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By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Sources checked 5 November 2026
This is the tray I make when the first proper pumpkins show up at the market. Wedges of pumpkin roast until the edges catch, chickpeas crisp up on the same tray, and a lemony tahini sauce with a handful of pomegranate seeds turns it into a full plate. One tray, under an hour, most of it hands-off.
It works as a vegetarian main with bread, or as a side for grilled fish or chicken. Any dense orange pumpkin is fine: Hokkaido (red kuri) can go in with the skin on, butternut is easier to peel.
Difficulty: Easy, one tray · Diet: Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free
Roasted pumpkin with chickpeas, tahini and pomegranate
Ingredients
For the tray
- 1 kg pumpkin Hokkaido or butternut (about 800 g after seeding and peeling), cut into 3 cm wedges or chunks
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 27 g, divided
- 240 g cooked chickpeas one 400 g can, drained and rinsed, patted dry
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp sweet or smoked paprika
- 1 tsp fine salt 5 g, divided
- Black pepper
For the tahini sauce
To finish
- Seeds of 1/2 pomegranate about 80 g, a scant cup
- A small handful of parsley or mint roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Toss the pumpkin with 1 tbsp olive oil, half the salt, the cumin, paprika and a few turns of pepper. Spread it out in a single layer, cut sides down, and roast for 20 minutes.
- Toss the chickpeas with the remaining olive oil and a pinch of salt. Push the pumpkin to one side, tip the chickpeas onto the tray and roast for another 15-20 minutes. The pumpkin is ready when a knife slides in easily and the edges are browned; the chickpeas should be crisp on the outside.
- While the tray is in the oven, make the sauce. Stir the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and the rest of the salt together. It will turn thick and stiff at first. Add cold water a spoon at a time, stirring, until it is smooth and pours like thick yogurt.
- Pile the pumpkin and chickpeas onto a platter. Drizzle with the tahini sauce, scatter over the pomegranate seeds and herbs, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
Per serving, 1/4 of the recipe (main-course portion), calculated from USDA FoodData Central for each ingredient.
| Energy | 318 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 10.3 g |
| Fat | 16.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 37.2 g |
| Fibre | 7.1 g |
| Salt (added) | 1.25 g |
Data: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Pumpkin, raw (FDC 168448); Oil, olive, salad or cooking (FDC 171413); Chickpeas, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 173757); Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, type of kernels unspecified (FDC 168604); Lemon juice, raw (FDC 167747); Garlic, raw (FDC 169230); Pomegranates, raw (FDC 169134). Spices, black pepper and herbs are not included. Pumpkin is calculated on 800 g prepared weight with “Pumpkin, raw”; with butternut (“Squash, winter, butternut, raw”, FDC 169295) add about 38 kcal, 10.4 g carbohydrate and 3.0 g fibre per serving. Chickpeas are calculated as home-cooked; canned, drained chickpeas are a little lower in energy. Carbohydrate is USDA “by difference” and includes fibre.
Swaps and variations
- Sweet potato instead of pumpkin, cut into 2 cm chunks; roasting time is about the same.
- Yogurt sauce: swap the tahini sauce for Greek yogurt with lemon and garlic (no longer vegan).
- Add feta: crumble 100 g over the tray in the last 5 minutes.
- Make it a bowl: serve on cooked bulgur or a bed of rocket or spinach.
- More crunch: a spoon of toasted pumpkin seeds or chopped walnuts on top.
Storage and reheating
The roasted pumpkin and chickpeas keep 3 days in the fridge in a closed container. Keep the sauce in a separate jar for up to 4 days; it thickens in the cold, so stir in a little water before using. Reheat the tray in a hot oven for about 10 minutes (the chickpeas soften in the microwave) and add the pomegranate and herbs just before serving.
Related
- Recipes: Pomegranate, walnut and parsley salad · Bulgur pilaf with mushrooms and walnuts · Pumpkin soup with ginger and turmeric
- Encyclopedia: Pumpkin · Chickpeas per 100 g · Tahini · Pomegranate
- Diet: Mediterranean diet · 7-day Mediterranean meal plan
FAQ
Do I need to peel the pumpkin?
Not with Hokkaido: the skin softens in the oven and you can eat it. Butternut skin is tougher, so peel it or leave it on and eat around it.
Why did my tahini sauce go thick and pasty?
That always happens when lemon juice meets tahini. Keep adding cold water, a spoon at a time, and it loosens into a smooth sauce.
Can I use dried chickpeas?
Yes. About 100 g of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and boiled until tender, gives roughly the 240 g you need. Dry them well before roasting so they crisp up.
This recipe is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice. Nutrition values are estimates calculated from standard databases and will vary with your ingredients.
