Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Brown Butter Pecans
This maple roasted pumpkin with brown butter pecans is like a combination of pumpkin spice latte crossed with buttered popcorn. It’s so unbelievably delicious, and will steal the show at any holiday gathering.
Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Brown Butter Pecans
Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Brown Butter Pecans
Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Brown Butter Pecans
I often like to toe the line between savoury and sweet in my cooking. There's a fine line between a roasted pumpkin side dish and a pumpkin pie dessert in my book. Not that this dish is overly sweet by any stretch, but it just hits those pumpkin spice cues that make your pallet sing, then bring it back into savory with the brown butter pecans and sage.
I will also say that cooking your pecans in brown butter is nothing short of incredible and I don’t think I can ever go back to cooking with them any other way.
This dish is low on effort, big on flavour (a prerequisite for me). What's great about this recipe is that the leftovers also give. If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish that ticks all the yum boxes, this one is for you.
What to do with roast pumpkin leftovers
Put it on a pizza with burrata, chilli flakes and fresh herbs, it’s fantastic. Add it to a salad with sliced apple and rocket/aruguala, also fantastic. Bake it into some muffins, again, fantastic.
Cutting your pumpkin for roasting
If you’re clumsy (like me) or new to knife skills, cutting your pumpkin slices into ‘moon’ shaped wedges can be tricky when you get to the end of the pumpkin. Make sure to:
- Make sure to always, always have your fingers out of the way when,, keep your non-cutting hand on top of the pumpkin, not beside the knife.
- Use a heavy knife, not a small one. It’s safer because it won’t get stuck as easily. If the knife feels stuck, don’t force it, pull it out and adjust your angle.
- If in doubt, cut those pieces into chunks. I won’t tell anyone.
What to serve with maple roasted pumpkin with brown butter pecans
If you’re making this as part of an entertainment menu, or a side for a family dinner, these dishes are perfectly complementary:
- Orange Salad with Feta and Almonds
- Braised Fennel with Whipped Feta
- Sunday Roast Chicken
- Pulled leg of lamb with red wine sauce
- Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs
- Pear and Prosciutto Salad
- Whipped Brown Butter
More side dishes that will steal the show
Allow the pumpkin to come down to room temp, then store in an air tight container for 3-5 days.
Place on a tray, cover with foil and bake at 180 C / 356 F for 10-15 minutes.
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make it - step by step!
Preheat the oven to 200 C / 390 F. Scoop out the seeds from the pumpkin.
Cut the pumpkin to ‘moon' shaped wedges place on a lined baking sheet.
Cover the pumpkin all over with olive oil, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg maple and mix with your hands to coat all over.
Bake for 25-30 Minutes, or until tender and caramelised. Remove from the oven, place on a serving patter.
Meanwhile, to make the brown butter pecans, add the butter to a pan on medium heat and let it bubble, add the pecans and sage leaves.
The butter will begin to foam. Swirl it around until you see an amber colour form under the foam, pour into a bowl to stop the cooking process.
Spoon the brown butter pecans and sage over the roasted pumpkins. Top with a little extra finishing salt. Serve hot.
Preheat the oven to 200 C / 390 F. Scoop out the seeds from the pumpkin.
Cut the pumpkin to ‘moon' shaped wedges place on a lined baking sheet.
Cover the pumpkin all over with olive oil, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg maple and mix with your hands to coat all over.
Bake for 25-30 Minutes, or until tender and caramelised. Remove from the oven, place on a serving patter.
Meanwhile, to make the brown butter pecans, add the butter to a pan on medium heat and let it bubble, add the pecans and sage leaves.
The butter will begin to foam. Swirl it around until you see an amber colour form under the foam, pour into a bowl to stop the cooking process.
Spoon the brown butter pecans and sage over the roasted pumpkins. Top with a little extra finishing salt. Serve hot.
Watch the how to video
Watch the how to video
Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Brown Butter Pecans
Roasted Pumpkin
- 1 kg pumpkin (Kent / Kabocha squash)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/16 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/16 tsp nutmeg
Brown butter pecans
- 100g butter
- 1 cup pecans
- 8-10 sage leaves
- Pinch of finishing salt
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 390 F. Scoop out the seeds from the pumpkin.
- Cut the pumpkin to ‘moon' shaped wedges place on a lined baking sheet.
- Cover the pumpkin all over with olive oil, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg maple and mix with your hands to coat all over.
- Bake for 25-30 Minutes, or until tender and caramelised. Remove from the oven, place on a serving patter.
- Meanwhile, to make the brown butter pecans, add the butter to a pan on medium heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add the pecans and sage leaves.
- Swirl it around until you see an amber colour form under the foam, pour into a bowl to stop the cooking process.
- Spoon the brown butter pecans and sage over the roasted pumpkins. Top with a little extra finishing salt. Serve hot.
