Roasted pumpkin salad with quinoa, pomegranate and feta
Gluten free, low FODMAP, vegan option, nut free optionServes 6-8 people as a side*Cups and measures are in Australian cups and measures. Use gram and ml for international accuracy.
Ingredients
For the pumpkin:
- 500-750 g Japanese or Kent pumpkin chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon (20ml)* oil of choice
- Seasoning to taste
For the quinoa:
- 2 tablespoons (40ml)* oil of choice
- 1/2 bunch of spring onion greens chopped remainder used in salad
- 3/4 – 1 cup (150-200g)* quinoa grains
- 500 ml (2 cups)* low FODMAP vegetable stock (you can also use water)
- Zest of 1 lemon juice used for dressing
For the dressing:
- 125 ml (1/2 cup)* orange juice
- 60-125 ml (1/4 - 1/2 cup)* lemon juice
- 50-75 g caster sugar or to your tastes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of clove powder optional
- Seasoning to taste
To finish the salad:
- 50-100 g Tuscan kale
- 1/2 – 1 bunch flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- 20 ml (1 tablespoon)* olive oil or flavoured oil (garlic infused works well)
- Remaining spring onion greens chopped
- Handful of radicchio optional chopped
- 200-300 g Greek Feta, to your tastes goat’s cheese would also work
- 100-150 g walnuts, to your tastes (see FODMAP notes in body of post)
- 200 +g pomegranate arils, to your tastes (see FODMAP notes in body of post)
Instructions
To bake the pumpkin:
- Preheat the oven to 180C or 356F. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray and drizzle over the oil. Use your hands to coat the pumpkin evenly, then season according to your tastes. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the pumpkin is cooked through but still firm enough to hold shape in a salad. The cooking time will depend on how small your cubes are, so keep an eye on it.
To cook the quinoa:
- Add the oil to a medium pot over a medium heat. Once warmed, add the spring onion and cook for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the quinoa and toast it for a minute or so, stirring to prevent it burning or sticking. Add the stock (it will spit, so be careful) and stir to combine. Add the lemon zest and cook the quinoa for 7 or so minutes or until the grains unfurl. Ideally, the liquid should all have evaporated and there should be small holes in the surface of the quinoa. That’s OK if not – just drain off the excess liquid. Set quinoa aside and intermittently fluff with a fork.
To make the dressing:
- Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small saucepan. Adjust the sweetness according to your tastes and the acidity of your citrus.
- Cook the sauce for 5-10 minutes. Depending on how much sugar you add, it might not thicken (and that’s fine, the quinoa will soak it up). Season to taste.
To assemble the salad:
- Place the kale, parsley and oil in a bowl and use your hands to massage for a few minutes until softened. You can also add a tablespoon or two of the dressing here if you like.
- Add all the ingredients except for a few pomegranate arils (to finish the salad) and the pumpkin to a large serving dish.
- Toss gently to combine and add the dressing to taste. You might not need all of it.
- Add any extra ingredients here as you see fit – more pomegranate, feta or walnuts.
- Add the pumpkin and very gently toss to combine. Finish with the extra pomegranate arils and serve.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a number of days.
Notes
- The quantities of pomegranate and walnuts are designed to be low FODMAP per serve. If you have no FODMAP constraints, you can add these ingredients as you see fit.
- See the body of the post for FODMAP information and thresholds.
- Use pumpkin seeds in place of walnuts for a nut free option (or simply omit).
- For a vegan option, use a good quality vegan feta.
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