Roasted Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad

In a season of sweets and desserts, how about something a little lighter and a little more green? You are going to love this Roasted Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad. It is pretty simple to make and so delicious!

Why Make This Salad?

If you are someone who likes to try and eat seasonally and locally, this is the perfect salad for you. Pumpkins, beets, pomegranates, and arugula are all in season right now. I feel good about that and hope you do as well. 

I know it takes some time to cook the pumpkin and beets, but I promise, it is worth it!

Once the veggies are cooked, this is great meal prep. They will hold well in the fridge for about 5 days, then you can throw the salad together when you are ready. 

Ingredients

• Pumpkin- I will explain your options below. I used a sugar pumpkin for mine. 
• Beets- You can use any type of beet you like, but I used a golden beet. 
• Greens- I used arugula, but there are plenty of options out there. 
• Pomegranates- These are great for a sweet addition.
• Sliced almonds- you can use any type of nuts or seeds you like, I chose sliced almonds. 
• Feta- you can use any type of cheese you like, or even just leave it out. 
• Dressing of choice- I recommend my Balsamic poppyseed, red wine vinaigrette, or even this delicious citrus balsamic dressing. 

How To Make

1. Let’s start with the pumpkins and beets. I like to cook my beets in the Instant Pot as it is so simple and quick. I place them on the rack,  whole, no peeling, no washing. I told you, easy, right?
2. Put the lid on and seal. Then, cook for 15 minutes, with the quick release of the pressure. 
3. While they are cooking, start your pumpkins. I like to cut the pumpkin into wedges, but you can also cube it if you prefer. 
4. Pumpkins are REALLY HARD, so make sure your knife is hard or the chances of you cutting yourself will increase! I like to cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out all the seeds. Then, cut into wedges. 
5. After the wedges are cut, I go back in with my knife and scrape off all the rest of the stringy innards. I leave the skins on as I like the way it looks for plating. You can cut them off but know they are also edible, so don’t stress. 

Place them on a baking sheet brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Bake at 400 degrees until they are tender. Remove and let them cool.

The beets should be cooled by this time, so peel and slice or cube them. 

Once they are prepped and cooled, assemble your salad. Put it all together on your plate or platter. Then drizzle with the dressing when you are ready to serve. That is it! 

If you are using this for meal prep, make sure not to add the dressing until you are serving. 

Notes

• Here are a few things to note about this salad.
• There are several types of pumpkins you can use for this salad. I used a sugar pumpkin for mine. They are smaller pumpkins that are perfectly sweet. You can also use butternut squash, delicata, acorn, etc. 
• If you are baking your beets in the oven with your pumpkin I recommend peeling and cutting them in chunks. They take a long time to bake. 
• If you are using red beets, make sure and create a boat with tin foil so it won’t bleed onto the pumpkin if they are baking on the same sheet. 
• Don’t add the dressing until you are ready to serve. You don’t want the greens to get too soggy.

What pumpkins are best for roasting?

1. Sugar Pie Pumpkin: Sugar pie pumpkins are small, sweet, and have smooth-textured flesh. They are a great choice for roasting and adding to salads.
2. Kabocha Pumpkin: Kabocha pumpkins have a naturally sweet and nutty flavor. Their tender flesh roasts well and can be a delicious addition to salads.
3. Red Kuri Squash: Red Kuri squash, also known as Hokkaido squash, has a sweet, chestnut-like flavor and creamy flesh. It's a good option for roasting and using in salads.
4. Butternut Squash: While not technically a pumpkin, butternut squash has a sweet and nutty taste and works well when roasted for salads. It's readily available and easy to find.
5. Fairy Tale Pumpkin: This small, flattened pumpkin has a sweet and tender flesh that roasts beautifully and can be used in salads.
6. Long Island Cheese Pumpkin: This heirloom variety is named for its flattened, cheese-like shape. It has a sweet and rich flesh that is perfect for roasting and adding to salads.

 

How do you get the pomegranate seeds (arils) out of the pomegranate?

I like to cut the pomegranate in half by cutting about ¼ inch into the pomegranate all the way around without cutting into the pomegranate seeds too much. Gently pry it apart. Now, hold the pomegranate upside down over a good-sized bowl and whack the pomegranate until the arils fall out into the bowl. This will splatter so I like to use a little bigger bowl than needed. 

More Salad Recipes

• Ancient Grain and Veggie Salad
• Green Goddess Pasta Salad
• Fruit and Microgreen Salad
• Asian-style slaw with sprouted lentils
• Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Maple Dressing

• Salads