1. Pumpkin – Any type for eating is suitable (not Halloween carving). Or butternut or sweet potato!

2. Nuts- Feel free to use other nuts. Large ones similar size to walnuts will take the same time. If using pine nuts, sunflower seeds or pepitas (or other small nuts), add them halfway through the roasting time.

3. Brown sugar sub – Mix with olive oil then toss to coat.

4. Chilli flakes – 1 1/2 tsp has a decent warm, unmissable hum but not super spicy. 1 tsp is more subtle. Feel free to skip it!

5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days.

Nutrition assuming 6 servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 214g | Calories: 165cal

Recipe update: This is an old recipe from 2015 that was in desperate need of spruced up photos, a recipe video tutorial and most importantly, recipe improvements! The same recipe, just tweaked to fix.

More delicious things to make with pumpkin

Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts

Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad

Pumpkin Soup

Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup

Honey-Cinnamon Pumpkin Lentil Salad

Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin

Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto

Pumpkin recipes

Life of Dozer

Don’t miss Dozer in today’s recipe video!! Did he get to taste test….??

The post Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Chili and Feta appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Here’s a quick little tutorial for how I cut butternut pumpkin / butternut squash. I originally had this included in the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup recipe I also published today but decided to post it separately because it will be useful for other recipes!

How I cut butternut pumpkin

Butternut pumpkin is called butternut squash in the US, UK and pretty much the rest of the world other than in Australia and NZ! It’s part of the squash family and tastes pretty much like pumpkin, though usually it is a little sweeter.

It’s got softer skin that pumpkin so it’s easier to cut. Here is how I cut butternut pumpkin:

1. Peel off the skin using a potato peeler. The skin is softer than pumpkin so it’s easier.

2. Cut in half using a sharp knife. Just straight through the middle, lying down. Use the weight of your body pressing down on the knife and/or rock the knife back and forth.

3. Stand upright, then cut in half again.

4. Halves – Post cutting!

5. Scoop out the seeds using a spoon.

6. Cut the cheeks off the side with the stem (too hard to cut through the stem).

7. Then trim all the butternut around the rest of the stem.

8. Cut – And finally, cut the butternut into the size you want! For the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup recipe, you want them in 3cm / 1.2″ chunks.

Recipes using butternut pumpkin / squash

I use butternut pumpkin / squash for any recipe I make using pumpkin. It’s a direct substitute – same cooking time, methods, quantity etc.

Here are some of my favourite recipes to try using butternut pumpkin!

Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad

Pumpkin Soup

Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Chili and Feta

Easy Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce

Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto

Vegetarian Lasagna

Easy Coconut Curry Sauce

Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts

Hope you found this useful! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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How to cut butternut pumpkin (butternut squash)

Tutorial video above. This is how I cut butternut squash – called butternut pumpkin here in Australia and NZ. Use butternut as a direct substitute in any recipe calling for pumpkin. Same cook times, cook methods and quantities!

Use to make classic Pumpkin Soup, Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup, roast it, make a salad, a coconut curry or make pumpkin risotto!

Keyword how to cut butternut squash

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 butternut pumpkin / squash

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1 whole butternut pumpkin / butternut squash (same thing)

Instructions

• Peel off the skin using a potato peeler. The skin is softer than pumpkin so it's easier.
• Cut in half using a sharp knife. Just straight through the middle, lying down. Use the weight of your body pressing down on the knife and/or rock the knife back and forth.
• Stand upright, then cut in half again.
• Scoop out the seeds using a spoon.
• Cut the cheeks off the side with the stem (too hard to cut through the stem). Then trim all the butternut flesh from around the hard stem.
• Cut – And finally, cut the butternut into the size you want! For Pumpkin Soup, you will want them in 3cm / 1.2" chunks.

The post How I cut butternut pumpkin (squash) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

How do you make a Lentil Salad irresistible? Load it up with warm cinnamon-laced pumpkin, a handful of greens, a sprinkling of candied walnuts, and finish with a honey-spiced red wine vinegar dressing!

Inspired by a Spiced Sweet Potato Salad from Community by Sydney local Hetty McKinnon, this is a big pile of vegetable goodness made seriously tasty.

After a (very!) extended water break, the inaugural Holiday Salad Marathon has resumed! Today – lentils made fabulous:

Spiced Pumpkin Lentil Salad

I had someone in my team make this to see if she liked it because the flavour profile is out of character for me – something I tried one day as a “let’s give this a go!”

In her words: “Sorry it took so long, I couldn’t get excited about it … but now I can’t stop eating it!!! OMG!!” (Yes, we are both gratuitous exclamation mark-users.)

It’s earthy, it’s sweet, it’s savoury. There’s great textural contrast. But most of all, it’s the subtle spicing in it that really adds interest: cinnamon and allspice.

Who knew canned lentils could be so fabulous??!

What goes in this Pumpkin Lentil Salad

Here’s what you need for this salad:

• Lentils – Canned for the express option, but I’ve also include notes in the recipe for using dried;

• Pumpkin – Any type, or butternut squash. Sweet potato would work well here too;

• Rocket/arugula – I like it for the peppery flavour it adds and also the shape of the leaves contrasts nicely against the lentils. Baby spinach would also work well, but I’d probably slice it a bit to make it easier to eat with the lentils. Finely sliced kale would also work, but marinate it first using the method in this recipe (it softens the leaves, and makes it tastier);

• Red onion – For a touch of freshness and bite;

• Thyme – A lovely, warm and earthy herb that goes well with all the flavours going on in this salad; and

• Spices – Cinnamon and allspice. Some for the pumpkin, some in the dressing.

And here’s what you need for the dressing:

• Honey – The sweetening agent as well as for thickening the dressing so it clings to the lentils;

• Red wine vinegar – You can substitute this with white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar or even cider vinegar. The dressing has extra flavour added to it, so we can be flexible here;

• Extra virgin olive oil – The better the quality, the better your dressings; and

• Garlic, salt and pepper – Seasonings/flavour.

Optional Extra: Honey-Cinnamon Candied Walnuts

For everyday purposes, I would just finish with a handful of plain chopped walnuts.

But if you want to go aaalllll the way, make Honey-Cinnamon Candied Walnuts. It’s that extra-special touch that bumps this salad up into the Company-Worthy category!

All you need to do is toss walnuts with honey, cinnamon and salt, then bake for 15 minutes. Cool to crisp, and you’re done! (Tip: Make extra for you to nibble … chef’s treat!)

This Lentil Salad is a great meal-worthy salad option or work lunch idea. Meat-free, nutritious, filling, and it keeps well for a few days.

Plus, I like that it’s an interesting way to use canned lentils which, let’s face it, isn’t always the most inspiring thing in the pantry!! – Nagi x

PS. No video for these Holiday Salad Marathon recipes. But if you really want one, pop a request in below. I’d be happy to make this for lunch any day and shoot it for you.

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Honey-Cinnamon Pumpkin Lentil Salad

This is a recipe inspired by the flavours of a Spiced Sweet Potato Lentil Salad from a cookbook called Community by Sydney local Hetty McKinnon. Lentils are tossed with cinnamon-perfumed, pan-roasted pumpkin, along with candied walnuts, a handful of greens and drizzle with a spiced Honey Dressing. SO MOUTH-WATERINGLY GOOD, this is definitely what I consider to be a Company-Worthy Salad:

Filling, nutritious, and something different. It makes an excellent vegetable meal option or work lunch idea, else as a substantial side.

Course Salad meal, Side Dish, Side Salad

Cuisine Middle Eastern-ish

Keyword lentil salad, Pumpkin and lentil salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 5 as meal

Calories 427cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Cinnamon Pumpkin:

• 400g / 14 oz pumpkin or butternut squash (pre-peeled weight), peeled then sliced in 1cm / ½" thick slices then bite size wedges
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Salad:

• 800g/ 28oz canned lentils , well drained & patted dry (Note 1)
• 2 cups (packed) rocket/arugula leaves (preferably baby, otherwise hand-tear large ones)
• 1/2 red onion , finely sliced
• 3 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Honey Walnuts (optional, can just use plain walnuts, Note 2):

• 3/4 cup walnuts (or pecans)
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey (must be runny, so warm if super-thick), or maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove (small), finely grated
• 1/4 tsp allspice powder
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Pan-roasted spiced pumpkin:

• Toss pumpkin with 1 tbsp olive oil, cinnamon, all spice and salt.
• Pan roast: Heat a large non stick skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add about half the pumpkin, spreading out into one layer. Cook for 3 minutes until golden. Turn and cook the other side for 3 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove and let cool until just warm.

  Repeat with other half of the pumpkin, adding a little more oil to the pan if required.

Honey Walnuts:

• Toss: Place walnuts in a bowl, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon and salt. Mix, spread on paper-lined baking tray.
• Bake: Bake at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway. Leave to cool, then use fingers to roughly break walnuts up into slightly smaller pieces.

Salad:

• Dressing: Place ingredients in a jar and shake well.
• Toss: Place lentils, rocket, red onion, thyme and pumpkin in a large bowl. Pour over most of the Dressing, then gently toss.
• Plate up: Pile up on serving platter. Sprinkle with candied walnuts. Drizzle over remaining Dressing, then serve!

Notes

1. Lentils – I’ve just used canned here, for convenience. Make sure you drain well and dry them as best you can, otherwise it can make the salad watery. If needed, spread out on tea towels and pat dry.

To cook your own, you will need 1 cup dried green or brown lentils. Cook per this recipe (including flavourings).

2. Walnuts – Candied walnuts adds an extra wow factor here, but it’s also lovely with just plain walnuts (for a quicker option!). Pecans will work just as well. For a non-nut option, try pepitas. Just something to add some nutty crunch! Textures are always good in a salad.

3. Substitutions – lots of possibilities here, whilst still achieving a similar balance of flavours!

• Pumpkin – switch with sweet potato, winter squash
• Greens – spinach, marinated shredded kale (use this method), silverbeet (chard/swiss chard), anything that can be sliced so it kind of “melds” well with lentils nicely
• Walnuts – per Note 2 above
• Red wine vinegar – any other type of vinegar that’s not as harsh as plain white vinegar. eg. sherry, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, even cider vinegar. 

4. Storage – Keeps well for 3 days. Best to keep Dressing separate if you can, but even if dressed, it keeps better than most salads.

5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 427cal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 6702IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg

Life of Dozer

Spied something tasty. It wasn’t lentils……

The post Honey-Cinnamon Pumpkin Lentil Salad appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Here’s a really effortless, great way to dress up roasted pumpkin to make a side dish that works just as well alongside grand roasts or a salad spread for lunch. Simply toss pumpkin with garlic then oven roast until golden, drizzle with yogurt lemon sauce and scatter with pine nuts. So easy yet so superb!

Roasted Pumpkin Side Dish

The really good thing about this dish is its sheer simplicity, that it’s something a little different but the flavour has universal appeal.

I mean, roasted pumpkin is already a good thing. But you’ll love it even more with a creamy garlicky-lemony yogurt sauce casually drizzled over it.

Add pine nuts for texture a dash of of the exotic – and boom! People are always impressed. And then you can trot out that line we cooks love to casually say to guests, “Oh, it’s just a little something I threw together quickly……”

(Don’t tell me I’m the only one around here immature enough to still get a thrill out of saying that!)

What you need for roasted pumpkin

Here’s what I use for the roasted pumpkin – salt, pepper, olive oil and garlic.

Oh – and yes, pumpkin. 😂 Any type that takes your fancy, including butternut (which is sometimes called “butternut squash”, but we just call it “butternut pumpkin” here Down Under). Sweet potato also works just as well – though perhaps an extra 5 minutes in the oven.

How I cut, peel & roast pumpkin

For those of you deterred by the thought of the effort of hacking through a giant pumpkin – my trick is to rock the knife up and down as you cut through through a big hunk of pumpkin. Your knife will slide through much more easily than trying to cut straight down.

And here’s how I cut it into cubes:

1. Cut into thick 3cm / 1.2″ slices;

2. Lay a slice on the side then cut the skin off;

3. Then for neat cubes, cut 3cm / 1.2″ thick slices AROUND the seeds. I find this method faster and cleaner than scraping with a spoon, though the trade off is that there is a bit of wastage – minimise this by cutting as close to the seeds as you can; then

4. Cut into cubes.

Roasting

And here’s how I roast pumpkin:

1. Toss with garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. It’s easiest to do this in a bowl to get full coverage – you can shortcut it on the tray but you’ll need to get your hands right in there to coat well;

2. Spread on a baking / parchment paper-lined tray. This is insurance to ensure you don’t lose the golden skin of the pumpkin when flipping/serving (it’s so distressing when that happens, it’s the best part! 😂)

3. Roast in a HOT oven – 220°C/430°F (200°C fan) – so we can get some nice colour on the pumpkin in the time it takes for the inside to cook through. High temperature is key here – if you use a lower temperature, then by the time the pumpkin goes golden, the inside turns to mush. We aren’t making Pumpkin Mash!

4. The pumpkin is ready when it’s fully cooked through and you have some nice golden edges and surfaces. 20 minutes, flip, then 10 minutes.

Lemon Yogurt Sauce

An excellent all-rounder that’s highly versatile, plus simple: yogurt, lemon, a tiny bit of garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix, then leave for at least 10 minutes to let the flavours develop!

Customisation options

I often serve this with just the Lemon Yogurt Sauce because it’s already very good just like that. But the basic foundation of roasted pumpkin with this sauce is versatile enough to be adapted to many cuisines and food styles.

Today I’ve given this a Middle Eastern spin by finishing it with a pinch of sumac (a lemony-flavoured red powder made from a dried fruit), pine nuts and coriander/cilantro – just to make it that little bit extra special!

Here are some more ideas to customise it to your taste or to fit a menu theme:

• Go Greek by mixing in chopped dill and/or mint into the sauce. Sprinkle dish generously with dried oregano, tear over some more of the fresh herbs. Try serving with Greek Marinated Chicken;

• Give it a Christmas spin by tossing pumpkin in cinnamon, a little ground clove and nutmeg before roasting. Sprinkle finished dish with pomegranate seeds and leafy green herbs for some proper Christmas colours! Serve alongside all things Christmas;

• Make an Indian-esque side for curries. Toss pumpkin in a a spice combo of your choice before roasting – think cinnamon, cumin, ground coriander seeds, ground fennel seeds, chilli powder, garam marsala. Garnish with mint leaves and some chopped nuts;

• Pre-made spice mixes would also work brilliantly here: Old Bay, Cajun, Tex-Mex/taco seasoning. Drizzle finished dish with some honey, a squeeze of more lemon, scatter with coriander/cilantro and seeds – pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), sunflower, poppy etc for some crunch.

• Roasting with fresh chopped rosemary and/or thyme leaves will also perfume and flavour the pumpkin wonderfully. Zest some lemon over finished dish, add crunch via nuts, seeds or even small croutons; and

• You could even turn this side into a more substantial dish by bulking out with cooked lentils (use the lentils in this recipe), and adding other roast veg with the pumpkin (increase dressing accordingly.)

What to serve with this pumpkin dish

I say I’ve given this a Middle Eastern touch with the pine nuts and sumac, but it’s still neutrally flavoured enough to go well with virtually any Western Dish (as well as other cuisines). Here are some centrepiece mains I think would make a perfect pairing!

Roast Chicken

Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb

Baked Parmesan Crusted Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce

Marinated Roast Beef

Pork Roast with Crispy Crackling

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce

Mains

Enjoy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Roasted Pumpkin with Lemon Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts

Recipe video above. This is a great way to use pumpkin that ticks a lot of boxes – it's simple to make, works just as well as a side for a grand roast, or as part of a salad lunch spread, can easily to altered to fit various cuisines and occasions by changing the nuts and fresh herb, and it looks rustic and good with zero effort!

Excellent served hot, warm or even at room temperature.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Middle Eastern, Western

Keyword Middle eastern side dish, pumpkin salad, pumpkin side dish, Roasted pumpkin

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 5 as a side

Calories 216cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Roasted Pumpkin:

• 1.2kg / 2.4 lb pumpkin , skin on seeds in weight (or butternut squash or sweet potato, Note 1)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove , finely minced using garlic press
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Lemon Yogurt Sauce:

• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt (or other plain, non sweet yogurt)
• 1/2 small garlic clove , finely minced using garlic press
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Sprinkling and garnishes:

• 2 tbsp pine nuts (or other nuts of choice)
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped (or parsley)
• 1/8 tsp sumac (paprika or other theme appropriate spice, Note 2)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Roasted Pumpkin:

• Preheat oven to 220°C/430°F (200°C fan). Line a tray with baking/parchment paper.
• Peel, deseed and cut pumpkin into 3cm / 1.2" cubes – see photos in post for how I do it with little effort. You should end up with about 1 kg – enough to fill a tray.
• Place pumpkin in a bowl, add garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss well using a rubber spatula.
• Spread on tray. Roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin pieces, then roast a further 7 to 10 minutes until nicely coloured but holding it's shape, rather than being a mushy mess.

Lemon Yogurt Sauce:

• Mix ingredients then set aside for at least 10 minutes to let the flavours develop.

Pine Nuts:

• Preheat skillet over medium high heat (no oil). Add pine nuts and cook, stirring regularly, until it smells amazing and it's got a hint of browning on both sides. Remove from pan.

Serving:

• Pile the pumpkin in a mound on a plate. Drizzle over yogurt sauce, add a little drizzle of olive oil, then sprinkle with sumac, pine nuts and coriander.
• I think it's best served with the pumpkin hot or warm, but for a warm summer day, it is also excellent served at room temperature. Just cool pumpkin, then dress and garnish just before serving.

Notes

1. Pumpkin – any edible type of pumpkin is fine here. Not a Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin, they are not that nice to eat! Sweet potato is perfect here too. (PS Butternut Squash is called Butternut Pumpkin here in Australia, and it’s wonderful too).

2. Spice – I’ve gone Middle Eastern here, with pine nuts and sumac being on-theme. Flaked or slivered almonds are also terrific, and as for spices, paprika or cinnamon works extremely well for an Arabic angle. Having said that though, the flavours are neutral enough to pair with almost any Western dish, as well as Mediterranean.

3. Other flavouring options: 

• Greek: Chopped dill/mint in sauce, sprinkle dish with dried oregano and more torn dill/mint.
• Christmas flavours: Toss pumpkin in cinnamon, nutmeg, clove powder before roasting. Scatter pomegranate seeds and leafy herbs over dish.
• Indian-esque: Toss pumpkin in Indian spices (see in post for suggestions) before roasting. Garnish with mint, chopped nuts.
• American spice mixes: Toss Old Bay, Cajun or Tex-Mex mix before roasting. Drizzle with honey, squeeze more lemon juice and scatter with seeds of your choice.
• Rosemary/thyme: Chop rosemary and/or thyme, toss with pumpkin. Zest a lemon over dish and top with nuts/seeds.

4. Storage – Cooked pumpkin alone will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. If already dressed with sauce and herbs etc then just a couple of days. So try to keep pumpkin separate for storage, make and add sauces/garnishes later when serving. Cooled pumpkin can be microwaved to warm, but take care not to overcook to mush.

Nutrition

Calories: 216cal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 453mg | Potassium: 933mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 21296IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2mg

Life of Dozer

Delivery people are often apprehensive when they hear Dozer’s commanding (very loud!) bark when they knock on the door. Then that instantly changes to relief when I open the door and they see his dopey face and wagging tail!

The post Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.