Simple Roasted Pumpkin with Sea Salt

If you’ve struggled to find sweet, flavorful pumpkin like the good old days, here’s a foolproof method using my favorite pumpkin variety for roasting. Just like tasting a watermelon before buying, you can sample the pumpkin before taking it home!

🥒 Ingredients

Thick pumpkin slices (about 5–6 cm thick)
A drizzle of oil
Coarse sea salt, to taste

🧐 How to Choose Pumpkin for Roasting

For roasting, I prefer pumpkins with a greenish-gray rind (see image 1). I always buy from the market to ensure the pumpkin is sweet and dense. Usually, they sell it sliced, which lets you test it first.

To test: use a knife (the same one you carry around!) to gently scrape a bit of the pumpkin flesh (see image 2). Taste the scraped bit—it should have a sweet, intense aroma like melon. If you’ve never done this, try a few slices to compare flavors and get familiar with the aroma of a good pumpkin.

🍳 How to Roast Pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin into thick slices (about 5–6 cm).
Lightly oil the slices and sprinkle sea salt evenly over them.
Arrange slices in the oven tray, ideally resting on the rind so a crust forms all around. If some can’t stand upright, laying them flat is fine.
Roast at 200°C (390°F) for about 1 hour, or until a fork pierces the flesh easily. Start checking after 30 minutes.
If slices are laid flat, turn them halfway through cooking.
For a crispier finish, turn on the oven grill for the last 5 minutes.

Tip: If you want quicker roasting, slice the pumpkin thinner (2–3 cm) and roast for 30 minutes.

🍽️ Serving Suggestion

Serve warm or cold as a simple, naturally sweet side dish or snack.

💡 Final Thought

Roasting pumpkin this way highlights its natural sweetness and texture. Testing pumpkin before buying ensures you always get the best flavor for your recipes!