Festive Roast Vegetable Salad
This roast vegetable salad recipe brings golden butternut, sweet peppers and creamy feta together with a fresh orange-and-lemon dressing. Toasted pumpkin seeds add crunch without making the salad feel heavy.
Serve it on a generous platter alongside braaied chicken, grilled fish or your Christmas gammon. The vegetables can be roasted ahead, leaving just a few minutes of assembly before lunch.
Why it works on a South African Christmas table
Colourful vegetables and a citrus dressing suit a warm December celebration. It is delicious served slightly warm or chilled, and roasting the vegetables separately gives you tender butternut without soggy baby marrows.
Ingredients
For the salad
For the dressing
Instructions
- 1Set the oven to 210°C conventional or 190°C fan. Have two large shallow roasting trays ready; the vegetables need enough room to sit in one layer.
- 2Combine the butternut and onion on the first tray with 25 ml olive oil, the thyme and half the salt and pepper. Spread out and roast for 15 minutes.
- 3Coat the peppers and baby marrows with the remaining 15 ml roasting oil, salt and pepper on the second tray. Place this tray in the oven once the first 15 minutes have elapsed.
- 4Continue roasting for 25–30 minutes. Turn the vegetables after about 15 minutes and exchange the trays between shelves if necessary. Remove the peppers and marrows when browned and just tender; the butternut is ready when a knife slips easily through the centre.
- 5While the vegetables cook, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently. Tip onto a plate as soon as they start to colour and smell nutty.
- 6Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Once the vegetables are cooked, leave them spread out on their trays for 10–15 minutes so the steam can escape.
- 7Gently fold the parsley and dressing through the slightly warm vegetables. Lay the spinach on a broad serving platter, spoon the vegetables over it and finish with feta and toasted seeds. Taste a dressed vegetable before adding any extra salt, then serve.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 227 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 21.5 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Fat
- 14.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 4.4 g
- Sugar
- 10.1 g
- Fibre
- 4.4 g
- Sodium
- 464 mg
- Cholesterol
- 17 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Roast the vegetables up to one day ahead. Transfer to shallow containers and refrigerate promptly once the initial steam has subsided; keep the dressing, leaves, feta and seeds separate until serving.
- For a festive braai, bring out smaller portions and replenish from the fridge. Keep the salad shaded and do not leave it unrefrigerated for more than two hours, or one hour when temperatures exceed 32°C.
- Reserve a little parsley and a few pumpkin seeds for the final scatter so the platter looks fresh when it reaches the table.
- For a dairy-free version, leave out the feta and add extra toasted seeds. Replace the honey with maple syrup if making the salad vegan.
Frequently asked questions
Can I serve this salad cold?
Yes. Chill the roasted vegetables separately, then dress and assemble them just before serving. Add the spinach and seeds last to keep their texture.
Why are my roasted vegetables watery?
Crowded trays trap steam, especially around peppers and baby marrows. Dry the vegetables before adding oil, use shallow trays and leave gaps between the pieces.
Can I replace the butternut with sweet potato?
Yes, use the same prepared weight of sweet potato, cut into 2 cm cubes. Start checking it after 30 minutes of total roasting time, as it may soften sooner than butternut.
