When everything on your Thanksgiving table is beige and roasted…
It’s nice to have a fresh and colorful salad. This one combines pear, cucumber and sweet red pepper tossed with dried cranberries, feta and pumpkin vinaigrette. Toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) are sprinkled on the top. If you can find it, a drizzle of toasted pumpkin seed oil makes it extra special!
Autumn Chopped Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette:

I decided to try the Dicing Kit that fits my KitchenAid 13-cup Food Processor.

Here we go!

Awesome!

Chopped pear, pepper, cucumber and red onion

pumpkin vinaigrette

Toss in bowl with feta, dried cranberries and parsley

Toast some pepitas…

…until they’re toasty. Sometimes they pop – beware ( :

Toss together and sprinkle with pepitas
Thanks for spending some time in the cloud with me! I hope you enjoy the recipe. Tina ( :

Autumn Chopped Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 seedless (English) cucumber peeled and chopped
- 1 red pear cored and chopped
- 1 red pepper seeded and chopped
- 1/4 red onion chopped
- 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- 1 teaspoon oil for toasting pepitas
- 1/8 teaspoon salt for seasoning pepitas
Pumpkin Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- optional toasted pumpkin seed oil
Instructions
- In large bowl, toss together chopped cucumber, pear, pepper, onion, parsley, feta and cranberries.
- Combine pumpkin, vinegar, syrup, Dijon, garlic, salt, pepper, water and thyme in food processor or chopper and blend until well mixed. With processor running, drizzle in olive oil.
- Toast pepitas in a skillet with a little neutral oil and some kosher salt – low heat, keep watch until fragrant and beginning to brown. They will pop a little bit.
- Mix desired amount of dressing into chopped salad. Drizzle with a little toasted pumpkin seed oil if desired.
- Sprinkle with pepitas right before serving.
This is a great salad. I have served it a couple of times, and people love it. It is refreshing and different, reflecting the flavors of the season. I really enjoy this salad.
Thanks so much for the comment! Glad you enjoy the salad! Hope you have a nice Thanksgiving!