Simple side packed with flavour and texture.

If you like dishes that are loaded with texture and flavour, you’re going to love this simple Middle Eastern roast pumpkin with tahini yogurt. The combination of caramelised, spiced roasted pumpkin, tangy, creamy tahini yogurt and bursts of crunchy pine nuts is full of contrasts and flavour. It’s a great side dish that works alongside a traditional roast or vegetarian spread. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

PUMPKIN

You can use any variety of pumpkin for this Middle Eastern roasted pumpkin recipe. (Sweet potato would also work well). Chop the pumpkin into large pieces and leave the skin on so they keep their shape when stacked on a serving dish. The skin becomes soft, chewy, and caramel-like and is perfectly edible and is part of what makes this dish so tasty. Cook the pumpkin until the edges char and turn crispy.

TAHINI YOGURT

We love tahini yogurt so much that it’s got its own dedicated post here. This tangy, creamy, and smoky sauce couldn’t be simpler to make – just add all the ingredients into a bowl or Vibe blender and whip until smooth and velvety. Tahini yogurt can be made ahead of time, so the flavours have a chance to meld or whipped up while the pumpkin is baking. Tahini yogurt can be made ahead and stored in a sealed glass container in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Pumpkin
Half pumpkin (approx. 1kg) chopped into large pieces.  
2 teaspoons sweet paprika 
1 teaspoon garlic powder 
½ teaspoon ground cumin powder
¼ teaspoon dried mint
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil (2 for spice mix, 2 for greasing the tray)

Tahini Yogurt Dressing
1 cup homemade yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini (hulled)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove, grated
½ teaspoon salt
Cracked black pepper to taste

Top with
1-2 tablespoons roasted pine nuts (or sub slithered almonds or sesame seeds)
Chopped fresh mint, parsley, or coriander.

METHOD

Roasted Pumpkin
1.   Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2.   Grease a large baking tray with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
3.   Cut and deseed the pumpkin.
4.   In a small dish, combine the spices. Add the oil and mix to form a paste.
5.   Spread the spice paste evenly over the wedges of pumpkin and arrange in a single layer on the baking tray.
6.   Roast for 30 - 45 minutes depending on the variety and size.
7.   While the pumpkin is roasting, make the tahini yogurt dressing and toast the pine nuts.

Tahini Yogurt Dressing
8.   Add all the ingredients into a medium sized bowl and whisk together, or whip in the Vibe Blender jug on ‘smoothie’ mode for 10 seconds.

Plating Up
9.   Pour one third of the tahini yogurt dressing into the middle of a serving plate.
10.  Stack the roast pumpkin high, generously drizzle with tahini yogurt dressing, then top with toasted pine nuts and fresh mint. You could easily substitute the pine nuts with toasted slithered almonds or sesame seeds and mint for parsley or coriander.

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