Autumn Salad with Roasted Pumpkin, Kale, Quinoa, and Pomegranate (vegetarian) - photo 1
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Autumn Salad with Roasted Pumpkin, Kale, Quinoa, and Pomegranate (vegetarian)

Pikantne Salads Vegetarian Dishes 60 min Medium 5 wyświetleń ~46.29 PLN - (0)
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Description

A colorful, seasonal salad combining the sweetness of roasted pumpkin, slightly bitter kale, refreshing pomegranate seeds, and crunchy walnuts. The dish is vegetarian, full of textures — soft, caramelized pumpkin, delicate quinoa, crunchy nuts, and optionally golden halloumi. A bold dressing made of mustard, honey, and lemon juice adds juicy acidity, while toasted pumpkin seeds enhance the nutty flavor. The salad is perfect as a light lunch, a side dish for meat dishes, or an impressive snack for gatherings — it looks very decorative thanks to the red pomegranate seeds and vibrant orange pieces of pumpkin.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (17)

Servings:
4
  • Hokkaido pumpkin 600 g
  • Kale 200 g
  • Dry quinoa 160 g
  • Red onion 1 szt.
  • Pestki granatu 120 g
  • Walnuts 80 g
  • Olive oil (for dressing) 2 łyżki
  • Lemon juice 30 ml
  • Honey 30 ml
  • Dijon mustard 15 g
  • Rapeseed oil (for roasting pumpkin) 1 łyżka
  • Garlic 2 ząbki
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • Black pepper 4 szczypty
  • Parsley 0.5 pęczek
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Halloumi (optional) 200 g
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds (optional) 30 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~46.29 PLN (11.57 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat, no fan). Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Wash the pumpkin, cut off the ends, slice it in half, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. You don't need to peel the hokkaido — the skin is edible and caramelizes nicely. Cut the pumpkin into cubes about 2–3 cm on each side (equal pieces bake evenly).

Ingredients: Hokkaido pumpkin
Use a sharp knife and a stable cutting board. If the pumpkin is slipping, first cut off a small piece from the bottom to create a flat surface. The baking sheet should have a rim to prevent the skin from leaking onto the bottom.

Roasting pumpkin

2

In a large bowl, mix the chopped pumpkin with canola oil (15 g), minced garlic (10 g), and 1 g of salt (1 pinch) and 1 g of pepper (1 pinch). Spread the pumpkin pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 25–30 minutes at 200°C, until the edges start to brown and softness is evident when a fork is inserted (the fork should go in easily, but the pumpkin should not fall apart). After 15 minutes, turn the pieces to ensure even browning.

Ingredients: Hokkaido pumpkin, Rapeseed oil (for roasting pumpkin), Garlic, Salt, Black pepper
The best is a tray with a single layer of pieces — if you overcrowd the pumpkin, it will steam instead of roast. Use a silicone or wooden spatula for mixing.

Cooking quinoa

3

Rinse the dry quinoa (160 g) in a fine sieve under cold water for 30–60 seconds, shaking the sieve. In a pot with a capacity of about 1.5–2 l, bring 320 ml of water to a boil (ratio 1:2 dry:water). Add the rinsed quinoa, cover, and cook on low heat for 12–15 minutes, until the grains absorb most of the water. After cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork — the grains should be soft, with a slight 'tail' of white germ.

Ingredients: Dry quinoa
Use a pot with a lid. When the water starts to boil, immediately reduce the heat to the minimum and set a timer. If the quinoa is dry inside after 15 minutes, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Preparation of kale and onion

4

Trim the thick stems from the kale and chop the leaves into strips about 1 cm wide. Place the kale in a large bowl. Slice the red onion into thin half-moons. If the onion is too sharp, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain — it will lose some of its sharpness.

Ingredients: Kale, Red onion
Use a sharp chef's knife for the kale; if the leaves are particularly tough, you can gently blanch them in boiling water for 20 seconds and immediately cool them in ice-cold water.

Roasting nuts

5

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts (80 g) and toast them for 3–4 minutes, shaking the skillet every few seconds, until you can smell their aroma and see a light golden color. Be careful not to burn them — burnt nuts become bitter. Once removed from the heat, let them cool and, if necessary, chop them into larger pieces with a knife.

Ingredients: Walnuts
Use a pan with a diameter of 24–28 cm. If the pan is very hot, reduce the heat — the nuts should be toasted, not burned.

Roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

6

If you are using pumpkin seeds (30 g), toast them in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes over medium heat until they start to crackle. Set aside to cool.

Ingredients: Roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
The addition of seeds is optional — they add crunch. Do not add seeds to the pan with nuts to avoid mixing flavors during roasting.

Preparing the dressing

7

In a small bowl, combine olive oil (30 g), lemon juice (30 ml), honey (30 g), Dijon mustard (15 g), 1 g of salt, and 1 g of pepper. Whisk vigorously with a fork or whisk for 20–30 seconds until the dressing becomes smooth and slightly emulsified (a uniform, slightly thick emulsion will form). Taste and adjust the proportions — if it's too sour, add 1–2 g of honey; if it's too sweet, add a drop of lemon juice.

Ingredients: Olive oil (for dressing), Lemon juice, Honey, Dijon mustard, Salt, Black pepper
Use a small bowl or a jar with a lid (you can shake it vigorously in the jar). The honey will dissolve more easily if you slightly warm it up before whisking (e.g., 5–10 seconds in the microwave).

Frying halloumi (optional)

8

If you are using halloumi (200 g), cut it into slices 5–7 mm thick. Heat a pan with a little oil (about 5 g) over medium heat and fry the slices for 1.5–2 minutes on each side, until golden stripes form and the cheese softens slightly. Transfer to a paper towel to drain excess fat.

Ingredients: Halloumi (optional), Olive oil (for dressing)
The pan should be well heated, then the halloumi will develop a nice crust. Do not slice the pieces too thinly, as they may fall apart.

Salad assembly

9

In a large bowl, mix chopped kale (200 g) with warm, loosened quinoa (160 g dry -> cooked). Add half of the roasted pumpkin (set aside a few nice pieces for decoration), chopped red onion (150 g), and half of the pomegranate seeds (60 g). Drizzle about 2/3 of the prepared dressing and gently mix to allow the kale leaves to soften slightly and absorb the flavor (toss with a fork or tongs, gently lifting the ingredients).

Ingredients: Kale, Dry quinoa, Hokkaido pumpkin, Red onion, Pestki granatu, Honey, Olive oil (for dressing)
If the kale is very tough, let the mixed salad sit for 5 minutes after adding the dressing — the acid from the dressing will soften the leaves.

Finishing and serving

10

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or bowl. Decorate with the remaining pieces of roasted pumpkin, the rest of the pomegranate seeds (60 g), toasted walnuts (80 g), and chopped parsley (15 g). If using, arrange slices of golden halloumi on top. Optionally sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds (30 g). Before serving, drizzle with the remaining dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ingredients: Hokkaido pumpkin, Pestki granatu, Walnuts, Parsley, Halloumi (optional), Roasted pumpkin seeds (optional), Olive oil (for dressing)
Use a large spoon and tongs to arrange the ingredients decoratively — the contrast of colors (orange pumpkin, red pomegranate, green kale) creates a great visual impression.

Taste test

11

Before serving, taste the salad: if needed, add a little salt (up to 1 g extra), season with freshly ground pepper, and add a bit of lemon juice to enhance the acidity. Remember that the flavor changes after a few minutes — the dressing will be absorbed by the quinoa and kale.

Ingredients: Salt, Black pepper, Lemon juice
It's better to season gradually — it's easy to add more, but harder to take away. Use a teaspoon to add honey or juice in increments of 5 g at a time.

Fun Fact

💡

Hokkaido pumpkin comes from Japan and has an edible skin, which helps retain more flavor and nutritional value in dishes. Quinoa was valued by the Incas as 'sacred grain' and has long been considered a superfood.

Best for

jesienne spotkania rodzinne wegetariański lunch przyjęcia i bufety piknik w chłodniejsze dni

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the salad on a large platter - place the kale and quinoa at the bottom, and the decorative elements (pomegranate seeds, pumpkin pieces, halloumi) on top. Serve slightly warm (pumpkin and quinoa) or at room temperature. Dark bread or crispy baguettes pair well with the salad.

🥡 Storage

Store the dressing separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. The salad without dressing and halloumi can be stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Once the dressing is added, the kale will soften — if you want to keep it crunchy, season just before serving. Halloumi can be sautéed again in a pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes before serving.

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