Roast Pumpkin Feta Pasta With Caramelised Onion and Wilted Spinach

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The flavours pairing for this roast pumpkin feta pasta are the sweet-salty combo, nicely complemented by caramelised onion and wilted baby spinach. 

roast pumpkin and feta pasta

This vegetarian pasta dish is a family favourite due to its sweet and salty flavour.

Save time with this dish by roasting the pumpkin ahead of time. Use the leftover roast pumpkin in veggie wraps for lunch or on homemade pizzas or in pumpkin and feta salad.

While this dish is vegetarian, if you like, you can add some cooked chicken to it.

A Note On the Ingredients For Roast Pumpkin and Feta Pasta

This recipe calls for a red onion, but you can use brown or white onions if you have those on hand.

Save money on stock by making your own from vegetable scraps. For a non-vegetarian version, you can also use chicken stock.

There are two types of feta: Danish and Greek feta. Danish feta is creamier and softer than the Greek feta, whereas the Greek feta is firmer, so holds its shape better when cooking.

While either variety can be used, Greek feta is ideal for this dish.

As far as the pasta, fettuccine and penne both work well with this dish although you can use any pasta that you have on hand including wholemeal pasta or gluten-free pasta. Cook according to packet instructions.

Best Pumpkin for Roasting

The best pumpkin for roasting is Kent/Jap pumpkin as it has a firm texture and holds its shape well when roasted. Kent pumpkin has a sweet flavour which contrasts nicely with the saltiness of the feta in this dish.

The other good pumpkin choice for roasting is butternut pumpkin (also known as butternut squash). It also holds its shape well when roasted.

Queensland Blue is also suitable for roasting but it has a milder flavour than the other two choices and is not as sweet.

Jarrahdale pumpkins are similar to Queensland Blues, but their skin is more grey in colour. These are the least suited to baking.

How to Roast Pumpkin

To roast pumpkin first preheat your oven to 200°C peel and cut into chunks.

Place the chopped pumpkin onto a baking tray (you can line it with baking paper for easy cleaning if you prefer).

Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper and your choice of flavourings. Toss the pumpkin with the oil until lightly coated and spread out to form a single layer on the baking tray.

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes tossing halfway through, until slightly browned and cooked through.

Yield: 4

Roast Pumpkin and Feta Pasta

roast pumpkin and feta pasta

The flavours pairing for this roast pumpkin feta pasta are the sweet-salty combo, nicely complemented by caramelised onion and wilted baby spinach.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 800g pumpkin cut into bite-size chunks
  • 1 tsp fresh or dried rosemary
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 500g pasta
  • one red onion, finely sliced
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock
  • a handful or two of baby spinach or rocket leaves
  • 200g Danish feta, cubed
  • parmesan to serve (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss pumpkin with garlic, rosemary oil, salt and pepper and bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until soft and golden.
  2. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente.
  3. Sauté onions over low to medium heat until soft and translucent (about 5 - 10 minutes). Add the honey and cook for a further 2 minutes until the onion starts to caramelise. Add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced slightly.
  4. Add the spinach or rocket to the onion mix and toss for a few minutes until wilted slightly. Add the cooked pumpkin, cooked pasta and feta and toss to combine.
  5. Serve with grated parmesan cheese if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 516Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 497mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 7gSugar: 25gProtein: 14g

Nutritional information is calculated automatically using the Nutritionix database. Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, serving size or the source of nutrition data. We strive to keep the information as accurate as possible but make no warranties regarding its accuracy. We encourage readers to make their own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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4 Comments

  1. Great recipe! I didn’t have any spinach so I tossed some fresh basil through instead.

  2. Yum, yum, yum – fresh basil! I would have never thought of that. That’s what we’re having next time.

  3. I don’t mind a few carbs. I think there is a bit of difference between grains (whole) and sugary white carbs. Everything in moderation – including moderation as the cliche goes.