Name: Roasted Pumpkin, Feta Cheese And Kale Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 300 g pumpkin ((peeled and diced)); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; sea salt ((to taste)); ground black pepper ((to taste)); 100 g feta cheese; 100 g orzo; 80 g curly kale leaves; 25 g pistachios ((unsalted)); 2,5 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil ((cold pressed)); 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/3 teaspoon ginger powder; sea salt ((to taste))

Looking for a delicious fall salad? Try this roasted pumpkin, feta cheese, and kale salad full of contrasting flavors and textures! It's perfect as a satisfying main meal or as a hearty side dish.

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Key Takeaways
Ingredients, Variations And Add-ins
How To Make Roasted Pumpkin, Feta Cheese And Kale Salad
Serving Suggestions
Other Salad Recipes You’ll Love

Key Takeaways

This roasted pumpkin, feta cheese, and kale salad is the perfect fall and winter salad that can serve as a main dish or hearty side dish;
It’s straightforward to make and a lovely choice of salad for Thanksgiving and holidays;
It’s a customizable salad that you can enjoy both warm and cold.

I’ve said this many times and will repeat it: if someone would give me an empty piece of land, I would first try to grow all kinds of pumpkins and squashes. That’s how much I like them!

Pumpkin roasted until sweet and creamy, salty feta cheese, the chewiness of kale leaves, and velvety orzo pasta make a complete and perfect lunch or dinner for me!

This fall salad is full of contrasting flavors and textures, with a sweet and sour dressing that perfectly combines everything. And, what’s most important, it will leave you with a full and happy belly!

Ingredients, Variations And Add-ins

ingredients for roasted pumpkin, feta cheese and curly kale salad

Pumpkin (Squash) – honestly, you can use most edible pumpkins or squashes for this recipe (I’ve told you it’s customizable). The most important is to choose a variety that holds its shape well after roasting. Kabocha squash, butternut squash, sugar pumpkin, or honeynut squash will all be a great choice for this salad.
Feta cheese – it gives a lovely savory flavor to sweet pumpkin cubes, so consider it as a mandatory ingredient in this salad. Soft goat cheese will work great here, too.
Orzo – a type of pasta that I’ve recently discovered in my local store. I love its velvety texture. Replace it with ditalini pasta, bulgur, or wild rice.
Kale – I’m using curly kale leaves because I absolutely love them in salads! You could use Tuscan kale instead of arugula or even a mix of the two.
Pistachios – for added crunch. I recommend toasting them before adding to the salad! You can use pecans instead.
Olive oil – we need it for the salad dressing and for roasting the pumpkin.
Pumpkin seed oil – I love it because of its nutty, rich flavor and subtle sweetness. If it’s unavailable to you, just add more olive oil to the dressing instead.
Apple cider vinegar – you need it for roasting the pumpkin and for the dressing. You can use rice or white wine vinegar instead.
Honey – for sweetening and thickening the salad dressing. Instead of honey, you can use maple syrup.
Mustard – here, I opt for whole-grain mustard because it adds depth, texture, and lovely tanginess to this fall pumpkin salad.
Spices – some good garlic and a bit of ginger powder give this salad subtle spiciness. They dissolve easily so they retain a smooth texture in the dressing. You could use raw garlic and ginger, but keep in mind that they will have a more pronounced flavor.

How To Make Roasted Pumpkin, Feta Cheese And Kale Salad

Check out the recipe card at the end of this post. It has the exact amounts of ingredients and detailed recipe instructions!

STEP 1: Peel, cut, and bake the pumpkin (squash)

Roasting pumpkin for a salad couldn’t be easier!

First, preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Peel and cut the pumpkin or squash into equal-sized cubes, around 1,5-2 cm. Season with salt, black pepper, olive oil, and vinegar and toss well. Spread on the baking tray in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven, flip, and roast for another 10-12 minutes.

pumpkin cubes on baking tray, ready for roasting in the oven

STEP 2: Mix the dressing ingredients

While the pumpkin is roasting, cook the orzo to the package instructions. Drain and rinse quickly with cold water so the pasta doesn’t stick together. Toast the pistachios and set aside.

As far as the dressing for this roasted pumpkin salad, add everything to a small jar, cover it with a lid, and shake, shake, shake Senora!

honey mustard dressing in a jar, for pumpkin, feta amd kale salad

STEP 3: Prepare the kale

Do you know what is the best way to prepare and soften raw curly kale for a salad? Give it a gentle massage. Yes, you heard me right. But first, remove the stalky ends from the leaves, chop the leaves roughly, and place them in a big bowl. Add some of the dressing and massage with your fingers.

how to cut, prepare and massage curly kale for a salad

STEP 4: Add the rest of the ingredients and toss well

Then add orzo, cubed feta cheese, and roasted pumpkin. Add the rest of the dressing, toss gently, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios just before serving. Serve!

roasted pumpkin, feta and kale salad, close up

Serving Suggestions

Seve this pumpkin, feta cheese, and kale salad with some of these dishes:

Lamb chops
Chicken in white wine sauce with grapes and rosemary
Pork tenderloin

Other Salad Recipes You’ll Love

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