Roasted pumpkin, farro, chickpea and golden halloumi salad
Caramelised pumpkin and crispy halloumi make this a textured, flavour-packed bowl that keeps you full for hours.
Packed with chickpeas, farro and halloumi, this colourful plant-based salad is a delicious and nutritious way to boost your daily protein intake. It’s the kind of vibrant, textured dish that looks just as good on a festive platter as it does in a weekday lunchbox.
Ingredients
2 medium beetroot, washed
¼ Japanese pumpkin, cut into 2cm dice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup farro, rinsed and drained
1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
½ cup dill, roughly chopped
⅔ cup currants, soaked in boiling water for 30 seconds and drained
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
100g halloumi cheese, cut into thin squares
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
maple-MUSTARD DRESSING
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp pure maple syrup or honey
sea salt and pepper
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional). Cut the two beetroot into quarters (skin on) and wrap them in a sheet of foil. Place the pumpkin in a bowl, drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper, turning to coat.
Step 2
Place the wrapped beetroot and pumpkin on a large roasting tray and roast for about 30 minutes, turning the pumpkin halfway through, until the vegetables have softened and the pumpkin has golden edges, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Step 3
While the vegetables are roasting, fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the farro and cook for 25-35 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
Step 4
To make the maple-mustard dressing, place the oil, vinegar, mustard and maple syrup or honey into a screw-top jar and shake to combine. Season well with salt and pepper.
Step 5
In a large bowl, combine the beetroot, pumpkin, farro, chickpeas, spinach, dill, currants and almonds. Add half the dressing and toss to coat.
Step 6
Place a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the halloumi for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. In the final 30 seconds, add the maple syrup, turning the cheese to coat. Add the halloumi to the salad, along with the remaining dressing. Season well, toss gently, and serve.
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Sarah Pound is a nutritionist, author of the cookbook 'Wholesome by Sarah', and a recipe columnist for Good Food.
