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Fresh pumpkin salad on a white plate with a fork

Pumpkin Salad with Spinach and Goat's Cheese

Easy, delicious and layers upon layers of flavour! This roasted pumpkin salad is a little sweet, tangy, savoury, crunchy and creamy all at the same time. The creamy, salty goats cheese is mild in flavour and compliments the sweetness of walnuts and roasted pumpkins perfectly. No boring salads here!
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 -6 people
Calories: 305kcal

Ingredients

  • 120 g /4 oz baby spinach and rocket leaves mix 50/50, about 3 big handfuls
  • 60 g /2 oz goat's cheese or feta cheese

Roast Pumpkin

  • 800 g /1.7 lb pumpkin skin peeled, cut into 2cm/1inch cubes (about 7 cups)
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Candied roast walnuts

  • ½ cup walnuts or pecan, cashews, pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • ½ tablespoon water

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

  • tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tablespoon honey
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Toss roast pumpkin ingredients in a baking tray, space pumpkin cubes out into a single layer with wiggle room in between each cube. Roast at 220°C/430°F for 30 minutes or until lightly charred around the corners, on the top shelf of the oven. No need to flip halfway. (note 1)
  • Whilst pumpkin is roasting away, prepare the candied walnuts. In a small pan, add water and sugar on medium-high heat. Swirl the pan around until the sugar has dissolved. Add walnuts and coat by mixing walnuts around with a spoon or spatula.
  • Spread candied walnuts out onto a lined baking tray. Ensuring wiggle room in between each walnut so they don't come out stuck together. Roast for 5 minutes in the oven together with the pumpkin, on the middle shelf.
  • To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients into a small bowl and mix well with a teaspoon spoon for about 30 seconds. (note 2) Shake it out in a mason jar if you have one instead.
  • Once the pumpkin is roasted, allow it to cool down a little (so that it doesn't cook the leafy greens when tossed together).
  • To put the salad together, lay the spinach and rocket first onto the serving dish. Then, in the following order, pumpkin, goat's cheese (use a butter knife to cut into small pieces) and candied walnuts.
  • When ready to serve, drizzle vinaigrette dressing all over.

Notes

Note 1. Use a flat spatula to loosen the roated pumpkin cubes from the baking tray. Once roasted, pumpkins will be caramel on a side or two and soft. I find a flat spatula and gently scraping from bottom works well and stops the pumpkins from break apart. Stay away from tongs! 
Note 2. When making a vinaigrette, mix well means mixing until the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil have emulsified. This just means that they're mixed into each other and not separated.
To revive soft baby spinach and rocket (arugula) leaves, soak in cold tap water in a bowl for about 10 mintues. This will return them to their fresh, crisp glorious selves. A handy trick for lettuce too - in fact, any leafy veg. 
 
Tried this recipe?Mention @Casuallypeckish or tag #casuallypeckish!

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.5g | Protein: 9.8g | Fat: 22.9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Potassium: 781mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 8.9g | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 2mg