Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Orange Dressing

Total Time Prep: 45 min. Bake: 40 min.
Yield 16 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
Roasted pumpkin and dried fruits make this beautiful seasonal salad a natural match for holiday recipes. The dressing is a light, tasty mix of honey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top it all off with crumbled goat cheese for that final tangy touch. —Sasha King, Westlake Village, California

Ingredients

  • 1 medium pie pumpkin or butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
  • 1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • 1 pound fresh arugula or baby spinach
  • 1 cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 package (5.3 ounces) fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Peel and cut pumpkin into 1-in. cubes, reserving the seeds. Place pumpkin cubes in a large bowl. Toss with 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place pumpkin in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan; bake until tender, 30-35 minutes.
  2. Place seeds on a baking sheet; bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.
  3. Place orange juice, vinegar, shallot, garlic, orange zest and the remaining 2 tablespoons honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half, 15-20 minutes. Strain into a small bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 6 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until blended.
  4. In a large bowl, combine arugula, apricots, cranberries and roasted pumpkin. Sprinkle with goat cheese and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with dressing before serving.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 266 calories, 15g fat (3g saturated fat), 6mg cholesterol, 123mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (26g sugars, 4g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 fat, 2 starch, 1 vegetable.

Roasted pumpkin and dried fruits make this beautiful seasonal salad a natural match for holiday recipes. The dressing is a light, tasty mix of honey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top it all off with crumbled goat cheese for that final tangy touch. —Sasha King, Westlake Village, California
Recipe Creator

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