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Home Side Salads

Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad

By:Nagi
Published:18 Sep '17Updated:16 Nov '20
149 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Try this Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing for your next Sunday lunch! Terrific as a side or as a meal, this is a really magical combination of flavours.

This Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad with a Honey Balsamic Dressing is a magical combination. Terrific side or as a meal. www.recipetineats.com

Make-ahead winner: Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad

I want to regale you with tales of how I always make this Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad for lunch with the girls. How perfect it is for a lazy weekend get together because it’s make ahead and a crowd pleaser because it’s got enough oomph to be a meal in itself whilst still being healthy and gluten free too. (Who else needs to cater for varying diets at get togethers??)

I’ve even recommended this to numerous friends who have come to me asking for ideas for make ahead lunch recipes.

But truthfully, I have never made this for my friends. I can’t ever embellish about what I’ve made for friends because weirdly, some of them actually read my blog and they would call me out. Some of these friends are serious corporate types, jet setting around the world, taking important meetings and working on top secret projects. It amuses me no end that in between reading board papers and information memorandums, they read my posts as I dribble on about whatever deliciousness I’m sharing on that day and Dozer antics. Te he he!!!

Today’s deliciousness -> This Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad that I’ve never made for them.

This Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad with a Honey Balsamic Dressing is a magical combination. Terrific side or as a meal. www.recipetineats.com

This is a really terrific combination of flavours, and I think of this as quite a classic salad. I’m sure I picked it up from a Women’s Weekly magazine many years ago.

The roasted pumpkin is sweet and juicy, the feta adds pops of salty creaminess, the pine nuts add a warm, earthy crunch, the freshness from spinach, all lightly dressed with a Honey Balsamic Dressing. You really don’t need that much dressing for this salad, just enough to coat the baby spinach. Plus, I don’t know if it’s just Aussie baby spinach, but dressing just never sticks well to baby spinach.

So I really mean it when I say this salad is light on the dressing!

This Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad with a Honey Balsamic Dressing is a magical combination. Terrific side or as a meal. www.recipetineats.com

I know pine nuts are quite expensive so are a bit of an indulgence, but you don’t need much. You can substitute it with other nuts, but if you’re making this to impress guests, it’s worth using pine nuts. No other nuts have that same soft, creamy crunch and the distinct flavour of…. well, pine nuts. 😉

Pine Nuts for Roast Pumpkin, Spinach & Feta Salad www.recipetineats.com

This is not a difficult salad to make but I have a few tips that I’ve picked up over the years, like roasting the pumpkin so it’s golden but still holds its shape rather than turning into mush.

I usually serve this at room temperature but it’s great warm too. Also, rocket lettuce (arugula for those on the other side of the pond) works well with this if you want a bit more of an edge to it. I like using baby spinach because the flavour and texture is quite soft, unlike other lettuces that are really crunchy.

Good way to kick off a new week, with a healthy salad! Giving myself a pat on the back. 😉 – Nagi x

This Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad with a Honey Balsamic Dressing is a magical combination. Terrific side or as a meal. www.recipetineats.com

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad recipe video! PS That pumpkin Dozer gets at the end is raw. RAW. 😳

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This Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad with a Honey Balsamic Dressing is a magical combination. Terrific side or as a meal. recipetineats.com

Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad

Author: Nagi
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 35 mins
4.99 from 51 votes
Servings4 - 5 people
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. Try this Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad for your next Sunday lunch! Drizzled with a Honey Balsamic Dressing, this is a magical combination of ingredients. I usually serve this at room temperature but it's also great warm. Serves 2 - 3 as a meal, 4 - 5 as a side.

Ingredients

Pumpkin:

  • 600 g / 1.2 lb pumpkin (after peeling), cut into 3cm / 1.25" cubes (Note 1)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Dressing:

  • 2.5 tbsp / 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Salt and pepper

Salad:

  • 1/4 cup / 35g pine nuts (Note 2)
  • 150 g / 5 oz baby spinach leaves (4 handfuls)
  • 60 g / 2 oz feta , crumbled (or more!!)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 220C/430F (standard) or 200C/390F (fan/convection).
  • Toss pumpkin with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on baking tray, bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip, then bake for a further 7 - 10 minutes until golden but not mushy. (Note 3) Loosen pumpkin with egg flip (it can adhere as it cools), then if serving salad at room temperature, leave to cool.
  • Shake Dressing in a jar. Taste and adjust to taste. I like it a bit sharp because it balances out the flavours in this salad.
  • Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until light golden and it smells nutty. Remove pine nuts from skillet as soon as it's ready.
  • Place Spinach in a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of dressing then toss.
  • Add pumpkin, just a bit of feta and pine nuts, then GENTLY BRIEFLY toss just to disperse the feta. (If you toss vigorously, the feta can make it look messy).
  • Transfer to serving plate. Sprinkle over remaining feta and pine nuts. Just before serving, drizzle with remaining dressing (dressing doesn't stay on baby spinach well, so worth drizzling at end). Serve!

Recipe Notes:

1. You can use any pumpkin or squash for this recipe. 
2. Pine nuts are expensive but worth using in this recipe, it's the perfect finishing touch However, you can sub with any other nuts of choice. Chopped almonds and macadamias are great.
3. Pumpkin turns to mush if baked for too long. You don't want mush in your salad. So keep an eye on it - it should be tender with a nice golden surface on at least 2 sides (i.e. the sides that were in contact with the tray during baking). And also, loosen pumpkin from tray using an egg flip / spatula when you take it out of the oven - if you don't do this while hot, it might stick to the tray.
4. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings and that all the dressing is consumed. Reality is that most of the Dressing ends up at the bottom of the bowl because dressing doesn't stick that well to baby spinach. So actual calories will be less than this. 

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 226gCalories: 264cal (13%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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149 Comments

  1. Elaine says

    April 9, 2021 at 8:43 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this salad! Beautiful flavours and healthy too!

    Reply
  2. Anita says

    March 30, 2021 at 8:40 am

    5 stars
    This was really good. I add a few other bits and pieces and had chicken with it. Really lovely taste. Will be doing it again.

    Reply
  3. Maria says

    February 1, 2021 at 2:06 pm

    Fantastic salad! Absolutely delicious! Tried to use watercress and goat cheese and it’s amazing too. Cook it once a week for sure. Thank you Nagi.

    Reply
  4. Lisa says

    January 30, 2021 at 5:17 am

    Hi Nagi,
    Have to ask, is this actual pumpkin, or is it squash? I have some friends in your neck of the woods and I have seen them call squash pumpkin, or, did they call pumpkin squash? Anyway, here in Minnesota there is a definite difference. Thanks

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 30, 2021 at 10:50 am

      Hi Lisa, it’s simply called a pumpkin here – squash to other people, depends on your location 🙂 N x

      Reply
  5. Petrina says

    January 27, 2021 at 12:02 am

    Really nice served it with the Greek lemon chicken. Dressing is lovely with the honey

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 27, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      Sounds perfect Petrina!! N x

      Reply
  6. A says

    January 20, 2021 at 11:47 am

    Hi Nagi! Can you sub pumpkin with sweet potato? Looks so yum

    Reply
  7. Leah says

    December 24, 2020 at 9:32 am

    Hi Nagi,

    Could you use a lemon and olive oil dressing for this instead of the balsamic? I don’t like balsamic vinegar.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 24, 2020 at 11:40 am

      Hi Leah – yes definitely, try this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/roasted-sweet-potato-salad-honey-lemon-dressing/ N x

      Reply
  8. Milly says

    December 22, 2020 at 7:05 pm

    Love this salad but wanted to try adding roast beetroot. Nagi do you think it would work and if so would the cook time be the same as the pumpkin?

    Reply
  9. Anna says

    November 30, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    This salad was beautiful. Didn’t have any spinach so substituted with iceberg lettuce & no pine nuts so swapped with almonds. Served with pork schnitzels. Even the teenage boys liked it! Thanks for all the great recipes Nagi!

    Reply
  10. Cassy says

    November 29, 2020 at 12:20 pm

    5 stars
    Amazingggg!

    Hot tip… buy some chicken tenderloins, use Nagi’s lemon pepper chicken recipe and pop them on top of this salad…. *drool*

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 30, 2020 at 10:26 am

      YUM!! Perfect Cassy! N x

      Reply
  11. Sarah says

    November 21, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    5 stars
    Made this last night and had leftovers for lunch today. OMG it’s so good! I added 120g freekah, cooked which helped to absorb and spread the dressing over the leaves and was a really nice addition. I also swapped the honey for maple syrup as I don’t much like honey – was a little uncertain it would work OK but it was delicious. Is great on its own but we had it with crispy skin barramundi (using your method of course!!) which was sensational.

    Reply
  12. Binu Pillai says

    November 13, 2020 at 1:39 am

    5 stars
    It was great and tasted absolutely good

    Reply
  13. Jocelyn says

    November 5, 2020 at 12:49 am

    5 stars
    Perfect recipe, literally. The honey balsamic dressing is so so good! I used pumpkin seeds instead of pine nuts and it was still so delicious!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 5, 2020 at 9:35 am

      Sounds like you nailed it Jocelyn!! N x

      Reply
  14. Mathilde says

    November 3, 2020 at 6:32 am

    5 stars
    This was absolutely delicious, and healthy! My family raved about it all day, and I feel so much better at adulting having cooked pumpkin for the first time 😀 Thank you Nagi!

    Reply
  15. Darren says

    October 31, 2020 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and delishio

    Reply
  16. Julie Hill says

    October 26, 2020 at 6:28 pm

    I made this as a side dish for friends who came for lunch on the weekend – it was a big hit! I served it in a shallow casserole dish (shhh) so the pumpkin didn’t fall to the bottom 🤪. Another success – thank you Nagi! x

    Reply
  17. Clara says

    October 22, 2020 at 7:19 pm

    I love your recipes. So easy to follow and they always turn out delicious. Thank you

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 23, 2020 at 8:29 am

      Thanks so much Clara!! N x

      Reply
  18. Jo says

    October 6, 2020 at 11:05 pm

    5 stars
    Beautiful salad enjoyed by whole family (even hubby who is not a big fan of pumpkin). Pine nuts just finished it.

    Reply
  19. Robin Frawley says

    August 22, 2020 at 11:38 am

    5 stars
    Love this salad! I have made it three or four times already. Always a hit with everyone. A great simple recipe.

    Reply
  20. Doug says

    August 4, 2020 at 7:01 pm

    Hi Nagi
    I’ve commented only once before but always come back to your website. This is a top recipe and so simple. You have taught me a lot about cooking methods and ingredients, etc, etc. thank you so much for your enthusiasm and educational approach in your recipes!

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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