This roasted chickpea and pumpkin salad is made with spinach, feta and a simple red wine dressing. Perfect as a side salad to any meal- easy nutritious and flavourful.

Chickpea pumpkin salad in a bowl on a wooden board with a gold fork.

Have you ever tried roasted chickpeas in salads before? They add the BEST crunch factor and a lovely source of protein.

I love making this chickpea pumpkin salad as a side dish to serve at gatherings. It’s so simple and easy to make. Roasting the pumpkin gets it all sweet and delicious, then we combine it with baby spinach, salty feta cheese, onion and crispy chickpeas. You can keep it as is or really jazz it up with roasted nuts, cooked grains like quinoa or faro, or some chopped up chicken. Make it your own!

Ingredients you’ll need

You only need 7 ingredients to make this pumpkin and chickpea salad recipe:

Pumpkin: I used Japanese pumpkin (also called kobocha squash in America).
Canned chickpeas: We roast them up into the yummiest crunchy salad toppers.
Feta cheese: crumbled cows milk feta is my go to here but goat cheese or a dairy free cheese would also work well.
Baby spinach: My favourite leafy green for salads!
Onion: I love red onion for a pop of colour but any variety is fine.
Red wine vinegar: To make our simple dressing! You can use apple cider vinegar instead too.
Salt + pepper
Olive oil

Ingredients needed to make a chickpea pumpkin salad.

How to make chickpea pumpkin salad

Start by preheating the oven to 180C/ 350F and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Dry chickpeas: Place drained chickpeas on paper towel and pat down to dry.

Pumpkin: Combine pumpkin with ½ a tablespoon oil on the baking tray. Season with salt and pepper then push to one side.

Chickpeas: On the other side of the tray, toss the chickpeas with ½ tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender and chickpeas are crispy. Shake the chickpeas half way to prevent burning.*

Roasted pumpkin and chickpeas on a baking tray.

Vinaigrette: Combine ingredients in a screw-top jar; shake well.

Combine and serve: Place spinach leaves and onion in a large bowl with the roasted pumpkin, half the chickpeas, feta and dressing; toss gently to combine. Serve salad sprinkled with remaining chickpeas.

Salad ingredients in a bowl before being mixed.

Ingredient substitutions

To make vegan: swap feta cheese for a dairy free alternative.
Spinach can be swapped for kale or rocket (also called arugula). If using kale, make sure to massage the leaves with some dressing first to tenderise them.
If you’re not a fan of chickpeas, try roasting some canned butter beans or cannelini beans instead. Otherwise tofu or chicken would be great.
Other veggies: Feel free to also add roasted cauliflower, capsicum (peppers) or broccoli to the mix.

Salad in a mixing bowl with wooden spoons.

How to store

You can easily store leftover pumpkin salad in airtight containers for up to 4-5 days. Roasted chickpeas tend to lose their crisp once stored so adding them back into the oven will crisp them up again.

FAQ

What type of pumpkin do you cook with?

I recommend using a Kent or Jap pumpkin (also called kobocha squash) which is ideal for roasting.

Can you eat Kent pumpkin skin?

Yes! The skin on Kent pumpkin/ kobocha squash is edible. Simply cute into thin wedges, add seasonings, spray with olive oil and roast.

What is a good red wine vinegar substitute?

You can easily replace the red wine vinegar with white wine vinegar, apple cider or balsamic vinegar, although it will add a sweeter flavour.

Chickpea pumpkin salad in a bowl with a gold fork.

Other pumpkin salad recipes

Roasted Pumpkin + Zucchini Couscous Salad

Roasted Beetroot & Pumpkin Salad

Miso Glazed Pumpkin + Kale Salad

If you try this chickpea pumpkin salad recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.