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Pumpkin salad on a grey patterned shallow bowl with baby spinach in top left hand corner and orange linen napkin at the bottom.
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4.34 from 6 votes

Moroccan Pumpkin Salad

The Moroccan flavours of Ras el Hanout make the pumpkin in this salad taste exotic.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Moroccan
Keyword: make ahead salad, pumpkin
Difficulty: Capable Cooks
Diet: dairy free, Vegan, Vegetarian,
Servings: 4 as a side
Calories: 287kcal
Author: Anastasia Papapetros

Equipment

  • Salad Spinner
  • Vegetable or Y-Peeler
  • Sharp chef's knife

Ingredients

For roasting

  • 1 medium butternut pumpkin (just under 1 kg or 2.2 pounds)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2-3 teaspoons Ras el Hanout (depends on how much spice you like)
  • Sea salt & cracked black pepper

For the salad

  • 2 tablespoons pepitas (toasted)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted)
  • 100 grams baby spinach (approximately 3.5 ounces or 3 full cups)

For the dressing

  • ½ tablespoon1 sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon1 Ras el Hanout
  • 1 tablespoon1 soy sauce (low salt)
  • 1 tablespoon1 olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Metric - Imperial

Instructions

Roast the Pumpkin

  • Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) and line an oven tray with baking paper.
  • Place diced pumpkin on the tray, drizzle with oils, sprinkle with Ras el Hanout spice, salt, and pepper. Mix until pumpkin is well coated.
  • Spread pumpkin evenly on the prepared baking tray, leaving space between pieces, so that they brown evenly. Add two tablespoons of water.
  • Roast in the middle of the oven until pumpkin is soft and golden brown (about 30-40 minutes). Allow it to cool slightly.

Roast the Seeds

  • While the pumpkin is cooking, spread sesame seeds on a lined baking tray and pepitas on another. Roast in the hot oven until golden brown (about 10 minutes).
  • If you are using the scooped-out pumpkin seeds, wash them well under cold running water to remove any pumpkin strands, pat them dry and place then alongside the pepita seeds to roast.

Shake-Up the Dressing

  • In a glass jar, combine all dressing ingredients, season with salt and cracked black pepper. Shake until well emulsified and adjust seasonings to taste.1

Assemble the Salad

  • Wash baby spinach and remove any damaged or wilted leaves. Pat dry or use a salad spinner to remove excess water.
  • In a large bowl, combine cooled pumpkin, baby spinach, most of the roasted pepitas, and sesame seeds (reserving a few to add on top as a garnish). Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well combined. Adjust seasonings according to your liking.
  • Arrange the roast pumpkin salad in a bowl and sprinkle with reserved pepitas, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds (if using). Optionally, add crumbled feta for added decadence.
  • Serve when ready.

Video

Notes

  1. Taste the dressing and make adjustments based on the strength of the soy sauce and sesame oil you use. Keep in mind that soy sauce can sometimes be salty and sesame oil may be overpowering, so adjust accordingly.
  2. You can wash your pumpkin seeds and roast them to add to your salad if you like. 

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 1046mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 27189IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 219mg | Iron: 4mg