Roasted Pumpkin & Pear Salad with Lentils
Some people think salads are boring and bland. I disagree: Salads are among my favorite kind of meals ever. And done right, they’re anything but boring. I mean, isn’t a salad just a bowl with a different name?
A good salad will leave you feel energized and satisfied and full for hours. This is definitely true for this Roasted Pumpkin & Pear Salad. Roasted Hokkaido (or other) pumpkin, beluga lentils and greens make it hearty enough for a proper meal. Pear, dried cranberries and pecans add a nice mix of sweetness and crunch. The vegan feta cheese and tangy maple mustard dressing bring everything together with a salty contrast. The combination is simple and versatile, and so good!
Why You’ll Love This Salad
It’s hearty with leaving you feeling stuffed. The beluga lentils and starches from the pumpkin make it filling, while the greens and fresh pear keep things light.
There’s plenty of texture. Soft roasted pumpkin, juicy pear, chewy cranberries, crunchy pecans and creamy feta make this much more interesting than a basic leafy salad.
The flavors complement each other really well. The sweetness from the pumpkin, pear and cranberries works especially well with the salty vegan feta and tangy mustard dressing.
It’s easy to make. Most of the work happens while the pumpkin is roasting. The lentils can cook at the same time, and then everything just gets tossed together. It’s also perfect for meal prep, in which case the salad comes together in no time!
Why Your Body Will Love This Salad
This salad isn’t just a pretty mix of seasonal ingredients — it also packs plenty of nutrients into one meal. Beluga lentils are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber, which help make the salad filling and satisfying. They also provide important minerals such as iron, folate and magnesium.
Hokkaido pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A. It also contributes fiber and potassium. Pear and greens add more fiber, vitamins and plant compounds, while the cranberries bring a little extra fruitiness and sweetness.
The pecans provide mostly unsaturated fats as well as minerals such as magnesium and zinc. And while vegan feta and the maple mustard dressing are mainly there for flavor, they round out the salad and make it much more satisfying. Overall, you get a good combination of fiber, plant-based protein, healthy fats and plenty of colorful plant foods in one bowl.
Meal Prep Options
If your life looks anything like mine, finding the time to make a nourishing dinner can be tough. While I’m by no means a meal prep expert, I do like to make individual components ahead of time if I remember it. This salad is perfect for that!
For example, I roasted the pumpkin in advance. It can take a while in the oven until it’s not just tender, but has the slightly charred texture I like. I don’t always have that hour until dinner needs to be on the table. So I do it throughout the day or along with making dinner the night before. Easy peasy!
The beluga lentils are another component that is easily made ahead of time. While they only take about 15 minutes and are very hands-off, knowing they’re already done just makes me go into cooking feeling calmer and clearer.
You could also prep the dressing beforehand and pop it in the fridge. The rest is just cutting some greens and veg–no fuss at all. Of course, you could also cut and wash your greens, cut your pear (or apple), or crumble up your vegan feta cheese so they’re all ready to go when you make the salad. I find that no component is too little to prep–I’m always glad when something is already done.
Change It Up
My Roasted Pumpkin & Pear Salad is super versatile! Here are some ideas on how to change things up:
- Instead of Hokkaido pumpkin, roast butternut squash or sweet potato wedges
- Don’t feel like cooking lentils from scratch? Use a can of regular lentils or exchange the lentils for chickpeas, cannellini or butter beans
- Swap out the pear for apple slices
- A nice alternative to pecans would be walnuts or pepitas
- Instead of balsamic vinegar, use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Roasted Pumpkin & Pear Salad with Lentils
This vegan roasted pumpkin salad combines sweet pear, beluga lentils, vegan feta, cranberries and pecans with fresh greens and a maple mustard dressing.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 60 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 generous servings
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 Hokkaido pumpkin
- olive oil
- 1/3 cup beluga lentils, dry
- 3 cups mache salad or baby spinach, washed
- 1 pear, sliced
- vegan feta cheese, to taste
- 2 tbsp dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp pecans
For the Maple Mustard Dressing
- 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or sub white wine vinegar)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp whole-grain mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. Slice the red onion thinly. Put into a little bowl and top up with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Let this sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- 2. Wash the pumpkin and cut it into wedges. Put these in the oven along with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, then roast at 390° Fahrenheit/200° Celsius for 45 minutes to an hour, until tender and slightly charred.
- 3. While the pumpkin roasts in the oven, rinse the lentils and add them to a pot with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer with the lid ajar for ten to 15 minutes, or until the lentils are done.
- 4. Wash and cut the rest of your fresh ingredients, if you haven’t already done so.
- 5. Make the dressing by simple mixing everything vigorously in a glass or small bowl.
- 6. When the pumpkin and lentils are done, arrange everything on plates or thwrow everything together in a big bowl. Add greens, pear, cranberries and pecans before crumbling some vegan feta cheese on top. Add the quick-pickled red onions without their brine.
Notes
You can sub the Hokkaido pumpkin for buttnernut squash or sweet potatoes. Try regular canned lentils for a quicker option. Exchange the pear for a tart apple. Use walnuts instead of pecans.
