Dehydrator "Roasted" Raw Vegan Pumpkin With Pomegranate

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To welcome Fall, I made a very delicious, warming pumpkin appetizer. The "warmth" will come from the spices and the preparation method. To make it, you will need a dehydrator. If you do not have a dehydrator, you can use an oven. In this case, you will also need a kitchen thermometer to make sure that the temperature does not exceed 115°F  or 46°C if you want the pumpkin to be warmish but raw. Setting the oven on the lowest possible temperature and keeping the oven door open during the cooking process will lower the temperature inside the oven. 

  

 
 
Before I move to the recipe I'd like to mention that the dehydrator will not really roast your pumpkin. Raw foodists who use dehydrators know that. The pumpkin will come out slightly warm with the marinade slightly "caramelized" but not really cooked. The idea is to eat this aromatic dish raw. However, if you prefer your pumpkin roasted, nothing can stop you from using the oven to roast the marinated pumpkin. The choice is yours - cooked or raw. Also, note, you are not dehydrating the pumpkin, you are just warming it up slightly.  
 
This tasty dish takes a little preparation. You will have to calculate the time it will take to marinate the pumpkin and add the time your pumpkin will spend in the dehydrator. To make that dish as tasty as possible, I marinated the pumpkin pieces overnight and used the dehydrator for six hours. 
 
To make the marinade I used a pinch of my own Best Raw Seasoning Ever mixed with ground nutmeg and ground cloves. The spices were mixed with a high quality virgin olive oil and a homemade Fire Cider. To sweeten the marinade I used maple syrup. I garnished the ready dish with arils from a nicely ripe pomegranate, and my garden gave me some gorgeously blue borage flowers for the final touch. 
 
You might want to try your own herbs or spices combination. Use Italian herbs with a little minced garlic and lemon juice, or a mix of garam masala and fresh ginger, or add Mexican oregano, chili flakes and lime juice to the marinade. There are endless possibilities. Make it mild, make it sweet, or make it very hot.  Use whatever feels right for you. 
 
Pick a pumpkin - kabocha pumpkin, butternut squash or Hokkaido (red kuri squash) work well in this recipe. I used Hokkaido. It can be eaten raw with the skin on, if organic.  
 
The ingredients for the marinade listed here are good for two portions. Multiply the amounts if you intend to make more.  
 
Ingredients:
  • 1/4 small pumpkin of your choice cut to wedges, slices or cubes 
marinade 
  • 1 Tbsp mixed herbs and spices of your choice
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt 
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup  
garnish
  • pomegranate arils
  • edible flowers, optional 
 

Method:  
  • Place all the pumpkin pieces in a large enough shallow glass dish with a lid.
  • In a small bowl whisk the marinade. Pour the marinade over the pumpkin pieces making sure that they are covered completely. 
  • Close the lid and place the dish in the fridge. Allow to marinate overnight. 
  • When you are ready to "roast" the pumpkin, spread the marinated pieces on a dehydrator tray covered with a dehydrating sheet. Save the remaining marinade.
  • Set the dehydrator to no more than 115°F or 46°C and dehydrate for 3 hours. When the time is up, turn each pumpkin piece and dehydrate for 3 more hours. The smaller the pieces the shorter the time needed to warm the pumpkin up. Consider this when "roasting" your pumpkin. Also, when you are using a dehydrator for the first time, understand that the pumpkin will not come out steaming hot. This is a raw dish.
  • When you are satisfied with the outcome, prepare your pumpkin for serving or keep it warm in the dehydrator till you are ready to serve. If your pumpkin is not quite ready, add another hour in the dehydrator. 
  • Once you are ready to serve, arrange the warmed pumpkin pieces on individual plates, garnish with pomegranate arils and edible flowers. Use the remaining marinade as a dressing. You may need to stretch it with a little more olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar. Add some freshly ground black pepper and enjoy this dish in best company!

 

 

Tip: Pumpkins have delicious seeds. Do not throw them away. Instead, soak them in water overnight. When you are ready to dehydrate the pumpkin, drain and rinse the seeds, and mix them with some olive oil, little lemon juice and sea salt. Spread the seeds on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate for about 10-12 hours. Once they are completely dehydrated, store them in an airtight jar. Enjoy on salads or as a snack. 

In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique

Dominique Allmon©2026