Can I use a different pumpkin?

Yes! Any sweet pumpkin will be great - Delica or Acorn would be lovely (but you may need to peel them) - as would sweet potato.

Can I make this in advance?

This salad is brilliant for making ahead of time. You can have everything prepared separately and then just assemble when you're ready: - You can roast the squash a couple of days in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. - The dressing can be made a week in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container or jar. - The crispy pumpkin seeds will keep well for a week in an airtight container at room temperature. Then all you'll need to do is arrange the rocket, mix the dressing through the squash and scatter over the feta and pomegranate seeds. Just make sure the squash is at room temperature when you serve the salad for better flavour.

What can I use instead of feta?

Try using creamy blue cheese, sharp cheddar, pan-fried chunks of halloumi or even dollops of Boursin or cream cheese.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Feta and Pomegranate

Description

This vibrant roasted butternut squash salad is PACKED with colours and flavour. Creamy feta, juicy pomegranate seeds, a punchy miso dressing and crunchy candied pumpkin seeds make it a serious winner. It’s great for weeknights, special occasions, holiday spreads or meal prep – it’s so versatile.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the salad –

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 large butternut squash
50g feta, crumbled (roughly 3 tablespoons)
2 large handfuls of rocket
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

For the dressing –

1 tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey

For the crispy salted honey pumpkin seeds –

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (use the ones from your butternut squash or from a packet – I like to use a mix)
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt

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Instructions

Prepare and roast the butternut squash. Start by heating your oven to 200C/400F fan and line a large oven tray with baking paper. There’s no need to peel your squash, I like the contrast of the crispy skin and soft centre. If it’s a bit old and tough, you may want to peel it though, so just play it by ear. Set the squash onto a large board, then carefully cut in half lengthways. Use a teaspoon to scoop the seeds out, then set them aside. Chop each squash half into small cubes, about 3cm squared. Transfer them to the prepared oven tray, then drizzle over 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Give them a mix, then smooth out onto one layer on the tray. Roast for 40 minutes, giving the squash a mix half way through, until the edges are just starting looking charred. PRO TIP: We’re arranging them on one layer on the tray to make sure they roast evenly, and don’t steam and go soggy.
Make the dressing. Add 1 tablespoon of miso paste, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 2 teaspoons of honey to a small bowl. Give it a good mix with a fork until smooth and creamy, then set aside.
Make the salted honey pumpkin seeds. Give the set aside squash seeds a rinse under water to remove any squash residue, then dry with a paper towel. Get them into a dry pan over a low heat. Toast, stirring the seeds for a couple of minutes until smelling fragrant and starting to brown. Add the 2 teaspoons of honey and mix it through the seeds for another minute. The honey will sizzle and bubble up as you do this. Remove the pan from the heat then scatter over the sea salt and mix through. Transfer to a plate lined with baking paper and spread them out onto a single layer as they cool and crisp up. PRO TIP: Make sure you do line your plate – the seeds will firm up as they sit and they’ll stick to your plate if you don’t, which will make them very hard to get off (I have made this mistake!)
Assemble the salad and serve. I like to serve this salad by arranging the different layers on a plate, rather than mixing everything together in a bowl. This way, you can really see every part of the salad and all the lovely colours. Place three quarters of the rocket to the base of a large serving plate. Throw the other quarter of rocket onto the squash on the tray and pour over half the dressing. Give it a mix through so the squash and rocket is well coated. Transfer them on top of the rocket that’s already on the plate. Crumble over the feta, then evenly pour the rest of the dressing all over the salad. Finish with the pomegranate seeds, then break off shards of the salted honey pumpkin seeds and scatter them all over the salad. Dig in.

Notes

Switch out the butternut squash for another sweet pumpkin – like Delica or Acorn (you may need to peel them) – or you can use sweet potato.

You can prep the elements of the salad in advance, then assemble when you’re ready to serve. Roast the squash a couple of days in advance and keep in an airtight container in the fridge, make the dressing up to a week in advance and store in the fridge in an airtight container or jar and you can make the crispy pumpkin seeds a week in advance, they’ll keep well in an airtight container at room temperature. Then just arrange the rocket, mix the dressing through the squash and scatter over the feta and pomegranate seeds. Just make sure the squash is at room temperature when you serve the salad.

Swap the feta for pan-fried halloumi chunks, dollops of creamy blue cheese, cream cheese, goats cheese or boursin.

You can use red grapes, cut into quarters if you can’t find a pomegranate, or use dried cranberries.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 40
Category: salads
Method: oven
Cuisine: mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl

Keywords: festive pumpkin salad, winter salad, thanksgiving salad, christmas salad