Roasted Carrot Salad with Feta and Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
This colourful salad with roasted carrots, feta cheese and pumpkin seeds combines the sweetness of vegetables with slightly salty cheese. It’s a bit reminiscent of Middle Eastern roasted vegetable salads, but the ingredients are easy to find in Poland. It works great as a party starter or a side dish to dinner.
Roasting the carrots brings out their natural sweetness, which pairs beautifully with salty feta and crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds. A simple honey–lemon dressing ties everything together into a vibrant, elegant salad from very everyday ingredients.
Chef's tips
Cut the carrots into pieces of similar thickness so they roast evenly and don’t burn on the edges before softening inside. If your honey has crystallised, warm it gently so it combines easily with the oil and lemon juice. Taste the dressing before adding it to the carrots and adjust the balance of sweetness and acidity to your liking.
How to serve
Serve on a large platter so the colourful ingredients are clearly visible. It works well alongside roasted meats, grilled halloumi or as part of a mezze-style spread with hummus, flatbreads and other salads.
Ingredients
- carrot about 6 medium pieces - 600 g
- feta cheese or another salad-type cheese - 120 g
- pumpkin seeds can be replaced with sunflower seeds - 3 tablespoons
- oil for roasting and dressing - 3 tablespoons
- honey or maple syrup - 1 tablespoon
- lemon juice - 1.5 tablespoons
- garlic finely grated - 1 clove
- parsley leaves chopped - 3 tablespoons
- salt to taste, carefully, as feta is salty
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top–bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Peel the carrots and cut them into long sticks or thick slices of similar size so they roast evenly.
- Transfer the carrots to the tray, drizzle with 1.5 tablespoons of oil, lightly salt and mix with your hands so every piece is coated with fat.
- Roast the carrots for 25–30 minutes, until soft inside and lightly browned on the edges. Stir the pieces halfway through baking.
- In a small bowl mix the remaining oil, honey, lemon juice, grated garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper. The dressing should be slightly sweet and sour.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until they become fragrant and start to “pop” slightly. Set aside to cool.
- Let the roasted carrots cool slightly (they can still be warm). Transfer to a bowl or serving platter.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the carrots and gently toss.
- Crumble the feta cheese with your fingers into smaller pieces and sprinkle over the carrots.
- Scatter the toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley on top. If needed, season with additional pepper.
- Serve immediately while warm or after completely cooling as a salad.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku do 2 dni. Przed podaniem możesz ją lekko ogrzać do temperatury pokojowej. Nie mroź – ser feta i marchew po rozmrożeniu tracą dobrą konsystencję.
