Sometimes overshadowed by its fellow family member, sweet potato, pumpkin is a versatile and nutritious veg that is a staple in many Australian households. Besides it being a brilliant side dish, pumpkin also makes fabulous sweet and savoury recipes, like our homemade pumpkin pie or scones; our slow cooker pumpkin soup, and our smooth pumpkin puree perfectly served with a roast meat of your choice.
These variations are great for when you’re entertaining guests or want to bulk up a midweek dinner.
How to roast pumpkin seeds
Reduce food waste by roasting pumpkin seeds into a tasty snack!
After removing pumpkin seeds, rinse and pat dry to remove the clinging pulp; toss with your favourite spices and a touch of extra virgin olive oil, then roast on a lined baking tray at 200C/180C fan for 15-20 minutes.
Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Four delicious twists on basic roast pumpkin
Pumpkin and gremolata (left) and Lebanese spiced pumpkin (right).
LEBANESE SPICED PUMPKIN – Combine 1 teaspoon each of sweet paprika, ground coriander, cumin and cardamom with ½ teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Make Basic Roast Pumpkin, sprinkling spice mixture over pumpkin after oil and seasonings. Continue as directed. Serve roast pumpkin topped with ½ cup (140g) Greek yoghurt, dusted with ¼ teaspoon sumac.
PUMPKIN & GREMOLATA – Finely grate the rind from 1 lemon (or use a zesting tool to remove in strips). Squeeze lemon; you need ¼ cup juice. Make Basic Roast Pumpkin, drizzling with juice before roasting. Combine rind with ¾ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, 1 crushed clove garlic and 2 tablespoons chopped capers in a small bowl. Sprinkle roast pumpkin with gremolata; drizzle with extra oil.
Miso chilli pumpkin (left) and pumpkin & rosemary crumble (right)
PUMPKIN & ROSEMARY CRUMBLE – Place 1 cup panko breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Add 30g chopped butter, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard and 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pine nuts; rub mixture together between fingertips until it starts to clump. Make Basic Roast Pumpkin; sprinkle with crumble mixture before roasting.
MISO CHILLI PUMPKIN – Make Basic Roast Pumpkin, omitting salt and combining 2 tablespoons white miso and 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar with the oil and pepper in a bowl; rub paste over pumpkin. Continue as directed. Serve roast pumpkin topped with 1 chopped seeded fresh long red chilli, 1 finely chopped green onion and 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds.
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