A quick and easy, roast pumpkin recipe with the sweetness of maple, and apples! A healthy and gluten free side dish that’s great for the fall!
Pin Roast Pumpkin with Maple Syrup, Cranberries and Apples
I love pumpkin, you love pumpkin we love pumpkin!
But usually, we are eating it in sweet forms like gluten free paleo pumpkin muffins or low carb keto pumpkin cheesecake and only a few times do we whip out recipes like creamy pumpkin pasta sauce and make pumpkin go savory.
Well, I’m not here for that because savory pumpkin? THAT IS WHERE it’s at.
So today, be prepared to fall head over taste buds in love with a little savory pumpkin side dish magic!
Roast Pumpkin and Cranberries Ingredients
Pumpkin has got to be one of the most versatile, festive ingredients and I just LOVE incorporating it into my meals this time of year! The list of ingredients for this recipe give me ALL the warm and cozy feels, bringing together some of my favorite fall flavors and inviting in the season!
- Pie Pumpkin
- Apples
- Onion
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Maple Syrup
- Grass-fed butter
- Fresh cranberries
- Salt
- Orange Juice
- Fresh Sage
How to Cut a Pumpkin for Cooking
So you’ve gone and picked yourself out the perfect pumpkin to roast? Fabulous! Now it’s time to get chopping! It can be prepped to make delicious baked pumpkin or a harvest black rice salad in just a few easy steps:
- Using a sharp knife, insert the tip of the blade into the top of the pumpkin. Use the palm of your hand on the knife’s handle and push the blade down into the pumpkin. You will notice that it will naturally start to split open.
- Finish slicing the pumpkin in half, then cut each half in half again. You should now have four quarters.
- Use a small spoon to carefully scrape the seeds out of each quarter.
- Cut the pumpkin into strips, then into cubes that are approximately 2-4 centimeters wide.
- Voila! Your pumpkin is now prepared and ready to roast!
How to Roast Pumpkin in the Oven
As you may know, I love me some roasted veggies, especially as the weather cools off this time of year! Here’s a fool-proof way to go about cooking pumpkin in the oven that will result in tender, tasty pieces that pair well with so many holiday meals!
Heat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure it is fully heated before you toss in your pan!
Prepare
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, evenly spread out the chunks of pumpkin. Be sure to lightly brush over them with some olive oil.
Roast
Roast your pumpkin in the pre-heated oven and let it bake until fork tender.
Remove the Skin
Remove your pan from the oven and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes, or until it is cool enough to handle. Gently remove the pumpkin skin from the flesh and discard.
Enjoy
Your tender, delicious, oven roasted pumpkin is now ready to DEVOUR! You can use it to make these veggies, or you could puree it for whole wheat healthy pumpkin pancakes or paleo low carb sugar free pumpkin pie!
How Long to Roast Pumpkin
You will want to roast your pumpkin slices until they are fork-tender, which should take about 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees. Keep in mind that cook time may vary, depending on how thick you have sliced your chunks of pumpkin.
Other Healthy Fall Side Dishes
Loving the sound of this side dish and looking for more to share around the table at your holiday meal? These fall inspired sides are sure to please your friends and family this holiday season:
- Oven Roasted Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
- Tahini Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Harvest Paleo Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Acorn Squash and Quinoa Salad with Cranberries and Orange Maple Tahini Dressing
Other Healthy Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Spice Paleo Vegan Pecan Pie Bars
Gluten Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins with Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1 Small pie pumpkin chopped into 3/4 cubes. (About 5 cups)
- 1 Large apple cut into thin wedges
- 1/2 Large sweet onion, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Garlic minced
- 2 tsps Fresh ginger diced
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp Maple syrup divided
- 2 Tbsps Grass-fed Salted butter
- 3/4 Cup Fresh cranberries
- Salt
- Squeeze of fresh orange juice
- 2 Tbsp Fresh sage sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Mix the pumpkin, apples and onion in a large bowl (one big enough that you can mix them all up without any going flying over the sides!)
- Stir in 1 Tbsp olive oil, cinnamon, fresh ginger, garlic, a pinch of salt and 1 Tbsp of the maple syrup.
- Pour into a cookie sheet or baking dish, so that everything is laying flat in one level.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until the onion is browned and the pumpkin and apples are fork tender.
- While that roasts, its time to get the browned butter ready.
- Add the 2 Tbsp of butter into a small sauce pan and melt on medium heat, stiring a couple times to ensure even melting.
- Once the butter is all melted, watch it like a hawk. It will foam, turn yellow, and eventually begin to go brown. Make sure to keep stiring it fairly regularly.
- Once it has gone a light brown, and begins to smell nutty, take it off the burner.
- If there are a few over browned bits on the bottom, strain them into a small dish using a sieve. Set the butter aside.
- Once the pumpkin and apples are softened, add in the 3/4 cup of cranberries and remaining 2 Tbsp of Maple syrup. Mix it all up on the baking tray, and then squeeze some fresh orange juice over top.
- Pop the tray back in the oven and broil it on HIGH for 2-3 minutes (just until the cranberries begin to soften and burst open.)
- Remove from oven and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Mix in the browned butter and chopped fresh sage and devour!
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PER SERVING: FREESTYLE POINTS: 6 POINTS+: 6 OLD POINTS: 4
(per 1/4 of the recipe)
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Shelley Hodgkinson on Facebook says
That looks super yummy
LaDona says
Um, doesn’t it take awhile to peel the pumpkin? Did you peel it when you halved it or little bit at a time?
Taylor Kiser says
You don’t use a vegetable peeler! That would take ages! Just cut it into quarters and use a BIG knife to slice off the skin! It’s pretty quick then. I hope this helps!
Hope says
I’m so excited to make this for Thanksgiving today!
Was wondering if I cook the pumpkin first … Then bake it again with the apples and onion and olive oil?
Taylor Kiser says
Hi, Hope! Sorry, I’m just seeing your comment! The recipe card instructions specified to bake it all together at the same time. I hope it turned out well for you!