When I’m cutting up and roasting a pumpkin, I usually prepare a larger quantity all at once. Some of it can be used in a spread, some in a quick salad, and the rest can be roasted along with chicken and root vegetables. This way, one pumpkin yields three different dishes: a spread for breakfast or a snack, a light salad, and a warm main course for the whole family. Hokkaido pumpkins work best, as they don’t need to be peeled. However, you can also use butternut or another type of pumpkin; if necessary, peel it first. As the weather gets cooler, pumpkin is also perfect for creamy soups. You can make it with roasted tomatoes, garlic, and bell peppers, or opt for a classic fall pumpkin soup. In both cases, I recommend roasting the pumpkin first—it will develop a more pronounced, slightly sweet flavor, and the soup will have a richer taste overall.
You can further enhance the final flavor with spices, herbs, and other seasonings. Pumpkin pairs well with rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, and nutmeg. For a more distinctive or slightly exotic flavor, you can add curry, cumin, ginger, chili, or coconut milk. Its natural sweetness is also nicely balanced by saltier cheeses, lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar. To finish, try toasted seeds, nuts, and a few drops of pumpkin seed oil.
The advantage of this method is that you can use the pumpkin in several different ways without having to prepare a new base for each recipe. The roasted cubes can be used in spreads and salads, and the rest of the pumpkin is roasted along with the chicken and vegetables. So, with just one preparation, you can make breakfast or a snack, a quick salad, and a full-fledged hot meal.
Ready in an hour
Serves 3–4
Difficulty simple
Roasted Pumpkin Spread and bryndza
The gently sweet roasted pumpkin pairs well with the more robust and salty brynza. The cottage cheese softens the spread and gives it a lighter, creamier texture.
- 150 g roasted pumpkin
- 80–100 g of bryndza
- 100 g of soft cottage cheese
- 1–2 tablespoons of sour cream
- 1 clove of roasted garlic
- 1 teaspoon of pumpkin seed oil
- a few drops of lemon juice
- freshly ground pepper
- salt to taste
- roasted pumpkin seeds
- a little pumpkin seed oil to finish it off
Method
Mash most of the roasted pumpkin with a fork or briefly blend it with brynza, cottage cheese, sour cream, and roasted garlic. Add a teaspoon of pumpkin seed oil, freshly ground pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice. Be careful with the salt, as bryndza is already quite strong and salty on its own. Transfer the finished spread to a bowl. Top with a few of the reserved cubes of roasted pumpkin, drizzle with pumpkin seed oil, and sprinkle with toasted seeds. Serve with sourdough bread, toast, or fresh pastries.
Chicken Thighs Roasted with Pumpkin and Root Vegetables
You can use the leftover pumpkin in a simple one-pot meal. The vegetables roast right beneath the chicken thighs, allowing them to soak up the herbs and meat juices. Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 4 chicken thighs
- ½ small pumpkin
- 5 large potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 1–2 shallots
- a few cloves of garlic
- olive oil
- a few small pieces of butter
- fresh or dried rosemary
- or thyme
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Cut the pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, and celery into large, roughly equal-sized pieces. Arrange them in the bottom of a cast-iron pot or a deep baking dish. Add the shallots, whole garlic cloves, a little olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme if desired. Toss the vegetables thoroughly. Brush the chicken thighs with a mixture of olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper, and place them skin-side up on top of the prepared vegetables. Place a small piece of butter on each thigh. Cover the pot and roast for about 60 minutes. Then uncover it and continue baking for another 20–30 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked, the skin is golden brown, and the vegetables are tender and infused with the pan juices. The exact time depends on the size of the chicken thighs. Serve straight from the baking dish, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.
Salad with Roasted Pumpkin, Beets, and Pumpkin Seeds
This salad is perfect for a quick lunch or a light dinner. You can easily adjust the amounts of each ingredient to suit your taste and whatever you happen to have on hand. Ingredients for one large serving:
- 2 handfuls of lamb's lettuce
- 150–200 g roasted pumpkin
- 1 small boiled or roasted beet
- 50–70 g of feta, Balkan, or goat cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of pumpkin seed oil
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, to taste
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Boil the eggs to your preferred level of doneness. Dry-roast the pumpkin seeds briefly in a skillet. Arrange the roasted pumpkin and beets, cut into small pieces, on a bed of lamb's lettuce. Add crumbled cheese and the eggs, then sprinkle everything with the toasted pumpkin seeds. For a simple dressing, mix pumpkin seed oil and olive oil with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. You don’t need much pumpkin seed oil, as it has a fairly strong flavor.
Basic Pumpkin Preparation
- Wash the pumpkin, cut it in half, and remove the seeds. Cut about half of it into small cubes. Drizzle them lightly with olive oil and bake until golden brown.
- In a hot-air fryer, it takes about 20 minutes on the “vegetables” setting. In a conventional oven, allow about 25–30 minutes at 190–200 °C. You can also roast a few unpeeled garlic cloves along with the pumpkin.
- Set aside about 150 g of the roasted pumpkin for the spread, and save the rest for the salad. Use the other half of the raw pumpkin in the baking dish with the chicken thighs.
Tips and tricks
- Do you have some pumpkin left over? Try this creamy pumpkin soup—it’s perfect as a quick lunch or a warming dinner on cooler days. Go to the recipe for creamy pumpkin soup →
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