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This roasted pumpkin salad with kale, barley, walnuts, pepitas, pomegranate arils, blue cheese, and maple dressing is the ultimate fall salad.
Who doesn't love a good healthy salad - from a quinoa sweet potato salad to a kale mango salad to a fall harvest salad.
When it comes to fall, I'm all about pumpkin flavors but contrary to popular belief it doesn't always have to come in the form of desserts.
It's earthy sweet flavor actually work great in salads and that's where this roasted pumpkin salad comes into play.
Why This Recipe Works
- Flavorful - Roasting the pumpkin enhances its sweetness, creating a delightful contrast with the fresh and crisp salad ingredients.
- Make-ahead friendly - You can prep all of the ingredients ahead of time and toss everything together right before eating.
- Healthy - Some salads are healthy on the surface, but actually aren't. That's not the case with this salad where you get nutrients, from the pumpkin, barley and dressing.
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Ingredient Notes
- Maple dressing - While it is extra work than just buying at the store, it is worth the time and complements the salad. Simply add all of the ingredients to a jar and shake or let the blender do its work.
- Barley - Helps make the salad more filling and adds nutrients.
- Pumpkin - Choose a sugar pumpkin or a variety like butternut squash for a sweeter flavor.
- Kale - Kale has an earthy, nutty flavor that complements the pumpkin and holds up well to the dressing.
- Walnuts - Adds crunch and a slight bitterness.
- Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas) - These add a lovely crunch and nutty flavor.
- Blue cheese - Adds a sharp, tangy and pungent flavor.
- Pomegranate arils - Fresh pomegranate seeds add a burst of sweetness and color.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can swap out ingredients. Some variations include:
- I use barley to make the salad more filling, but farro or quinoa are options as well.
- Pumpkin is my go-to, however butternut squash or even sweet potatoes are good substitute.
- I mentioned above that I use kale, but but spinach or arugula works too.
- Feel free to use other nuts instead of walnuts like pecans or almonds for a different flavor profile.
- While I like pepitas, sunflower seeds work great too.
- Try goat cheese or feta cheese instead of blue cheese.
- You can replace the pomegranate arils with dried cranberries or raisins.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Prepare the dressing by blending the ingredients together in a blender or shaking in a jar.
After the pumpkin is roasted and barley is cooked, simply add the ingredients to a bowl and toss together.
FAQs
Yes. In general, butternut squash and sweet potatoes are a great replacement for pumpkin and cook in about the same amount of time.
Yes. You get the nutrients of the barley, kale and pumpkin.
Yes, you can make a vegan version by omitting the cheese or using a vegan cheese alternative. Ensure the dressing is vegan-friendly.
I personally like the maple dressing I included but you can use store-bought as well. A honey balsamic vinaigrette or maple dijon dressing work great. Or you could try creamy balsamic dressing.
Serve the salad at room temperature. This is a salad that is best served at room temperature or even warm. If making ahead, just pull out of the fridge one hour before serving.
While you can prepare ahead of time, you don't want it to sit in the dressing for longer than 30 minutes at most.
You can keep the barley and pumpkin in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Then just mix in the dressing when ready.
Pumpkin Health Benefits
Like all winter squash, pumpkin has a ton of benefits including:
- Nutrient dense
- High in antioxidants
- Low in calories
- Promotes eye, skin and heart health
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Be consistent with your diced pumpkin. You want them to cook in the same amount of time. If you decide to dice the vegetables at 1 inch instead of ½ inch, just keep in mind they'll take longer to cook.
- Use fresh kale and chop yourself so you can easily remove the stems. Don't buy the pre-packaged chopped kale unless that's your only option.
- Massage the kale with some olive oil to make it less course and bitter.
- If serving immediately, add the warm pumpkin and barley to the kale right before tossing with the dressing. The kale will hold up to the warm and you'll have a nice warm salad.
- If using for leftovers or a make-ahead lunch, keep the kale separate from all the other ingredients and toss to combine in the morning or right before serving.
Other Salad Recipes
If you’ve tried this roasted pumpkin salad or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Roasted Pumpkin Salad
Ingredients
Maple Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Maple Dressing
- To make the dressing, either whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl or put all ingredients in mason jar and shake until mixed. Set aside.
Salad
- Cook barley according to package instructions. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place diced pumpkin in even layer. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender, flipping halfway through.
- Toss the kale, pumpkin, barley, walnuts, pepitas, pomegranate arils and blue cheese in large bowl until mixed. Add dressing right before serving.
Notes
- Be consistent with your diced pumpkin. You want them to cook in the same amount of time. If you decide to dice the vegetables at 1 inch instead of ½ inch, just keep in mind they'll take longer to cook.
- Use fresh kale and chop yourself so you can easily remove the stems. Don't buy the pre-packaged chopped kale unless that's your only option.
- Massage the kale with some olive oil to make it less course and bitter.
- If serving immediately, add the warm pumpkin and barley to the kale right before tossing with the dressing. The kale will hold up to the warm and you'll have a nice warm salad.
- If using for leftovers or a make-ahead lunch, keep the kale separate from all the other ingredients and toss to combine in the morning or right before serving.
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