Roasted Pumpkin with Feta, Honey and Thyme — A Simple Autumn Side
Oven-roasted pumpkin topped with crumbled feta, a drizzle of honey and fresh thyme: a vegetarian side ready in 45 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
Looking for a simple autumn side that looks impressive on the table and comes together in under an hour?
Then this roasted pumpkin with feta and honey is exactly what you need. I will show you how to turn a few seasonal ingredients into something with a surprisingly well-balanced flavour: sweet, salty and fragrant with fresh thyme, no special techniques required.
The real heart of this dish is contrast. Pumpkin becomes naturally sweet and tender in the oven, and that sweetness meets feta — sharp and pleasantly salty — alongside honey added only in the final minutes so it caramelises gently rather than burning. Thyme runs through everything as the aromatic thread that ties it all together without overpowering.
It has at least three practical advantages: you spend just 15 minutes prepping before it goes in the oven, the ingredients are inexpensive in autumn, and you need nothing beyond a baking tray and a knife.
If you like a touch of heat, a pinch of dried chilli flakes scattered over before roasting balances the sweetness perfectly without masking the pumpkin. Or, for a bit of crunch, scatter a few roughly broken walnuts over the dish at the very end.
You can serve it as a side alongside roast chicken or legumes, or spoon it over a bed of salad leaves for a light one-dish meal. Any leftovers keep in the fridge for a day and reheat well in the oven or in a hot pan.
Ready to go? Let’s get started with this roasted pumpkin with feta, honey and thyme.
To make this recipe
A small selection of handy tools to keep within reach. Some links may be affiliate links.
Oven tray or baking dish
Perfect for baking meatballs and vegetables. Choose a non-stick tray for better results and easy cleaning.
Steps
- Cut the pumpkin into thin wedges and arrange them on a lined baking tray.
- Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, scatter over the thyme leaves, and toss everything directly on the tray.
- Roast in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes, turning the pumpkin halfway through.
- Crumble the feta over the top and drizzle lightly with honey, then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
- Serve warm, once the feta is just softened but still holds its shape.
Helpful tips
Choose a firm-fleshed variety — butternut squash or red kuri work best: they hold their shape through roasting without turning mushy.
Add the honey only in the final minutes in the oven: added too early it can burn and turn the base bitter.
For a more aromatic version, swap half the thyme for a sprig of fresh rosemary.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for one day — reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5 minutes rather than the microwave to keep the feta firm.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 22.0 g
- Sugars
- 12.0 g
- Protein
- 7.0 g
- Fat
- 16.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 6.0 g
- Fiber
- 4.0 g
- Sodium
- 380 mg
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