Italian roasted pumpkin orzo salad | Rich autumn grain bowl

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into 1.5 cm cubes, and cut the red onion into thin wedges. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with 20 ml of olive oil, sprinkle with thyme, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and lightly caramelized.

Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and crispy, then set aside to cool and coarsely chop.

Cook the orzo pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the package instructions (approx. 8-9 minutes) until al dente. Drain, rinse with lukewarm water, and toss with 10 ml of olive oil to prevent sticking.