Hearty and filling roasted vegetable, feta and chorizo salad with pomegranate dressing. It features roasted beets, sweet potato, carrots and bell peppers, pan-fried chorizo (or another sausage), walnuts and smooth feta over arugula and lettuce. Drizzled with citrusy pomegranate molasses dressing (alternatives provided!). Serve as a main meal or you can prepare it for a festive table to share around as a side dish. It's gluten-free, healthy and delicious.
Ingredients
For roasted vegetables:
- 2 medium beets peeled and cut into 8 wedges each
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled and cut into half slices
- 1 large carrot sliced into thick circles
- 1 capsicum bell pepper, yellow or red, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon mixed dry herbs or Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 250 g chorizo or kielbasa, sliced into circles (8-9 oz.)
- 2 cups rocket arugula, packed
- 3 cups iceberg or cos lettuce, chopped
- 1/3 cup walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 cup feta crumbled soft or semi-soft (I used goat's feta)
For the pomegranate dressing:
- 3.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses like this
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard Dijon is also okay
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F.
- Combine cut-up vegetables with olive oil, salt, herbs and spices in a large bowl and toss with your hands. Spread on one large or two smaller flat sheet pan baking trays, making sure to leave a little space between pieces. Roast for 25-30 minutes.
- While vegetables are roasting, pan-fry the chorizo in a little olive oil over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side, until browned/charred. Remove to a plate.
- Prepare the remaining salad ingredients and whisk the dressing in a small bowl.
- Assemble the salad: Toss lettuce and rocket in half of the dressing then top with roasted vegetables, pan-fried chorizo, feta, and walnuts; drizzle with the remaining dressing. You can assemble in individual bowls or one large salad bowl or a platter.
Notes
- Feta: you can use any type of feta in this salad. Greek feta is usually firmer and saltier, while Danish is smoother and softer with a less intense flavour. Goat's milk feta is typically softer and more mellow, which is what I used in this salad.
- Chorizo: I used Spanish-style chorizo that is rich in paprika and garlic flavours and can be purchased in most supermarkets or from a deli; Mexican chorizo or more subtle flavoured kielbasa can be pan-fried instead.
- Pomegranate molasses (also known as pomegranate syrup) is made by reducing pomegranate juice to a thick, sweet-sour, dark red syrup. This Middle Eastern ingredient is used to intensify the flavours of sauces and dressings as well as for braising meats or fish. If you don't have Pomegranate molasses, replace it with 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar + 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, or with aged/caramelised balsamic.
Nutrition
Calories: 649kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1435mg | Potassium: 792mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 12876IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 4mg
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