The raw marinated pumpkin is a recipe I was not aware of, as it is not part of the culinary tradition from where I come from, so much so that until a couple of years ago I didn’t even know that pumpkin can be eaten raw. It was a wonderful discovery, I really like it!

A discovery for which I have to thank Lina Felicia. It’s not the first time Lina has shared her recipes and, above all, lots of useful information: do you remember the sun-dried tomato spread? and that wonderful idea of frozen tomato seeds? Here we go.

And since there’s no two without three, today is the day of herb-marinated pumpkin, which she taught me. I propose it to you in two different versions: the thinly sliced one, which Lina explained in every detail (you will find everything in the process), and also the one that was my very first self-taught marinated pumpkin, which I had cut a bit too thick. But then, transformed into a pumpkin carpaccio version, they had their moment of glory, and so I decided it was worth proposing it to you. 😊

Since the Light and Tasty column dedicates today’s release to autumn ingredients, I decided on a pumpkin recipe because when autumn arrives, pumpkin is my favorite vegetable, it has the color of dry leaves and also the color of the sun, that sun that this year is still giving us beautiful days (and I’m happy about it! ☀️).

And then, for me, marinated pumpkin is a bit of a seasonal transition recipe because it’s a fresh recipe, even though it’s made with an autumn and winter vegetable.

And it’s suitable for different occasions: as a simple side dish to meals, added to appetizers (let’s already prepare ourselves to think about those Christmas ones!), and I love it in sandwiches, like pickles, it gives that extra taste to all fillings, try it! 😉

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Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Affordable
Rest time: 1 Day
Preparation time: 20 Minutes
Portions: 2
Cooking methods: No cooking
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Autumn, Winter

Ingredients

9 oz yellow pumpkin (I used the violina for the carpaccio and the hokkaido for the thin version)
3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsps vinegar
mixed herbs (to taste)
garlic
chili pepper

Tools

Container flat-bottomed with lid
Peeler
Brush

Steps

First, prepare the marinade.
Pour equal parts of oil and vinegar into a glass, one minced garlic clove, hot chili pepper, and a mix of herbs to taste (oregano, mint, marjoram, thyme, sage, or others) dried or fresh. If fresh, it’s better to chop them, even coarsely.
Wash and dry the pumpkin and cut it into large pieces.
If desired, you can slice the pumpkin without peeling it. I preferred to peel it, but to minimize waste, I peeled it using the peeler.
Then slice the pumpkin with the peeler, as shown in the two photos below:
Arrange the pumpkin slices in a flat-bottomed container.
Moisten each layer with the aromatic oil and vinegar emulsion. A kitchen brush is useful for this purpose.
Seal the container with the lid (or plastic wrap).
Let it marinate until the next day, making sure to mix the slices at least a couple of times so that the pumpkin slices on the surface can be moistened with the marinade that has inevitably settled at the bottom.
To prepare a marinated pumpkin carpaccio, the procedure is similar to that described in the previous steps for the thin pumpkin, but in this case, the pumpkin is sliced with a knife, and thus the slices came out a bit thick.
Marinating will require a longer time, up to 48 hours, which may vary depending on the thickness of the slices (I’m sure you’ll manage to slice them better than I did! 😃).
☝ As shown in the following photos, having used the violina pumpkin (or butternut), I obtained round slices (more or less 😊) because I sliced only the neck, the elongated part of the pumpkin, which is seedless, the part most suitable for this carpaccio-like version.
🔸 The marination time can vary not only depending on the thickness of the slices or the pumpkin variety (some have firmer flesh, others more tender), but also on the type of vinegar used.
Indeed, as my friend Lina Felicia had previously explained to me and as I have personally observed, there is a noticeable difference between homemade vinegar and store-bought vinegar. The former is usually lighter, and the latter stronger, which can result in different marination times due to acidity.
🔹 If the stronger and more pungent vinegar is not to your taste, you can lighten it by diluting it with a part of white wine.

Salt-Free Tips

Salt-Free Marinades are very important in low-sodium cooking. In this case, vinegar does all the work, that of flavoring without using salt, helped by garlic and chili and the unbeatable herbs.

If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Reduce salt gradually, the palate needs to get used to it slowly and not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili pepper, black pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, papillote, steam, microwave)
▫ Do not bring the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Sometimes allow a little exception to the rule. It’s good for morale and helps to persevere.

If you do not want or cannot give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.

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Light and Tasty:

I leave you with the autumn recipes of my colleagues from the Light and Tasty Team:

Carla Emilia: Baked Mushrooms and Potatoes
Daniela: Rice Pudding with Pears, Hazelnuts, and Honey
Elena: Cauliflower Cavour
Milena: Savory Tart with Brussels Sprouts and Speck
Serena: Strawberry Grape Jam

Delicious Recipes

Herb-Marinated Pumpkin (in 2 versions)