The Best Roasted Pumpkin Recipe (Spicy Wedges)

Perfectly roasted pumpkin: an easy, versatile recipe for roasting pumpkin, you can enjoy the spicy wedges with yogurt dip or as a side dish.

Learn how to roast pumpkin perfectly!

Roasting is probably the best thing you can do to a fresh pumpkin, as it enhances the flavors and gives it a soft, creamy consistency that will not be entirely achieved when only cooking it on the stove.

This roasted pumpkin recipe is the last one in this Pumpkin Series, and I could almost say that this time I saved the best for last. I love every other recipe I've posted during the past two weeks, but these spicy pumpkin wedges are my favorite.

Not only because it is so thoroughly delicious but also because it is so straightforward to make and easy to change according to your taste.

And if you would like to learn how to roast a whole pumpkin for other purposes, check out How to Roast a Pumpkin. You could use the homemade pumpkin puree to make savory dishes, pie, muffins, cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, and so on.

Why is this such a great recipe?

• Easy: All you have to do is cut, season, and bake the pumpkin wedges.
• Versatile: You can spice the pumpkin pieces any way you like. And you can serve them as a side dish or as a main meal with a dip and a salad.
• Healthy: The recipe is low-calorie, gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan (if you don’t make the yogurt dip).
• Seasonal and cheap: A delicious meal perfect for this time of the year and super cheap to make.

Recipe ingredients

Pumpkin:

• What you can see in the photographs is a Hokkaido pumpkin, also called a red Kuri squash; it's one of the best pumpkins I know. And another bonus: you don't have to peel it!
• If you choose another sort or butternut squash, then do peel them.
• Don't try to roast slices of jack o' lanterns; that kind should be kept for decoration purposes only.

Olive oil or any other oil you like (canola, sunflower, coconut oil, etc.).

Spices:

• The spice mixture can be changed according to your taste or needs at the moment.
• I chose a Middle Eastern-inspired spice mix this time because I wanted to pair it with a yogurt tahini dip, but the sky is the limit regarding spices.
• Use a few, use many, use any spice mixture you like, and let your mood or the main dish inspire you...

Some spice mixture ideas

• 3-4 TBS olive oil + 2 grated garlic cloves + 1 ts ground cumin + ½ ts ground coriander + 1 ts hot paprika powder + ½ ts turmeric powder + sea salt and black pepper to taste - this is the spice mixture featured today.
• 3-4 TBS olive oil + salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 TBS olive oil + ½ ts hot smoked paprika powder + 1 ts sweet paprika powder + 2 grated garlic cloves + salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 TBS olive oil + 1 teaspoon dried thyme + ½ ts dried rosemary + 2 grated garlic cloves + salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 TBS olive oil + ½ ts ground cumin + 1 ts ground coriander + ⅛ ts nutmeg + red chili flakes or chili powder to taste + salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 TBS olive oil + 2 ts clear honey or maple syrup + 1 grated garlic clove + 1 TBS soy sauce + salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 TBS olive oil + pinch ground cloves + ½ ts cinnamon + 2 TBS brown sugar + a little salt
• 3-4 TBS olive oil + 1 ts allspice + 2 TBS brown sugar + a little salt
• and so on...

How to roast pumpkin wedges?

You can prepare the wedges in advance or just before roasting.

Cut the pumpkin:

• Use the tip of a sharp, large knife to pierce the spot where you want to start cutting. Carefully push the blade inside and cut all the way down. It’s not so easy cutting a pumpkin; please be careful as it might slip on the cutting board.
• Halve the pumpkin. Remove the seeds and the insides with a large spoon (1).
• Cut the Hokkaido or butternut squash into wedges, about 1.5 cm/ 0.6 inches thick, and place them in a large bowl or directly onto the prepared baking sheet (2).

Spice mixture:

• Mix the grated garlic, spices, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste (3).
• Rub the wedges with the spice mixture until coated all over, and let them marinate until ready to roast them. You can roast them immediately if you like (4).

• Place them in a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper (5).
• Bake in the hot oven at 200°C/ 400°F for about 25-30 minutes or until the roasted pumpkin wedges are soft, slightly caramelized, and crispy around the edges. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the pieces, the oven, and sometimes on the type of pumpkin you use.
• In the meantime, make the yogurt tahini dip if desired. Mix all the ingredients and set aside (6).

That's it! And the result is the best roast pumpkin wedges ever!

Expert Tips

• It’s preferable to use small pumpkins for cooking and baking; they have a better flavor. Large ones tend to be watery, and they lack flavor.

• It’s crucial to roast the wedges at a higher temperature. If the heat is too low, the pieces will be relatively soggy. High temperature ensures soft flesh and crispy spots all over.

Recipe FAQ

How to serve?

• This recipe serves two or three as a main dish and four as a side dish, but it can be easily doubled; use a baking tray that’s large enough or two of them. I often roast a double batch of pumpkin wedges; I love them so much I can have them at just about any meal.

• Serve the roasted pumpkin with dip and salad as a main dish.

• Serve the spicy wedges as a side for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, for instance. They go well with Dutch Oven Turkey, Christmas Chicken, and Butterflied Roast Chicken. Try them with Baked Chicken Leg Quarters or with Cast-Iron Chicken Breast.

What to do with the leftovers?

Lots of healthy meals!

• Salads like this roast pumpkin salad. Add them to a grain salad like the roasted buckwheat salad or couscous salad.
• Use it to make pumpkin soup.

• Make sandwiches: Spread some cream cheese, hummus, or another vegan spread on a slice of bread, top with roasted pumpkin wedges, and add some thin cucumber or tomato slices, a lettuce leaf, and maybe a few drops of hot chili sauce (if you like it). Place another bread slice on top and cut it in half. So good!

• Leftover roasted pumpkin wedges make a delicious snack for in-between just the way they are.

More pumpkin recipes

Others you might like:

Baked Butternut Squash Parmesan Slices

Honey-Glazed Carrots with Tahini Dip

Potato Wedges with Sweet Chili Sauce