Roasted Pumpkin Quinoa Salad – Little Big H

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I’m a huge quinoa fan and given the chance I would eat it everyday!

I’m lucky that H also loves it, so I make it often.  Sometimes served as a meal, like this roasted pumpkin quinoa salad could be, and other times I will just season it and have it as an accompaniment to another dish.

I have also forgotten about it on the stove and turned it to mush, so it becomes porridge for the following morning…

So back to the recipe: the pumpkin is roasted with red onion, cumin, coriander, fennel seeds and maple, its delicious and you could totally eat it like that as a side dish.

The quinoa is dressed with are lots of herbs and spices; mint, coriander, sumac, lemon and its all topped with pomegranates, pepitas and hazelnuts – whats not to love…

Some other quinoa favourites: Quince, pumpkin, eggplant quinoa salad,    A big bowl of green goodness,

Spiced peach quinoa porridge,      Quinoa granola,      Spiced lamb quinoa pilaf,     Quinoa congee

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  • 1/4 medium kent pumpkin, or your pumpkin of choice (about 3 cups of chopped pumpkin)
  • 1 red onion, cut in to small wedges
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1 big handful mint
  • 1 big handful coriander
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced, or to taste
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
  • 1 tbsp dry roasted pepitas
  • 1 tbsp dry roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • Preheat oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F).  Cut pumpkin into chunks and place on a lined baking tray with the onion  Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer and roast for 25 minutes or until cooked through.  Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pumpkin chunks. Once cooked remove and set aside. 
  • Wash the quinoa and add to a small saucepan with 3/4 cup of water. Cover and bring to the boil.  Once boiling turn the heat to as low as possible and allow to cook for 10 minutes.  Once cooked fluff with a fork and add to a large bowl. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
  • Finely chop the mint and coriander add to the quinoa along with the olive oil, lemon juice, sumac and salt and pepper.  Add the pumpkin and toss gently.  Add to a serving plate.
  • Garnish with pepitas, pomegranates and hazelnuts.  Serve.

To dry roast the pepitas and hazelnuts.  Add separately to a frying pan and cook over medium heat until golden.  Add the hazelnuts to a tea towel and rub with your hands to remove most of the skins. Then roughly chop. 

If you make my roasted pumpkin quinoa salad, be sure to take a picture and upload to Instagram with the hashtag #littlebigh so I can check out your creation. xx