Roast Pumpkin, Feta and Candied Walnut Salad
Servings: 4 –6 servings
Sweet roasted pumpkin, crunchy candied walnuts, fresh spinach and pops of pomegranate are brought together with a tangy mustard dressing in this vibrant Roast Pumpkin, Feta and Candied Walnut Salad. It’s perfect for entertaining and makes a stunning holiday side dish.
Ingredients
- CANDIED WALNUTS
- 1 cup 100 g walnuts
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- Pinch of sea salt flakes
- SALAD
- 1 kg 2 lb 3 oz butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) cubes (can be substituted with kent/jap pumpkin)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 cups 90 g baby spinach
- ½ small red onion finely sliced
- ½ cup 90 g pomegranate seeds
- 50 g 1¾ oz feta, crumbled
- MUSTARD DRESSING
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon about 2 tbsp
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- Sea salt flakes to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Candied walnuts
- Add the walnuts, sugar, water and salt to a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and coats the walnuts evenly, about 3–4 minutes.
- Transfer to a sheet of baking (parchment) paper and spread out to cool.
Roast pumpkin
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Toss the pumpkin cubes with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on the tray.
- Roast for 25–30 minutes or until golden and tender. Allow to cool slightly.
Mustard dressing
- Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add extra seasoning if required.
Assemble the salad
- In a large serving bowl, layer the baby spinach, roasted pumpkin and red onion. Drizzle over half the mustard dressing.
- Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, candied walnuts and crumbled feta.
- Drizzle with the remaining mustard dressing and toss gently to combine only before eating. I like presenting the layered salad at the table for everyone to “wow” over before tossing.
Notes
Make Ahead
- Pumpkin – Roast up to 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Candied walnuts – Can be made up to a week ahead and stored in a sealed container at room temperature.
- Dressing – Prepare up to 3 days ahead and store in the fridge. Bring to room temperature and whisk before using.
Leftovers
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Note that the pumpkin, walnuts and dressing may wilt slightly, but the flavours will still be delicious. For best results, store the components separately and assemble fresh (see make ahead instructions above). Not suitable to freeze.Scan for full recipe:
