Description
A sophisticated yet easy-to-make warm salad featuring roasted sugar pumpkin, fresh baby spinach, toasted walnuts, and tangy goat cheese, dressed in a sharp apple cider vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium sugar pumpkin or Kabocha squash (about 3–4 lbs / 1.5 kg)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 6 ounces baby spinach
- 2 ounces fresh arugula (optional)
- ½ cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
- 4 ounces goat cheese (chèvre), crumbled
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 small shallot, minced
- ½ cup neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel the pumpkin (if using sugar pumpkin), remove seeds, and cut flesh into 1-inch cubes.
- Toss pumpkin cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and caramelized. Let cool slightly.
- While pumpkin roasts, toast walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Let cool completely.
- In a jar or bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced shallot, salt, and pepper.
- Slowly drizzle in neutral oil while whisking or shaking vigorously to emulsify.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach and arugula.
- Add warm roasted pumpkin cubes to the greens.
- Pour about half the vinaigrette over the warm pumpkin and spinach, tossing gently to wilt slightly.
- Transfer to a serving platter, crumble goat cheese over the top, and sprinkle with toasted walnuts.
- Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and garnish with pomegranate seeds if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not use carving pumpkins as they are watery. Toasting walnuts is crucial for flavor. The salad is best served warm; do not freeze as the spinach will turn to mush. Roast pumpkin and make vinaigrette ahead of time for easy assembly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 8
Keywords: pumpkin salad, spinach salad, walnut salad, dinner party recipe, vegetarian main course, roasted pumpkin, goat cheese salad, fall recipes