Warm Pumpkin Salad with Apple Cider Tahini Dressing

It’s finally fall! I love all the flavors of fall and incorporated a few into this delicious Warm Pumpkin Salad with Apple Cider Tahini Dressing. I love roasted veggies, squash, beets, and apples which all come together in this healthy hearty salad. It also helps balance out all the fall treats like apple crisps, caramel apples, muffins, breads, and scones as fall also usually also means baking season. Speaking of apple crisp I have one that I already shared a sneak peek of on social media that will be posting this week!

There are more roasted veggies and flavors in this salad than greens, and so much flavor. Pumpkins, onions, and beets roasted with herbs. Which is why I almost called this a sheet pan salad. Straight from the oven and tossed with greens, I like to use a mix of baby spinach and baby arugula. Then add in fresh crisp apples, hemp seeds for protein and a little more texture, and finished with an Apple Cider Tahini Dressing! So good and so filling. While this salad can be enjoyed cold I like to enjoy it warm, but if I make extra I tend to enjoy it cold and don’t heat the veggies back up.

As I’ve mentioned before I like my recipes to be inspiring and adaptable. If you don’t like pumpkin you can sub butternut squash. No hemp seeds you can sub pumpkin seeds or another nut or seed that you think would go well, maybe pecans? Don’t like beets well you can omit those and if you like things a little sweeter add in some dried cranberries. No apple cider, this is delicious with Maple Tahini Dressing. If you really are pressed for time and want to make it quick pick up already peeled and cut butternut squash and you could even pick up already cooked beets. Last if you do food prep you can roast things up ahead of time.

This might sound a little crazy but I would even classify this Warm Pumpkin Salad with Apple Cider Tahini Dressing comfort food but really being warm and with the roasted veggies and flavors it is, and healthy comfort food at that.

As I said it’s a way of balancing out all of this baked goods and fall treats this nutritious salad is perfect for Meatless Monday and a healthy way to start the week. My co-host Deborah and I thank you for joining us for Meatless Monday and look forward to checking out the recipes linked up below and inspiring others with delicious meatless creations.

Print Recipe

Warm Pumpkin Salad with Apple Cider Tahini Dressing

Delicious Warm Pumpkin Salad with Apple Cider Tahini Dressing is packed with seasonal flavor and nutrition! Roasted pumpkin, beets, and onions tossed with spinach and arugula, topped with fresh crisp Honeycrisp apples and hemp seeds, drizzled with Apple Cider Tahini Dressing. Gluten free and vegan healthy comfort food.

Servings

servings (6-8 for side salad)

Ingredients

• 5-8 oz mix of baby spinach and baby arugula
• 6-8 small beets
• 1 small red onion
• 1 small pie pumpkin
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 8-10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6-8 sage leaves, optional
• 1 medium to large Honeycrisp apple
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 3 TBSP hemp seeds (Navitas Organics)
• sea salt and pepper

Apple Cider Tahini Dressing

• 2 TBSP tahini (Soom)
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• 2-4 TBSP apple cider
• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 clove garlic, optional
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Servings servings (6-8 for side salad) Ingredients 5-8 oz mix of baby spinach and baby arugula 6-8 small beets 1 small red onion 1 small pie pumpkin 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 8-10 sprigs fresh thyme 6-8 sage leaves, optional 1 medium to large Honeycrisp apple 1 TBSP lemon juice 3 TBSP hemp seeds (Navitas Organics) sea salt and pepper Apple Cider Tahini Dressing 2 TBSP tahini (Soom) 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil 2-4 TBSP apple cider 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar 1/2 clove garlic, optional sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Slice pumpkin in half, top to bottom, and spoon out seeds and insides. Reserve seeds for roasting later.
3. Slice each half into wedges (6-8), and then carefully with a sharp paring knife carefully cut flesh from the outside removing the skin.
4. Cut each wedge into about 4-6 squares.
5. In a large bowl toss pumpkin with a little olive oil, just enough to thinly coat. Add in thyme leaves.
6. Cut top and bottom of the onion and remove outer layer, cut into small wedges and gently toss with pumpkin.
7. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
8. Arrange pumpkin and onions on 2/3 of the prepared baking sheet. Place sage on top if using.
9. Peel beets and cut into quarters. You can place the beets in the same bowl used for the pumpkin and drizzle with a little olive oil, just to barely coat.
10. Place beets on the baking sheet next to the pumpkin and onions.
11. Sprinkle all with a little sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
12. Bake for 30-35 minutes, gently tossing or flipping half way, until the beets and pumpkin can be pierced with a fork.
13. While the vegetables are roasting prepare the dressing mixing tahini, apple cider vinegar, and grated garlic until smooth. Whisk while adding olive oil and then the apple cider until desired consistency is reached. Season with sea salt and pepper. Set aside.
14. Core apple and thinly slice. Add apples to a bowl with lemon juice and water.
15. In a large salad bowl add washed greens.
16. When vegetables are done cooking remove sage and discard.
17. Toss pumpkin, onions, and beets with greens.
18. Add hemp seeds, and gentle toss.
19. Drain apples and toss in with the salad or you can add these on top if desired.
20. Divide salad into 4 bowls and serve with Apple Tahini Dressing.
21. Enjoy!

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