This spice roasted pumpkin salad will completely blow you away. Paired with arugula, avocado and creamy mozzarella, harissa and garam masala are taking the centre stage of this savoury pumpkin dish. A great way to impress your guests during the cold holiday season.
Pumpkin season is not over yet. In fact, you can enjoy them all winter long. I love this colourful fruit (yes, pumpkin is technically a fruit). Not only it has a gorgeous colour and tastes delicious but it’s also very easy to prepare and is a great source of vitamins, fibre and minerals.
Moreover, pumpkins are very versatile as well. You can put them in salads, soups, pastry, serve with fish or meat, make a lovely dip or dressing and of course, it tastes amazing when roasted. Add pumpkins to your diet to give your body a boost with beta-carotene, which benefits the immune system and aid in good vision.
The reason I picked Hokkaido pumpkin is that you can really use all of it; flesh, skin and seeds. When roasted, it turns to a creamy, tender delicacy with a crunch. Having said that, you can pick any pumpkin you like most. Butternut squash, spaghetti pumpkin, acorn pumpkin or delicata are a perfect choice, too.
Additionally, if you like pumpkins (like I do), check out my pumpkin spice cream dessert, healthy pumpkin mac& cheese, delicious pumpkin-feta flammkuchen, healthy salmon with roasted pumpkin, amazing risotto filled butternut squash, homemade truffle pumpkin pizza and gourmet pumpkin black spaghetti.
Garam masala and harissa
However, let’s talk about the two stars of this dish. I’m talking about garam masala and harissa. The first one is a wonderful spice, or better said a combination of plenty of different spices. Your house will be packed with a mix of aromas of cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, coriander and cloves. A-ma-zing!
Like I’ve written in the delicious seven-spice chicken, tasty beef-peas goulash or chicken black-eyed peas soup recipe, garam masala brings your dishes to another level.
On the other hand, harissa is a spicy paste. This is my first time using it. It’s hot hot hot. Wink. If you love spicy food, then you’ll love harissa for sure. This hot pepper chili paste has a light note of garlic and lemon, sometimes smoky as well.
You can imagine how this dish will taste, but only when you try it, you can really taste and enjoy the complexity and the richness of the flavours. And this dish has it all and even more. It’s a mix of colours, textures and flavours. Bitter, creamy, sweet, spicy, crunchy and fresh is how I would describe it.
Ingredients for 2-3 portions of spice roasted pumpkin salad:
- 1/2 medium Hokkaido pumpkin (with skin and seeds)
- olive oil
- 2 tsp of garam masala
- 1-2 Tbsp of harissa paste
- salt
- 2 handfuls of arugula
- 3 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
- a stem of fresh parsley
- 1 avocado
- 1 mozzarella
To begin, preheat the oven at 180º C and wash the pumpkin. Then, halve it and carefully cut one half into 5 cm large chunks (leave the seeds and the peel on). Save the other half for another pumpkin dish. Place everything on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
As next, drizzle the pumpkin with olive oil, sprinkle with garam masala, add the harissa paste and salt and, using your hands, spread the spice evenly around all pieces. Put to bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pumpkin gets tender and the seeds crunchy.
Just before the pumpkin is done, wash the arugula and let it drain. For the dressing, in a small bowl mix balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Finally, arrange the arugula on a large serving plate or divide between two plates and drizzle it with the dressing. Take the pumpkin out of the oven and slightly smash it with a fork. Then, add the pumpkin on arugula, followed by sliced avocado and some fresh parsley. As of last, top with mozzarella (either slice it or simply tear apart with your fingers).
Serve this spice roasted pumpkin salad during fall and winter season or whenever you fancy a hearty meal. Use your favourite pumpkin and your favourite cheese to make it even more personal and a wonderful addition to your table.
Enjoy!
