Balsamic-Roasted Pumpkin with Goat Cheese

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Description

Roasted pumpkin is flavored with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup and topped with tangy goat cheese in this delicious salad topper or side dish recipe.

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) sugar pumpkin
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup, or to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 Place pumpkin on a secure cutting board; cut top and bottom off pumpkin, removing as much of the stem as possible. Remove pumpkin peel using a sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife. Cut pumpkin in half; scoop out seeds and strings using a spoon. Trim away any pieces of stem that remain. Cut each pumpkin half into ½-inch strips; chop each strip into ½-inch cubes. Place cubed pumpkin in a large bowl.
3 Combine balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl; pour over pumpkin pieces and toss to thoroughly coat. Transfer pumpkin to the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
4 Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Stir gently; continue baking until pumpkin softened and slightly caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes more, stir again if needed. Serve pumpkin warm; top with goat cheese and fresh oregano.