Description
Upchuckin Pumpkin Pasta Salad is an easy Halloween favorite with tender rotini and caramelized pumpkin plus crisp vegetables and a creamy pumpkin dressing and it is quick to assemble and simple enough for busy cooks while still giving you one of the best spooky dinner ideas for a holiday party or potluck and the colorful vegetables and Greek yogurt dressing add a healthy touch while the carved pumpkin presentation makes weeknight dinner or meal prep extra fun.
Ingredients
- 12 oz Rotini pasta
- 3 cups cubed Fresh pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup halved Cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup diced Cucumber
- 1/2 cup sliced Black olives
- 1/2 cup chopped Baby spinach
- 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
- 1/3 cup Plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 whole Small pie pumpkin
Instructions
- Coat the 3 cups of pumpkin cubes with olive oil and smoked paprika and garlic powder and salt then spread them in a loose single layer so the pieces have room to brown.
Roast until the cubes become tender with darker caramelized edges and a few irregular golden patches while the centers stay soft.
- Cook the 12 ounces of rotini until the spirals soften while still holding their curved shape and then drain the pasta so no standing water remains.
Let the cooked rotini cool until just warm and the surface turns slightly matte instead of glossy so the creamy dressing can cling well.
- Combine the Greek yogurt and mayonnaise with pumpkin puree and apple cider vinegar and maple syrup and Dijon mustard until the separate pale and orange ingredients become one creamy orange dressing.
Mix until the dressing looks thick and smooth with a few natural swirls remaining so it looks homemade rather than perfectly uniform.
- Add the cooked rotini and roasted pumpkin cubes with cherry tomatoes and cucumber and black olives and chopped spinach to the creamy pumpkin dressing then fold until the pasta is mostly coated.
Keep the vegetables and browned pumpkin visible in uneven pockets so the salad shows orange and red and green and black throughout instead of becoming one flat color.
- Fold the 1/2 cup of crumbled feta through the coated pasta so pale pieces stay visible between the rotini and roasted pumpkin without disappearing into the dressing.
Transfer the finished salad into the hollowed small pie pumpkin and let some pasta spill naturally onto the white serving plate in a loose uneven trail.
- Scoop one of four portions onto a white plate so the creamy rotini sits in a loose mound with browned pumpkin cubes and tomatoes and cucumber and olives and spinach showing between the curls.
Finish with the portioned feta already in the salad and keep the edges casual with nonuniform color and slightly uneven coating so the final serving looks homemade.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Cut the pumpkin into even half inch cubes so the pieces roast at the same pace while still keeping a few naturally browned edges.
- Let the pasta cool until just warm before adding the creamy dressing so it stays thick and clings instead of turning loose and watery.
- Fold the roasted pumpkin in gently near the end so the cubes keep their shape and create visible orange pockets throughout the salad.
- Carve the serving pumpkin with a wide opening so the pasta can spill naturally onto the plate without looking packed or overly arranged.
Storage: Store leftover Upchuckin Pumpkin Pasta Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Keep the carved serving pumpkin separate from leftovers because the pumpkin shell releases moisture as it sits and can soften the pasta.
If the salad looks thicker after chilling then fold in a spoonful of Greek yogurt or a small amount of reserved dressing before serving.
For the best texture do not freeze this pasta salad because the fresh vegetables and creamy dressing can become watery after thawing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: American