This Pumpkin Pear Salad is absolutely delicious. Savory, with a touch of sweetness, loaded with seasonal flavors. It's made with all fresh seasonal ingredients, topped with crunchy walnuts, and seasoned with beautiful Pumpkin Seed Oil Vinaigrette. It's not only tasty but nutritious and super HEALTHY.
3cupsbutternut squashpeeled and cut into 1.25" / 3cm cubes
1tablespoonolive oil
Salt & pepperto taste
For the Pumpkin Seed Oil Vinaigrette: (makes ½ cup)
3tablespoonspumpkin-seed oil
2tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
Salt & pepperto taste
For Pumpkin Pear Salad:
6cupsbaby spinach(4 handfuls)
1pear
½cuppomegranate seeds
½cupwalnuts
¼cupParmesan cheesechaved
Instructions
Roast the pumpkin
Preheat oven to 430F/220C (standard) or 390F/200C (fan/convection).
Line baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
Peel and cut the pumpkin into 1.25" / 3cm cubes.
Toss pumpkin with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking tray, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, flip pumpkin cubes, and then bake for another 7 - 10 minutes until nice and golden.
Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let it cool at room temperature.
Make salad dressing
Place ingredients in a jar with the lid, close, and shake.
Taste and adjust to taste. Note that dressing will be a bit sharp to taste, but it will balance itself out in the salad.
Assemble the salad
Wash and slice the pear. You can cut it into cubes or make thin slices.
Place spinach in a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of dressing then toss.
Add in roasted pumpkin, sliced pear, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. Toss everything together, very gently.
Top the salad with shaved parmesan cheese.
Transfer into a serving dish. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
Serves 3-4 as a meal, 5 - 6 as a side.Substitutions You can use any pumpkin or squash for this recipe. Substitute walnuts with pecans. Substitute pomegranate seeds with dried cranberries. Substitute spinach with any greens - lettuce or kale. I like to use Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, but you can substitute it for Grana Padano.Pro tips You can serve this Pumpkin Pear Salad warm or cold. When roasting pumpkin, make sure you not overtake or burn pumpkin. The pumpkin should be nicely golden, firm, and not mushy. When tossing the salad, use the big spoons and toss it GENTLY so you don't squish the pumpkin and break spinach leaves. They are both VERY delicate. The dressing doesn't stick on baby spinach well, so it's worth to drizzling the salad at the end.Nutritional Disclaimer