A fresh & wholesome salad that pairs beautifully as a side and is substantial enough just eaten by itself. Delicious spiced roast pumpkin is paired with orzo pasta, creamy goats cheese and a sweet tangy tamarind dressing. Crunchy honey pecans with a touch of chilli are so moreish you'll have meat lovers coming back for more!

This salad can also be prepped ahead and just assembled at the time which makes it a great side for summer picnics.

What makes this recipe special?

Tangy tamarind dressing
Tamarind is such a beautiful tart fruit that adds a lovely full-bodied acidity to this dressing. It pairs so beautifully with goats cheese which is so creamy - a match made in heaven! The dressing is really the star of this salad.
Dressing the orzo pasta while still HOT
Dressing the salad while still hot means the pasta absorbs more flavour. It also helps the pasta not stick into a big clump when preparing it ahead - you may still get a few clumps however they’re a lot easier to gently break up with the back of a spoon than if the pasta wasn’t dressed.
Creamy goats cheese
I use marinated goats cheese which is just so lusciously creamy. A good brand here in Australia is Meredith Dairy and is easily found at large supermarkets.

What’s in this recipe?

Tamarind lemon dressing

Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil gives this dressing a lovely Mediterranean touch and is a healthy fat. You can substitute with a neutral tasting oil (e.g. vegetable) however it will alter the flavour.
Tamarind puree
A beautiful tart fruit puree which you can buy in a jar at most big supermarkets these days. I don’t recommend subbing with anything else as it is such a unique flavour!
Lemon zest & juice
Fresh lemon zest and juice give this dressing the acidity it needs whilst giving the salad a fresh lemon taste. You could subb with orange zest and juice for another delicious flavour profile however I’d also recommend adding 1 Tbsp of red wine vinegar.
Honey
A touch of sweetness just helps lift the dressing from being too sour. Can be subbed with maple syrup or sugar (not as healthy).
Salt & pepper
A touch of salt and pepper are used to season the dressing which really make it pop. You can be quite generous here however taste as you go to get it seasoned to your preference.

Honey pecans

Pecans

Pecans give this salad a beautiful ‘Christmassy’ feel. Slightly sweeter than walnuts, they add a wonderful crunch and toasted flavour. Can be substituted with almonds or walnuts.

Honey, cayenne & salt mixture
Honey is used to caramelise the pecans, making them almost like a healthy brittle. A touch of cayenne just gives the nuts a lovely heat that’ll get your mouth asking for more. Can be left out or reduced if you are sensitive to heat. Salt helps to take the edge off the sweetness of the honey and makes these nuts so moreish! You’ll be challenged to get any on the salad if you leave them lying around for too long!

Bowl assembly

Orzo pasta

Also called risoni pasta, orzo is almost the size of a grain of rice and provides body to the salad. It absorbs all the flavours of the dressing which gives this salad more flavour than if another grain was used. Could be subbed with quinoa if you have a gluten tolerance.

Currants
Currants are added to the orzo salad while still hot which helps them to soak up some of the dressing flavour. They delicious pops of sweetness in the pasta. Can be substituted with raisins, sultanas or dried cranberries.
Pumpkin
I’ve used Kent pumpkin in this recipe although butternut can also be used although it is slightly sweeter. Roasting the pumpkin allows it to get delicious caramelised edges and gives the salad so much flavour.
Extra virgin olive oil
I’ve used extra virgin olive oil as its a healthy fat and pairs beautifully with root vegetables like pumpkin. Can be substituted with a neutral oil (e.g. vegetable) if required.
Honey
Creates those caramelised edges on the pumpkin = deliciousness!
Cinnamon
A touch of cinnamon really gives us pumpkin pie vibes. Can be left out if desired however I feel it makes this pumpkin so much tastier and pairs so well with the savoury goat’s cheese.
Rosemary
Gives the pumpkin a lovely savoury herb flavour to balance out all the sweetness - also goes crispy when roasted which gives us crunchy edges on the pumpkin. Can be lef tout or subbed with fresh thyme if desired.
Baby spinach
Baby spinach helps to freshen up the heaviness of the pasta and pumpkin and doesn’t distract from the other big flavours in the salad. Baby spinach means no chopping at the time of assembly.
Goats cheese
A beautiful creamy and savoury cheese. It pairs so well with honey and pumpkin. Can be substituted with feta although feta won’t quite balance out the sweetness as well, so you’ll have a sweeter salad.

Step-by-step photos

Step 1 - Tamarind lemon dressing

Step 3 - Honey pecans

Step 5 - Honey pecans

Step 2 - Roast pumpkin salad

Step 4 - Roast pumpkin salad

Step 5 - Roast pumpkin salad