Sesame Crusted Pumpkin
We make this one every autumn without fail, the moment pumpkins start showing up everywhere and we need a reason to actually use one beyond Halloween decorations. The sesame crust is the thing that got us hooked, it goes beautifully golden and nutty in the oven and turns what could be a pretty simple roasted veg into something that feels really special. You get this amazing contrast of textures, the crust is crisp and toasty while the pumpkin inside goes soft and almost buttery. It's got that Mediterranean warmth to it too, so it works as a proper centrepiece rather than just a side dish. Honestly, make this tonight and you'll wonder why you ever just boiled pumpkin.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- 2x large baking trays
- 3 shallow bowls (for flour, milk & sesame seeds)
- Microplane or fine grater (for ginger)
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin
- 50g plain flour
- 100g black and white sesame seeds
- 100ml unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2cm piece of fresh ginger
- 50g tahini
- 1 tbsp miso
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp water
- 400g basmati rice
- handful of coriander
- steamed greens
Method
For the sesame pumpkin
- Peel and deseed the pumpkin, then cut into wedges. It is important that the wedges are similar size, so that they cook in the same amount of time. Transfer the wedges to a baking tray and toss with 1tbsp olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes until slightly softened. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle
- While the pumpkin bakes, place the flour, sesame seeds and milk in 3 separate bowls. Drop a pumpkin wedge into the flour and toss to coat, then dip in the milk, and finally in the sesame seeds. Repeat with the remaining wedges
- Transfer the seedy pumpkin onto baking sheet and return to the oven for 20 minutes to cook all the way through
For the miso tahini sauce
- Peel and grate the ginger
- In a bowl, stir together the tahini, miso, vinegar, water and grated ginger until fully combined
For the rice
- Cook as per instructions on the packet
Time to serve
- Serve your sesame pumpkin with bowls dipped into miso tahini sauce with steamed greens and big bowls of steamy rice on the side
Tips & Variations
- No pumpkin? No problem: Butternut squash works just as well here and is easier to find year-round. The cook times are pretty much identical so just swap straight in.
- Toast your sesame seeds: If you have an extra two minutes, give the sesame seeds a quick dry toast in a pan before using them. It takes the nuttiness up a notch and we do this almost every time now.
- Make it a meal: We love serving these wedges over a bed of herby couscous or with a big dollop of hummus and some warm flatbreads on the side. It turns a stunning side into a full dinner without much extra effort.
Why This Works
The trick is that two-stage cook. Roasting the pumpkin first means it's already soft before it goes anywhere near the sesame crust, so you're not trying to cook raw veg through a coating and ending up with a burnt outside and hard middle. The flour, sesame and milk dredging method is dead simple but it gives you a proper even crust that really sticks. Trust us on this one, don't skip the cooling step before you coat the wedges or the whole thing slides off.