This vibrant and flavorful vegan quinoa pilaf celebrates the arrival of Fall with flavors of pumpkin, pomegranate and persimmon. Yum!
Za'atar is one of those good all round spice blends that I like to keep on hand. It is a wonderfully fragrant slightly tart blend of thyme, sumac and toasted sesame seeds that pairs so wonderfully with roasted pumpkin.
Here I've tossed triangles of roasted butternut pumpkin, also referred to as butternut squash, in za'atar before roasting.
The pumpkin becomes lovely and lightly caramelized as the wonderful aromas of thyme and sumac fill the kitchen.
To go with the roasted pumpkin I've paired a tasty quinoa pilaf (sometimes called pilau or pilav) flavored with subtle notes of cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves- along with slices of persimmon, chopped pistachios and beautiful pomegranate seeds.
It is the perfect way to finally celebrate the arrival of Fall weather here in Florida!
If you are new to persimmon this pilaf is a great introduction to this frequently overlooked fruit.
Fuyu persimmons (sometimes called Sweet Persimmons) are what you are looking for here. Look for fruit that are a beautiful shiny orange without blemishes.
And don't be tempted to squeeze them. Despite appearances, they are actually quite delicate. Flavor wise, persimmons are a little hard to describe. I'd say they are somewhere between an apple and a peach but much subtler and with a slight hint of spice.
So tell me, have you tried persimmons? What are your favourite ways to enjoy sweet persimmons?
More Tasty Recipes
And if you love this pumpkin quinoa pilaf, be sure to check out these other tasty recipes:
Roasted Pumpkin Quinoa Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 lb butternut pumpkin aka butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into triangles
- 1 ½ tbsp za'atar spice
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cardamom pods lightly crushed
- 3 leaves bay
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable stock
- zest of ½ a lemon
- ½ persimmon cut into triangles
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- ¼ toasted pistachios roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro roughly torn or chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 celsius (350 fahrenheit) and toss the pumpkin in half the olive oil and the za'atar with a couple of pinches of sea salt. Spread evenly on a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until tender and slightly caramelised.
- Rinse the quinoa well under running water to remove any bitterness and drain. Place a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat and add the remaining oil and the shallot, cinnamon, bay and cardamom pods. Cook until the shallot is lovely and golden. Add the quinoa and cook for a few minutes before adding the vegetable stock and a couple of pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary before adding the lemon zest.
- To serve place the pilaf in a bowl and top with the pumpkin, persimmon, pomegranate seeds, pistachios and coriander.
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