Spiced Roasted Pumpkin with Farro and Hummus

This spiced roasted pumpkin with farro and hummus is a great starter, light meal, or dish when you want to impress someone. It’s easy to make and the perfect crowd pleaser! 

I must say I was delighted with the flavour combinations in this dish—a hint of smokiness, nutty tones, sweet pops, saltiness and acidity. The beautiful chewy texture from the farro with the silky-smooth hummus and melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin will have you going back for more with every bite. 

What are all the components of this dish?

You’ll find three different components in this starter. Here’s the breakdown:

The creamiest hummus

I recently published a hummus recipe that will change your life. I’ve become so obsessed that I wanted to include it in as many dishes as possible. This is why and how this dish came about. If you’ve been eating store-bought hummus or making your own but feel like it could use some improvements, this will be your new go-to recipe. Trust me, it will be a game-changer. It’s the perfect base for this delicious entree! 

Spiced roasted pumpkin 

Quick and easy to make, the spice mix that I’ve created for the pumpkin is Middle-Eastern inspired. It has beautiful smoky, nutty, earthy and citrus notes. You can use this spice mix on anything from chickpeas and cauliflower to tofu and seitan. It’s so versatile! I always keep a jar of the spice mix in my pantry. 

Farro salad

I only recently started using farro, and now I’m a big fan! I love the chewy texture and subtle nuttiness you get from this green durum wheat. It’s an ancient grain and can be added to so many different things.

This little salad is a perfect addition to leafy salads, in place of any salad on your plate, tossed through roasted vegetables, with vegetable skewers, in lettuce cups, sprinkled on top of soups, in place of tabbouleh, oh and so much more! Farro is super easy to cook. It’s versatile, high in protein, rich in fibre and the perfect flavour carrier. 

What can be used in place of farro?

As much as I’d love for you to try this recipe as is because it tastes amazing, I’m aware that not everyone has either access to farro or can digest it (it’s not gluten-free). Here are a few options for you to try instead:

• Barley
• Wheat berries
• Brown lentils
• Puy (aka French) lentils
• Beluga beans
• Brown rice (medium grain)

Tips and tricks for making this vegan starter

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you get the best results.

• Use freshly made hummus, if not, make sure that you dilute it a little with water and adjust seasoning if needed before spreading onto the plate. You want a creamy consistency. 
• You can prepare all components ahead of time and assemble when you’re ready to enjoy. The only thing I would add before serving would be the mint and parsley to the farro. 
• It can be served warm or cold. I like it both ways. 
• If you don’t have pumpkin at home, you can swap it out for a cauliflower steak. A cauliflower steak is simply a slice of cauliflower rather than florets. 
• See above suggestions for what you can use in place of farro if you don’t have access to it or would like to make this gluten-free. 
• See below suggestions for what kind of pumpkin is best for this recipe.

What is the best type of pumpkin/squash for this recipe?

Depending on where you are in the world, it can get a little confusing to identify and understand what we call here in Australia a pumpkin. To clarify which varieties are best, here’s a list for you to select from. Any of these will work:

• Jarrahdale
• Fairytale
• Long Island Cheese (yes that is a name)
• Queensland Blue
• Kent/Japanese/Kabocha

Perfect starter for the holidays or special occasions

This spiced roasted pumpkin with farro and hummus is the perfect accompaniment to a three-course menu when you’re planning something a little more special over the holidays or other occasions. 

It can be served as a generous starter or a light meal for four. As I mentioned earlier, it can be prepared ahead of time, making it a great meal prep dish to make the day before to have a hassle-free day to spend with family and friends during the holidays. They’ll be very impressed if you serve this at dinner! 

It’s not only great for special occasions but for your weekly meal prep for when you want to pack a light meal on the go. It will last in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The flavours will get better with age.  

This dish is:

• Flavourful
• Beautiful
• Nutritious
• Protein rich
• Packed with herbs and spices
• Balanced
• Easy to make

If you try this recipe, let me know! We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest. 

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