This beautiful roast pumpkin spinach feta salad is our favorite seasonal 30-minute dinner!
It works for weeknights as well as a crowd-pleasing addition to any holiday spread and is bursting with flavors and textures.
free 7-day vegan meal plan
Your next week of eating is planned out with these quick and delicious vegan bowls, meal prepping steps & full grocery list.
With a little bit of meal prep, you can put this meal together in even less than 30 minutes — plus, it works wonderfully for any leftovers you may have!
You’ll love the fall-inspired components, from pumpkin to roasted onion, walnuts and fresh greens.
Find more tasty vegan salads like spinach fig salad or sweet potato arugula salad on our website.
Recipe overview
- 30 minutes from start to finish
- Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free & vegan
- Endlessly customizable
- Really healthy yet comforting
- Bursting with color & flavor
- Seasonal side or main dish
The combination of crunchy greens that are slathered in sweet and tangy mustard dressing together with tender roasted pumpkin, caramelized pear and herbed tofu feta is just one of a kind and will swoon any dinner guest!
Ingredients needed
- Hokkaido Pumpkin — bright, orange and so delicious.
- Pears — roasted to caramelized perfection, they taste fantastic!
- Red Onions — these also get roasted along with the pumpkin and pears.
- Tofu Feta — briny, zingy and protein-packed add-in!
- Spinach & Arugula — our greens of choice for this seasonal salad.
- Toppings — our favorites are toasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds and mint leaves.
- Vegan Honey Mustard — the sweet, creamy and tangy dressing that brings all of the other flavors together wonderfully!
You can find more ideas for what to add to your roasted pumpkin feta salad below to easily create your own perfect version of this colorful bowl!
How to make pumpkin spinach feta salad
1. Roast pumpkin, onion & pears
Preheat your oven to 400° F (200° C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Wash and slice the pumpkin, pears and onion, then arrange them in a single layer on your prepared tray.
Put everything into the oven for around 20-25 minutes, or until your produce has become golden, tender and fragrant! At this point, remove your tray from the oven and let the plant-based goodness cool slightly before assembling your pumpkin feta salad.
By the way, you can simply add your favorite nuts to the baking tray for the last 5 minutes to have a delicious toasted, crunchy topping!
2. Prepare spinach & arugula
While your veggies and pears are in the oven, wash your leafy greens and place them into a large bowl (or several smaller bowls).
3. Make the dressing
Combine Dijon mustard, vegan yogurt, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt and garlic powder in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Adjust to taste preferences, then set aside.
4. Assemble the salad
Finally, you can add your warm roasted pumpkin slices, onion and pears to your prepared spinach and arugula. Top with vegan tofu feta, pomegranate seeds, fresh mint and toasted walnuts.
Drizzle with vegan honey mustard dressing and enjoy immediately!
Storage & prep
You can put this beautiful pumpkin spinach feta salad together even quicker if you prepare some of the components ahead of time!
The mustard dressing and tofu feta can be stored in the fridge for up to one week and you can even pre-roast the veggies!
Just let them cool and store in the fridge for 2-3 days, then reheat once you’re ready to enjoy this salad.
Any leftovers if the assembled salad can be kept in the fridge for around 3 days, although it would be best to store the delicate greens separately from the dressing to avoid a soggy mess.
Adjustments & substitutions
Roasted vegetables: eggplant, beetroot or bell peppers
Add-ins: dried cranberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans or apple slices
Protein: chickpeas, cannellini beans or brown lentils
Grains: farro, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, bulgur or couscous
More dressing ideas
35+ Delicious Vegan Dressings →
More vegan fall recipes
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Roast Pumpkin Spinach Feta Salad
This 30-minute roasted pumpkin spinach feta salad recipe is bursting with color and flavor! Perfect for seasonal entertaining during the holidays but also as a lovely fall or winter side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 medium Hokkaido pumpkin, cut into slices (1 lb or 450 g)
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- 2 pears, cut into wedges
- ¾ cup vegan feta (190 g)
- 5 cups fresh spinach (150 g)
- 1 cup fresh arugula (40 g)
- ½ cup toasted walnuts (50 g)
- ½ pomegranate, seeds only
- Fresh mint leaves
- Vegan honey mustard
Instructions
Roast Pumpkin, Onion & Pears
- Preheat your oven to 400° F (200° C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Arrange the pumpkin slices, pear and onion in a single layer on the tray and roast for 20-25 minutes.
- If you want to sprinkle some toasted walnuts on your pumpkin feta salad, you can put them on the same tray next to the pears for the last 5 minutes of baking!
- Once the pumpkin, onion and pears have become tender and golden, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool.
Prepare Greens & Dressing
- In the meantime, put the washed spinach and arugula into a large bowl.
- In a jar or small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients or give it a good shake with a leak-proof lid on to combine.
Assemble the Salad
- Finally, arrange your roast pumpkin and feta salad by adding the baked and still warm goodness on your leafy greens, then top with herbed tofu feta, pomegranate seeds and toasted walnuts.
- Finish off with some fresh mint leaves and drizzle with mustard dressing. Toss to combine and enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Pretty much any type of winter squash works for this salad. If they are not in season, you can use sweet potato instead!
- Some components, like the dressing or tofu feta, can be prepared ahead of time (see article).
- Other delicious toppings include pumpkin seeds, almonds, sliced apple, pecans or dried cranberries.
- To make this salad more filling, you can add some avocado, legumes or grains and have a proper main meal that way!
- You can also cube and season your winter squash before baking it.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 282mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 8gSugar: 19gProtein: 12g
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated automatically, their accuracy is not guaranteed. Just focus on whole plant-based foods and eat until satiety!
Alena Schowalter is a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with her husband, she founded nutriciously in 2015 and has been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages towards a healthy plant-based diet. She’s received training in the fields of nutrition, music therapy and social work. Alena enjoys discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature and creating new recipes.
This 30-minute roasted pumpkin spinach feta salad recipe is bursting with color and flavor! Perfect for seasonal entertaining during the holidays but also as a lovely fall or winter side dish.