This Roasted Pumpkin with maple syrup, chilli and feta is my new favourite way with pumpkin. Extra caramelisation from a dash of maple syrup combined with the kick of chili. And finished off with the sharp saltiness of feta and crunch of walnuts. I’ll happily have this any night of the week as the main!
I’m on a mission to post a meat free dish every single week. (Desserts don’t count!) In fact, I think I’m going to create an entire section on my blog, dedicated to Meat-Free Recipes for Carnivores. If I do that, then there will be more accountability. I’ll be more motivated to regularly come up with meat-free recipes that are so delish that even carnivores like myself won’t miss meat.
I think that’s a good little project! I’ll work my way through the A – Z of veggies and create a recipe that “stars” each vegetable.
So pumpkin is well and truly ticked off with this recipe! This Roasted Pumpkin with Maple, Chilli and Feta is really meaty and seriously addictive. Something magical happens to pumpkin when you roast it. It intensifies the sweetness and caramelises beautifully. But I’ve stepped it up a notch by adding a dash of maple syrup which makes the caramelisation and sweetness even more intense.
Then to add an interesting twist, I’ve added a very generous amount of dried chili flakes. The kick of chili is such a great contrast to the sweetness of the pumpkin! Finish it off with a crumble of salty, sharp feta and prepare for a bite of heaven.
Mmmmm….
Oh wait! I forgot! I also tossed in some walnuts for crunch, as well as the pumpkin seeds (why waste them?!). I like the slight bitterness of walnuts but honestly, you can use whatever nuts you have. Almonds, pistachios, pine nuts and pecans would go especially well. But even peanuts will work! You just want something to add a bit of crunch, otherwise it’s a bit one dimensional. 🙂
I made this with Kent pumpkin (aka Jap pumpkin) because it was on sale at just $0.99/kg ($0.99/2lb)! I’ve been eating pumpkin A LOT this past week. 🙂 But you can make this with any type of pumpkin or even squash.
Do you have a favourite way to prepare pumpkin? – Nagi
- 2 lb / 1 kg pumpkin or squash or sweet potato (whole, unpeeled)
- 2 red onions, peeled and each onion cut into 12 wedges
- 1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (Note 1)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, or honey or brown sugar (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp dried chili flakes, adjust to taste - flavour becomes milder when roasted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- Fresh red chili finely diced
- Parsley finely chopped
-
Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
-
Peel and dice the pumpkin into 1"/2.5cm cubes (no need to peel if using squash or butternut pumpkin). Reserve the pumpkin seeds and give them a quick rinse under the tap.
-
Place the pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, onion and walnuts onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup, then use an egg flip to toss the pumpkin so it is evenly coated.
-
Sprinkle the pumpkin with the dried chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
-
Roast for 25 minutes, or until the pumpkin is browned and cooked through. Toss once at around 15 minutes.
-
Remove from the oven, crumble over feta and garnish with fresh chili and parsley, if using. Serve immediately.
1. You can use whatever nuts you prefer but just be aware that you might need to adjust the cooking time i.e. toss them in partway through roasting. Walnuts hold up well in the oven for the full roasting time. Almonds, peanuts and cashews will also be fine for the full time. If using pine nuts, sunflower seeds or pepitas (or other small nuts), add them halfway through the roasting time.
2. If you use brown sugar instead of honey or maple syrup, mix it with the olive oil before pouring over the pumpkin.
3. Nutrition assuming 6 servings.
It’s beautiful autumn here in New England. What better dish to bring to a potluck than pumpkin with maple syrup? I found your blog while searching for a recipe–this sounds fabulous! Such an interesting combination of flavors. Is it OK to use melted butter instead of oil? Since I’ll have to make it ahead of time, how good will it be if I can’t reheat it at the party? How long should I reheat it if I’m able to? I also wanted a stuffed cheesy bread recipe and found yours,so I’m making that for dinner tonight. Thanks Nagi!
Hi Chris! Butter is always a fab option but I’d add some oil too because it has a lower smoke point than oil 🙂 Unfortunately I don’t recommend reheating because it can go quite soggy!
Hi Nagi, If I;d seen your response before I bought the squash, I might have made something else because it had to be served cold. But I took this to the potluck today and it was a hit! I had a couple of apples so I threw them in too. I loved it, and I’ve always hated butternut! But that salve-y quality was gone. And from now on when I roast onions I’m adding some maple syrup! PS: it took at least 45 minutes to caramelize, and that was after turning the heat up to 450.
I’m so pleased to hear that Chris! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x 😊
I made this tonight. Despite halving the amount of dried chilli it was still too hot for us but the flavours were lovely enough for me to want to try the recipe again sometime. On the first turning I noticed that some liquid was accumulating and it was all starting to look soggy. I felt the baking tray was overcrowded so split everything onto 2 trays. The wetness dried up and the pumpkin caramelised and browned up nicely after that. I tried this recipe because it is similar to a favourite of mine: Pumpkin, chorizo & feta salad by Scrummy Lane. Not meatless but low meat and good for a main! 🙂
We had the leftovers for lunch today. Overnight the chilli decreased and the flavour increased and it was better.
Oooh I love leftover roasted pumpkin!! N xx
I’m glad you were able to sort it out Donna. And Scrummy Lane is fantastic! Helen is a wonderful cook!
I am so glad I found this recipe (and your site). It is delicious and a go to recipe for using kabocha or calabaza and it’s a veggie most of my house will eat. Thanks for offering such a great side dish. We love it!!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it Melanie, thank you for letting me know! N x
My husband and I have been invited to my boss’s house for a day-after-Thanksgiving dinner next Friday. I’m going to try this recipe out on my family and if we like it as much as I hope, I’ll bring it to my boss’s house. Maybe it’ll be so good she’ll give me a promotion!!!
Oooh! This is a good one to take to dinners, it is so unique! I’d keep the components separate and toss it together gently just before serving 🙂 Hope your boss loves it!
Well, it is now in the oven, been in for about 30 minutes. It isn’t caramelizing and there’s quite a bit of liquid in the bottom of the pan. I’ve drained the liquid and tasted it. At this point, it’s pretty bland. I’m going to add a little more maple syrup and raise the temp. It looks like I’m going to have to tweek this.
Hi Tina! Gosh that sounds odd. The sugar + oil should most certainly caramelise. there is nothing in this recipe that should create liquid. Do you think your oven is weak? That’s the only thing I can think.
I think the problem was the pumpkin itself. It was from my garden and while it looked ripe on the outside, the flesh was pale yellow instead of orange. I think I’ll try the recipe again with a store-bought pumpkin and bring something else to my boss’ dinner. I’m determined to make this correctly! Have a wonderful day! ?
Hi Nagi this is happening to me too. I’ve tried twice now, with store bought kent. Any tips or ideas I could try next time? I really want to nail this 😉
The only thing I can think of is maybe my tray is overloaded as I used a whole pumpkin on two trays. maybe that too much.
Thanks
Hi BD! I’m sorry you had that problem. Overcrowding will cause that and also oven temp affects it too, do you know if your oven runs a bit cool?? Try turning it up. The pumpkin can take it!
Just wanted to say what a delicious dish this is. I use honey instead of maple syrup. I also found by cutting up the pumpkin into smaller pieces this took about 15 minutes to cook. The secret is putting it into a well pre-heated oven. We grow pumpkins and squashes and have 35 kilos to get through this autumn. This recipe has become a weekly favourite. I also wanted to add (as it may not be obvious to everyone) that you can eat the skin of butternut squash and pumpkins; although the skin of large pumpkins might be too bitter for some tastes. Thanks for the recipes and I am keen to try more.
35 kg? That is SO COOL that you grow your own pumpkin and squash! Thank you for the tip. 🙂 I find that butternut squash skin is really yum, it caramelises beautifully! I’ve never been able to eat the skin of Jap pumpkins though.
I made this for dinner as a main dish. My husband, who loves spicy food, loved it. I, on the other hand, couldn’t handle the heat, and I only used 1/2 tbsp of chili flakes. I used sweet potatoes and sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin and walnuts. Other than being too spicy for me, the flavors were very nice. I do love the sweet/spicy combo especially with the feta cheese. Another great recipe! 🙂
Hi Rachel! I’m so sorry it was too spicy for you :(. I’m glad your hubby loved it though!! N x
This sounds so good. I love roasted pumpkin and butternut squash. I’m American and don’t love pumpkin pie, most people just don’t add enough spice to it…but one year my mom added whiskey, and it was awesome. I have now become the whiskey pumpkin pie maker, although it is still not my favorite pie. (and I add more spice than most American’s I think) I will be trying this very soon. I love the sweet and salty idea.
Whisky in pumpkin pie?! My ears just perked up. Because I must admit, pumpkin pie is not my favourite either! I hope you love this! It really does the sweet / salty well 🙂 N x
Yes! Bourbon whiskey is excellent in pumpkin pie….good in the whipped cream topping too! I’m going to try this roasted pumpkin recipe! I love feta and never thought of pairing it with roasted pumpkin or butternut. I been roasting mine with fresh rosemary and minced garlic!
Hmmm….I must remember that! Especially now that it’s pumpkin season!
Oh wow! Imake something similar with butternut squash and goat’s cheese. Yum
Wow Nagi, this looks delicious…I like the idea of adding walnut and a touch of chili…so many different textures and flavors…great photos!
Hope you are having a fabulous week 🙂
Hi Juliana! Thanks so much! I really love the different textures in this too 🙂 Hope you have a fabulous weekend! 🙂
These pictures are gorgeous!
I love your idea of creating meat free meals for carnivores. Even though I eat meat, and love it, I can only handle eating it a few times a week. The rest of the time I just love yummy veggies … like pumpkin! I could easily eat this and call it dinner. 🙂
I TOTALL have this for dinner!! Had it for lunch and dinner on the day I photographed it! 🙂
I love how creative you were in this recipe! I’d have never in my life mixed these ingredients just like you did!
Thank you Lily!! I experiment because I personally find that roasted pumpkin can be a bit “baby-food-ish” if you don’t add other stuff to it. Maybe that’s just me!!! 🙂 Hope you have a lovely weekend!
“Meat-Free Recipes for Carnivores” – YES!!! I think that’s a brilliant topic, Nagi. And you’ve certainly come up with a fantastic first dish for it. For me, the walnuts make it hearty enough to be a main. Yum!
HA!! OK, now I just need to figure out how to put it on my site!! It will be fun coming up with recipes for lessor known veggies like okra!
Yes, please! I love okra…
Although I am not a huge fan of pumpkin I am always experimenting with it because I want to love it. This recipe sounds very promising. Cant wait to try.
Hi Kathy! You know, I don’t get the whole US pumpkin-mad thing!! I don’t really like pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread. But I really love it roasted!! And soup too 🙂
I haven’t. But knowing our similar tastes, I’m sure I’d love his food! We should eat there when you come to LA!
DONE!!
Oh my gosh, these are the prettiest pumpkin dish I’ve ever seen! Only Nagi would have that power. Kudos to you!
Oh wow! I honestly have not seen any pumpkin recipe more beautiful than this! This might convert my pumpkin hating husband 🙂
Ha! YES! This is a converter for sure!! 🙂