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Roast squash with pumpkin seed pesto

Name: Roast squash with pumpkin seed pesto
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 1 medium onion squash (about 500g) – see tips; 1 red onion; 2-3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 200g pearl barley or spelt; 100g pumpkin seeds; 25g fresh basil, plus extra to serve; 25g fresh mint, plus extra to serve; ½ lemon; 100g feta cheese

Published: 26 Jan 15
Updated: 4 Mar 25

A hearty winter salad recipe made with red onion, pearl barley, feta cheese and a homemade pumpkin seed pesto.

Easy
January 2015

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 40 min

A hearty winter salad recipe made with red onion, pearl barley, feta cheese and a homemade pumpkin seed pesto.

Vegetarian

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 519kcals
Fat: 26g(6.5g saturated)
Protein: 16.2g
Carbohydrates: 56.4g (7.4g sugars)
Fibre: 4.9g
Salt: 1g

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Ingredients

1 medium onion squash (about 500g) – see tips
1 red onion
2-3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
200g pearl barley or spelt
100g pumpkin seeds
25g fresh basil, plus extra to serve
25g fresh mint, plus extra to serve
½ lemon
100g feta cheese

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Method

Heat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Cut the top off the squash, halve (discard the seeds), then cut into wedges. Peel the onion and slice into wedges. Mix the veg in a roasting tin with a glug of oil. Season. Roast for 40 minutes or until the squash is tender.
Simmer the grains in a pan of lightly salted water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, season and drizzle with oil.
Whizz 75g of the pumpkin seeds, 2-3 tbsp olive oil, the leaves from the herbs and the juice of the lemon in a mini food processor, or bash in a pestle and mortar. Taste and season. If it’s too thick, loosen with 1-2 tbsp water – it should have a drizzling consistency.

Put the grains on a serving dish and put the veg on top. Pat dry the feta, then crumble over. Drizzle over the pesto, add the remaining pumpkin seeds and herbs, then serve.