Maple baked pumpkin, wild rice & feta salad
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- plus cooling
- Easy
- Serves 4 - 6
Skip to ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 medium pumpkin (such as a Red Kuri) or butternut squash
- 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- pinch of Aleppo chilli flakes, plus extra to serve (optional)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 100g pecans
- 150g wild rice
- 1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 75g dried cranberries or cherries
- small bunch of mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
- 150g feta, crumbled
Method
- STEP 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut the pumpkin into slim wedges, then halve each wedge – there’s no need to peel it first unless it’s very dirty or thick-skinned. Scoop out any seeds and set these aside. Put the pumpkin wedges on a large baking tray, drizzle over 1 tbsp oil and season with salt and the chilli flakes. Brush about 1/2 tbsp maple syrup over the wedges, then roast for 30 mins. Turn the wedges over, brush over another 1/2 tbsp maple syrup and roast for another 20 mins until soft and caramelised. Leave to cool for 10 mins.
- STEP 2
Wash the seeds, removing any stringy bits. Pat dry using kitchen paper, then toss in a roasting tin with the pecans and the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Season. Roast alongside the wedges for the final 20 mins.
- STEP 3
Meanwhile, cook the rice following pack instructions, then drain and leave to cool slightly.
- STEP 4
Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp maple syrup with the vinegar, lemon zest and juice, the extra virgin olive oil, mustard and some seasoning.
- STEP 5
Tip the cooked rice, cranberries and herbs onto a serving platter and drizzle over half the dressing. Toss until everything is well coated. Top with the roasted pumpkin wedges, feta, toasted pecans and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle over the remaining dressing or serve it on the side, then sprinkle over another pinch of chilli flakes, if you like.
