The Pumpkin & Haloumi Pesto Toss is one of my favourites, particularly on a winters evening. I have been making this salad for years and it is one of my most frequently requested salads. The Pumpkin & Haloumi toss is super easy to make but has so much flavour and is a really warming, hearty salad. 
Again, this features haloumi (a frequent participant in my salads) and an integral part of my life. I did recently try a new brand of haloumi, courtesy of my partners mum whom I have taken to the Haloumi dark side with me, called Yolo, originating from the Netherlands, and stocked at Count Down supermarkets, I was very impressed with the taste and texture of this cheese, and it’s performance in the pan!
This salad is amazing served straight from the oven, and can also be made with Kumara which is pretty tasty also. I am lucky enough to have access to an incredible pumpkin grower, so I tend to have pumpkin on tap, which is such a treat.Enjoy this warming pumpkin salad with a glass of pinot noir and a roaring fireplace, winning.
- For the salad:
- 3 cups (560 g) cubed butternut pumpkin
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp cumin
- 1Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 red onion sliced finely
- 4 cups of mixed mesculin leaves
- 1-2 200 gram blocks of haloumi (I use mainland as it cooks beautifully)
- ¼ cup pine nuts- lightly toasted
- 135 grams (one punnet) of chunky style pesto dip (I love the Mediterranean cashew and parmesan)
- Preheat oven to 180°c and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Peel and dice pumpkin into 1cm cubes and finely slice red onion.
- Drizzle pumpkin with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, cumin, nutmeg, ¼ tsp sea salt, and maple syrup, toss to combine.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender and slightly caramelised. Add the finely sliced red onion when there is 15 minutes of cook time remaining.
- Cut haloumi into 0.5cm rectangles and pan fry with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil until nicely browned on both sides, set aside on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil, once cool cut into thirds.
- Lightly toast pine nuts in the same pan until golden brown- this only takes about 2 minutes.
- Wash and dry baby spinach or mixed mesculin and place into a large serving bowl with cooked pumpkin, onion, haloumi and pinenuts. Dollop the pesto over the salad, add a pinch of himalayan salt and pepper and toss to combine.
- Serve on its own as a meal or to accompany a main dish.
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