Roasted Pumpkin. Savory Side Dish. Vegan (VIDEO)

I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

Fall cuisine can never taste so good without its glorious pumpkin! Pumpkins can be found in sweet or savory dishes and I love them all. Every fall I'm challenging myself with new ideas of using this beautiful fruit. There are a number of classic staple dishes and these are typically the simplistic ones using traditional ingredients. When it comes to pumpkin recipes, so many people automatically think about pumpkin pie, right? But using these incredibly versatile fruits for savory vs sweet dishes are just as enjoyable to make and eat.

And today it's all about a dish that is easy, simple, quick, and can be served as a side dish for weeknight dinners or very special occasions such as Thanksgiving. Also, this is my absolutely favorite savory pumpkin recipe. It's comfort food at its finest. During the fall, I prepare roasted pumpkin often because eating seasonally is my thing and the way I like to feed my family.

Please Love your pumpkin

Pumpkins have so many wonderful nutritional qualities. A pumpkin's bright orange color represents the presence of the antioxidant beta carotene, which may help in the prevention of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. They stated that food sources of beta carotene work better than supplements and beta carotene's free-radical neutralization abilities assist in keeping our bodies healthy.

Pumpkin and another ingredient contained in this recipe, garlic, are both fantastic prebiotics that feed your essential good bacteria. These good bacteria will keep your gut healthy and you happy. It's a win-win!!!

Pumpkin Has What Your Eyes Need and Immune System!

Pumpkin has more than 200 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which protects the eyes from cataracts, degeneration and helps improve night vision, according to the National Institutes of Health. One cup of pumpkin puree contains 1,906 micrograms of vitamin A. Your body needs between 700 and 900 micrograms of vitamin A each day. Many studies show that vitamin A can strengthen your immune system and help fight infections. Those people with a vitamin A deficiency can have a weaker immune system and struggle to fight off viruses and infections.

Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene and this is a powerful antioxidant. Research has shown that pumpkin has more beta-carotene than many other foods in your kitchen. It will help with macrophages, a type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills microorganisms. It also removes dead cells, and stimulates the action of other immune system cells.

What kind of pumpkin is best for this Roasted Pumpkin recipe?

Good news: Pretty much any pumpkin will work.

But I do have preferences, and here they are:

1. Kabocha pumpkin

2. Calabaza pumpkin (that's what I used in this video)

3. Pie pumpkin

4. Butternut squash

Do I have to peel pumpkin?

The answer is no, except for when making pumpkin soup, and then it is a must. However, in the video I did peel the pumpkin because my husband is a very picky eater. LOL.

What about seasoning?

I often mention in my blogs how much I love spices. Yes, I believe that natural spices containing no chemicals can brighten up the most boring food. Also it is just as important for spices to be more nutritional too.

I love to give attention to each piece of pumpkin, by making a spice mixture and applying it generously.

Coriander seeds, paprika sweet or spicy, fresh garlic, Celtic salt, and freshly ground black pepper and olive oil are my go to combo of spices and oil to create the most beautiful fragrant paste. Apply a loving kiss of paste to any vegetables that are ready to be roasted especially those foods that are rich in beta-carotene such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and of course, pumpkin. So good!

Let's do it...

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Author: Inna of innichkachef.com

Serves: 8-9 portions

Ingredients

9 cups of pumpkin(peeled and chopped, Calabaza is the variety I used in the video)

1/4 cup of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons of Celtic salt

A few turns of black pepper

1 Tablespoon of sweet paprika

1 Tablespoon of whole coriander seeds

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.

2. Peel and cut pumpkin flesh into 1 inch cubes and set aside.

3. Peel garlic and roughly chop. Add to the mortar and pestle, along with the Celtic salt, whole coriander seeds, paprika along with a few turns of pepper.

4. Using the pestle, crush all the garlic and spices together.

5. Add olive oil to the mixture, mix all together until it all combines and looks like a red paste.

6. Pour paste over the chopped pumpkin, and with your hands mix all together making sure that each piece is coated with paste.

7. Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper and distribute evenly into one layer.

8. Bake for 15 minutes. Or until the pumpkin is nice and soft with the edges having a nice brown caramelized color.

9. Move to the platter and enjoy!!!

I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.