A Tender Roast Pumpkin, Feta, and Baby Spinach Salad

Roasting the squash in a 430°F (220°C) oven creates golden edges while leaving the centers firm. You gently toss those warm pieces with baby spinach, toasted pine nuts, and crumbled cheese to put together A Tender Roast Pumpkin, Feta, and Baby Spinach Salad. A sharp liquid mixture of balsamic vinegar and honey cuts right through the dense vegetable.

The pumpkin

Any variety of pumpkin or winter squash works for this recipe. You peel the squash and cut it into 1.25-inch (3 cm) cubes. The uniform size helps the pieces cook at the same rate. Toss the cubes with the olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread the seasoned pieces evenly across a baking sheet so they have room to roast.

Roast the squash cubes for 20 minutes before pulling the tray out to flip each piece. Return the pan to the oven for another 7 to 10 minutes to finish cooking. The sides touching the tray should develop a golden color while the flesh remains tender and intact. Leaving the vegetable in the heat past this point turns the cubes into mush. Once the squash finishes roasting, immediately run a spatula under the hot pieces. Loosening the pumpkin right away prevents it from adhering to the metal as the baking sheet cools.

The honey balsamic dressing

The dressing provides a sharp acidity that balances the heavy squash and the salty cheese. Combine the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper in a small jar with a tight lid. Put the lid on and shake the mixture well until the honey dissolves. Taste the liquid and add more salt or pepper if you need it.

The salad components

Pine nuts add a distinct crunch to the finished dish. Put them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Watch the pan closely as they heat up. The nuts are done when they take on a pale brownish-yellow color and smell notably nutty. Take the pan off the burner and transfer the nuts to a cool plate immediately. They will keep cooking and burn if you leave them in the hot skillet.

You can use chopped almonds or macadamias if you do not have pine nuts on hand. Baby spinach provides a mild base for the dish. You can swap in rocket or arugula to give the greens a sharper flavor.

Mixing the salad

Put the baby spinach leaves in a large bowl. Drizzle a small amount of the shaken dressing over the greens and toss them so the leaves get a light coating. Add the cooked pumpkin, half the toasted pine nuts, and half the crumbled feta cheese to the bowl.

Mix the ingredients very gently and briefly just to scatter the cheese evenly through the greens. Vigorous tossing breaks down the delicate feta and creates a messy appearance. The dish is naturally gluten-free as written.

Serving and storing

Transfer the gently mixed ingredients to a serving dish. Scatter the reserved crumbled feta and the rest of the toasted pine nuts over the surface. The honey balsamic liquid easily slides off baby spinach leaves and gathers underneath the greens. Wait until just before serving to pour the remaining dressing over the top. Adding the leftover liquid at the very end ensures the leaves receive enough of the sharp mixture.

You can serve the dish warm right after the squash comes out of the oven. You can also let the squash cool completely for a room-temperature salad. You can prepare all the individual components ahead of time.

Store the ingredients separately until you are ready to build the salad:

• Roast the pumpkin and let it cool.
• Toast the pine nuts and keep them in a dry container.
• Shake the dressing and leave it in its jar.
• Keep the spinach and crumbled feta in the refrigerator.