Pumpkin Salad, Goat Cheese, Toasted Pecans, Crispy Bacon on Arugula with Maple Vinaigrette is a wonderful addition to the Thanksgiving Table! Besides the flavors and textures, one of the things I love about this salad is you can make all the components of the salad the day before. Use pie pumpkins to make this recipe. Pie pumpkins are smaller and a little bit more orange than a regular pumpkin.
Roasting the pumpkin is super easy. I just drizzled olive oil over the pumpkin and poked a few holes in it with a knife to allow the air to escape, put it on a baking sheet and cooked it in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Look at the beautiful orange of the pumpkin!
The pumpkin should be soft after roasting.
After roasting the pumpkin allow it to cool so it is easier to handle. Cut in half and scrape out the guts and seeds of the pumpkins. If you want, roast the pumpkin seeds in the oven and put them on the salad for a bit of crunch.
Slice the pumpkin in 1/2 inch slices. Remove the peel off of each slice. If you make this a day ahead, after you slice the pumpkin you can store it in a plastic container in the fridge. The same with the bacon and toasted pecans.
I love to serve this salad on a large platter. It is so beautiful! A perfect addition to the Thanksgiving Table! (It is also a meal in it’s own right if you want to serve it another time.)
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