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    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Salads

    Pumpkin Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

    Published by: Adina October 7, 2023 ยท Last modified: March 3, 2025 Leave a comment
    Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image with title of a bowl with roasted pumpkin salad.

    This delightful pumpkin seed saladย features roasted pumpkin, feta, and spinach and is ideal for a light main dish or side dish. It is a tasty salad perfect for the season or Thanksgiving dinner.

    close up of a bowl with spinach, pumpkin salad with feta and pepitas.

    The roasted pumpkin seeds salad features tender pumpkin chunks, tangy feta cheese, and fresh spinach leaves. The homemade dressing and the crunchy pumpkin seeds make everything complete.

    As mentioned before, we often enjoy roast pumpkin in autumn and winter. I roast a whole pumpkin regularly, store it in the fridge, and use it in various dishes. This salad with pumpkin seeds, baby spinach, feta, and creamy roast pumpkin is a favorite.

    Check out the Best Roasted Pumpkin Wedges, too; they are truly the best roasted pumpkin recipe you will ever make! Or make another hearty salad, this simple and delicious Salad Russe.

    Jump to recipe
    • Recipe ingredients and substitutions
    • How to make pumpkin seed salad?
    • Good to know!
    • Make ahead and store
    • How to serve?
    • What to serve with pumpkin seed salad?
    • Recipe
    • Pumpkin Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

    Recipe ingredients and substitutions

    Pumpkin: Use a flavorful variety like Hokkaido, butternut, kabocha, or sugar pumpkin. Avoid giant, watery pumpkins like jack-oโ€™-lanterns. Swap with roasted sweet potatoes if desired.

    Pumpkin seeds: If they are not already roasted, roast them for extra flavor and crunch. Alternatively, use pepitas, pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts. Make this Pumpkin Ginger Soup with seeds, too.

    Spinach: Fresh, crispy baby spinach works best. Alternatively, try arugula for a peppery contrast or other baby greens. If you have more baby spinach, try this incredible Turmeric Pasta.

    Feta cheese: A block of Greek feta in brine is ideal. Avoid pre-crumbled feta; crumble it yourself for better texture. Substitute with goat cheese, blue cheese, or Parmesan if needed. Try the Raw Beetroot and Feta Salad, too.

    Dressing: A vinaigrette with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and honey. Swap red wine vinegar for balsamic or honey for maple syrup.

    Optional additions: Pomegranate seeds, roasted sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, dried fruit, fresh herbs, bacon bits, etc.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    How to make pumpkin seed salad?

    For a detailed blog post on roasting pumpkin halves, follow the link. To make the pumpkin salad, you will need about one-quarter of a roasted pumpkin (1 lb/ 450 g weighed before roasting). My pumpkin was relatively large; you might need half of it if yours is smaller.

    collage of two pictures of large pumpkin pieces before and after roasting.

    Step #1: Halve or quarter the pumpkin or squash, depending on size. Remove the seeds. Place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper cut side down.ย 

    Step #2: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on its size and your oven; it should be fork-tender but not mushy.

    collage of two pictures of cubed roasted pumpkin and toasting pepitas in a pan.

    Step #3: Leave to cool, then cut it into smaller pieces.

    Step #4: Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking often so they donโ€™t burn. Once fragrant and golden, transfer them to a plate to cool; if left in the pan, they might get too dark and bitter.

    small bowl of salad with chopped spinach, roasted pumpkin, crumbled feta and pepitas.

    Step #5: Make the dressing: Mix the ingredients in a jar or the salad bowl. Combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk well and adjust the vinegar to taste.

    Step #6: Assemble the pumpkin seeds salad. Add spinach and sliced onion, tossing to coat with dressing. Gently fold in pumpkin, crumble feta on top, and toss lightly. Add the pumpkin seeds to the salad just before serving.

    Good to know!

    You can easily find pepitas, which are pumpkin seeds without the shell. These small, green seeds come from certain types of pumpkins and are ready to eat as they are. They have a mild taste and soft texture, perfect for snacking or adding crunch to salads, granola, or baking.

    They are widely available in grocery stores, health food stores, and online. Look for them in the snack aisle, baking section, or bulk bins. If a package says "raw pepitas" or "shelled pumpkin seeds," they are ready to use.

    Pumpkin seeds are the whole seeds you scoop out of regular pumpkins, and they have a white shell that needs to be removed. If you have whole seeds, you can clean and roast them, but pepitas are a convenient option if you want to skip that step.

    Make ahead and store

    You can prepare the pumpkin seed salad ingredients ahead of time and put them together just before serving. Keep the roasted pumpkin, crumbled feta, and dressing separate so everything stays fresh and crisp.

    Storage: Once the salad is mixed, it's best to eat it within a few hours for the freshest taste and texture. If you need to store it, keep it in the fridge for up to 1 day. The spinach and feta may wilt or soften, but it should still be fine to eat. Avoid storing it longer, as the dressing can make the salad soggy.

    How to serve?

    The pumpkin seed salad can be served immediately. However, I had leftovers that were just as delicious in the evening.

    The salad makes a beautiful side dish for a roast, chicken, or fish. Try it with Sauteed chicken breast, Cast-Iron Pork Tenderloin, or Thin-Sliced Chicken Breast. And maybe a bit unconventional but delicious: I've served the pumpkin salad with Romanian Macaroni and Cheese (or any mac and cheese) and loved it.

    overhead view of two bowls of pumpkin salad with spinach and feta and a bowl of roasted pepitas.

    What to serve with pumpkin seed salad?

    • spicy carrot and lentil soup served with a little yogurt in a brown bowl.
      Spicy Carrot and Lentil Soup
    • cast-iron chicken breast in the pan, a fork and a sliced piece of breast.
      Cast-Iron Chicken Breast
    • golden and shiny yeast rolls made from scratch.
      Homemade Yeast Rolls from Scratch
    • yogurt soda bread on a white board.
      Easy Yogurt Soda Bread

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    pumpkin seed salad with roasted pumpkin, spinach and feta in a bowl.

    Pumpkin Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

    This pumpkin seed salad with roasted pumpkin, feta, and spinach is perfect as a light main or side dish, ideal for the season or Thanksgiving dinner.
    5 from 2 votes
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    Course: Salads
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 -4 servings
    Calories: 145kcal
    Author: Adina

    Equipment

    • Baking sheet
    • Parchment paper
    • Large bowl
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    Ingredients 

    Salad:

    • 1 lb pumpkin or butternut squash, Notes 1,2,3
    • 2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds or pepitas, Note 4
    • 4 handfuls baby spinach 5.5 oz/ 150 g
    • 1 small red onion
    • 2 oz feta

    Dressing:

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar to taste
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions

    Roast the pumpkin:

    • Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Prepare pumpkin: Halve or quarter the pumpkin or squash, depending on size. Remove the seeds using a spoon.
      1 lb pumpkin
    • Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on size and your oven. The roasted pumpkin should be fork tender but not turn mushy. Leave to cool and chop it into cubes, about 1.25 inches/ 3 cm.

    Roast the pumpkin seeds:

    • Toast the shelled pumpkin seeds or pepitas in a dry skillet or pan on medium heat until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate immediately. Leave to cool.
      2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds

    Pumpkin salad:

    • Dressing: Place the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Whisk well.
      2 tablespoons olive oil + 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar + 1 teaspoon honey + fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • Prepare ingredients: Wash and dry the spinach; if the leaves are large, chop them roughly. Halve the red onion and slice the halves thinly.
      4 handfuls baby spinach + 1 small red onion
    • Assemble salad: Place spinach and onion in the bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. Fold in the pumpkin cubes.
    • Add the crumbled feta and toss briefly and very gently to combine. Add the pumpkin seeds before serving.
      2 oz feta

    Notes

    1. Pumpkin: I usually use Hokkaido/red kuri squash or butternut squash, but other very flavorful pumpkins are also OK (kabocha squash or sugar pumpkin). Donโ€™t use Halloween pumpkins.
    2. Amounts: I used a piece of already roasted pumpkin. You can roast more pumpkin than needed for just one recipe and use the leftovers for other recipes.
    3. Substitutions:
      Sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin.
      Use other seeds or nuts such as sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, or hazelnuts.
      Use other baby greens, such as arugula or kale.
      Substitute feta with goat cheese, blue cheese, or Parmesan shavings.
      Make a balsamic vinaigrette. Or replace the honey with maple syrup.#
    4. Pepitas are shelled pumpkin seeds, ready to eat with a mild taste and soft texture. Theyโ€™re available in grocery stores, health food shops, or online. You can also use whole pumpkin seeds, but they need to be cleaned and roasted.
      ย 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/4 of the salad | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 290mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

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