This warm pumpkin salad is topped off with salty bacon and crunch pumpkin seeds. Try this as a delicious holiday side or as a simple main dish during the week.
Ingredients
Pumpkin:
½teaspoon salt
1½tablespoons olive oil
Vinaigrette:
¼cup maple syrup
3tablespoons apple cider vinegar
⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil
½teaspoon salt
¼teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Salad:
6ounces baby arugula
4slices (1/4 pound) bacon, cooked and crumbled
½cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), toasted
2ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F.
To prepare pumpkin, toss pumpkin with olive oil and salt. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast 15 to 25 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
To prepare vinaigrette, combine maple syrup and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in olive oil. Stir in salt and pepper. (Makes about 1 cup. Leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered container up to a week).
To prepare salad, combine arugula with about ¼ cup vinaigrette. Toss well. Top with roasted pumpkin, bacon, pepitas and cheese. Serves 4.
Recipe by Honest Cooking at https://honestcooking.com/bacon-and-pumpkin-salad-with-maple-vinaigrette/