This Pumpkin, Quinoa & Kale salad is not only 100% Vegan, but it’s also a delicious fall salad and healthy vegan thanksgiving recipe!
Served within mini pumpkins, this pumpkin, quinoa & Kale salad is the perfect choice for a healthy vegan thanksgiving recipe or simply a show-stopping fall salad. Not to mention this salad is more than enough to satisfy, without any additional protein, even as a whole meal.
I absolutely love using these mini pumpkins in my cooking, because they create the most beautiful dish for so many recipes. For instance, have you seen my Pumpkin soup recipe?
Using mini pumpkins would work amazingly for a whole range of healthy, vegan mains to impress family and guests alike and are super simple to roast in the oven.
Plus, this entire recipe is made up of under 10 ingredients, in total and is super simple to pull together in under an hour!
In fact, If you want to make even more of a center-table showstopper for a thanksgiving spread or similar family/guest ‘feast’ – then you can always ditch the mini pumpkins and use one extra large and one large pumpkin instead.
The large pumpkin can be roasted, chopped up, and incorporated within the salad and the extra-large one can be roasted and used as the serving bowl for the center of the table. These pumpkins will obviously take longer to roast. I would suggest around 45-50 minutes. However, great for if you’re doing a ‘serve yourself’ type meal.
I prefer the mini pumpkins just because they’re so adorable and all my guests have always been really impressed when presented with one (because who wouldn’t be?!).
How to make this Pumpkin, Quinoa & Kale salad
The first step to making this healthy fall salad is to prepare the mini pumpkins. To do this, preheat the oven to 170C and begin by Chopping off the pumpkin tops and scooping out the flesh and seeds. These seeds can then be kept to be roasted separately if wanted.
Place the pumpkins on a baking tray.
Then, lightly brush the pumpkins with oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Place these on a large baking tray in the oven for around 25 minutes, till the flesh is soft. Depending on how thick the mini pumpkins are, you may need some additional time.
If you are wanting to make a single, large centrepiece salad then prepare your large pumpkin in a similar way. Preparing it like above, brushing with oil and then roasting in the oven.
Larger pumpkin will need between 45 minutes, up until an hour to get really nice, soft flesh.
While the pumpkins are busy roasting, you can prepare the rest of the salad.
To do this, prepare the quinoa according to the packet instructions, meanwhile massage the kale with the lemon, salt & pepper.
Massaging the kale not only helps soften the kale and remove some bitterness, it also makes it easier to digest.
Now is also the time to de-seed your pomegranate. I find it easiest to do this in a bowl of water. This helps get the seeds loose without damaging them too much. Although it is a bit fiddly still. If you have an easier method, let me know in the comments below!
When ready to serve, simply mix the kale, quinoa, and pomegranate seeds. You can also, optionally, add in some chopped nuts.
Serve this salad within the baked mini pumpkins and voila!
Or, if using a large pumpkin for a vegan thanksgiving table centerpiece, then serve up within the large pumpkin. As mentioned before, you could also separately roast a slightly smaller pumpkin and chop up to include within the salad. That way the large pumpkin acts as a ‘bowl’ first and foremost.
I don’t need any extra dressing on top of the oil/lemon mixture used to massage the kale. However, if you’d like one, I’d suggest a simple vinaigrette.
Other Healthy Fall Recipes you might like
For a unique mini pumpkin recipe, why not try these mini pumpkin spice cakes? Or this Turmeric & Ginger pumpkin soup.
Or for delicious fall-inspired desserts, how about this Vegan Pumpkin Pie recipe or Vegan Black Forest tart recipe.
If you decide to give this recipe a go, I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
Pumpkin Quinoa and Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds pumpkin mini ones or one large
- 2 cups kale
- 1 cup quinoa cooked
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 pomegranate
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- The first step to making this healthy fall salad is to prepare the mini pumpkins. To do this, preheat the oven to 170C and begin by Chopping off the pumpkin tops and scooping out the flesh and seeds. *
- Then, lightly brush the pumpkins with oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Place these on a large baking tray in the oven for around 25 minutes, till the flesh is soft. Depending on how thick the mini pumpkins are, you may need some additional time.
- While the pumpkins are busy roasting, you can prepare the rest of the salad.
To do this, prepare the quinoa according to the packet instructions. - Meanwhile massage the kale with the lemon, salt & pepper.
- **Now is also the time to de-seed your pomegranate. I find it easiest to do this in a bowl of water, as this help get the seeds loose without damaging them too much.
- When ready to serve, simply mix the kale, quinoa and pomegranate seeds. You can also, optionally, add in some chopped nuts. This salad can then be served within the baked mini pumpkins and voila! ***
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