Nicole Fetterly, RD
Homemade salad dressing should be an integral part of everyone’s cooking repertoire—the basic formula is easily adjusted based on what you have in the cupboard. The nutty flavour of pumpkin seed oil combines beautifully with peppery arugula.
Lighten up
Pumpkin seed oil is quite rich, so it is best supplemented in a dressing with an equal amount of extra-virgin olive oil to lighten it up.
Did you know?
Pumpkins and their seeds are ancient superfoods and have been consumed since early civilization in all parts of the Americas.
Shopping tips
Optimal pumpkins for roasting are small sugar pumpkins rather than the larger carving pumpkins, which can be too stringy. Kabocha or red kuri squash are good substitutes.
Choose raw unsalted pumpkin seeds, keep them in the fridge or freezer to prevent rancidity, and roast them yourself as needed. Keep the oven temperature under 325 F (160 C) to protect the healthy fats, and watch them closely, as they can burn quickly.
Pumpkin Seed and Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) pumpkin seed oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp (10 mL) apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp (10 mL) honey
- Pinch each of salt and pepper
- 1 bunch or 5 oz (140 g) clamshell of arugula
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
- 2 oz (56 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories248
- protein12g
- fat20g
- saturated fat5g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates8g
- sugars4g
- fibre2g
- sodium357mg
Directions
01
Combine all dressing ingredients in small jar and shake well to combine and emulsify. Place arugula in bowl and toss with dressing. Top with pumpkin seeds and cheese.
