Dinner in a Pumpkin
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs
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Servings
8
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Calories
497 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
American
Dinner in a Pumpkin
Description
This recipe hollow out a medium pumpkin, removing the pulp and seeds, then fills it with a mixture of sautéed onion, celery, mushrooms, garlic, ground beef seasoned with dried sage and thyme, water chestnuts for crunch, cooked rice, and a sauce made from cream of chicken soup, brown sugar, soy sauce, and white vinegar. The filled pumpkin is topped with its own lid and baked at 375°F for over an hour. The slow roasting softens the pumpkin's flesh into a tender texture and imparts a deep orange color, complementing the flavorful, creamy filling inside.
The flavor combines savory and sweet notes: the herb seasoning and beef meld with the umami-rich soup and soy sauce, balanced by the touch of brown sugar and vinegar. The pumpkin adds subtle sweetness and moisture, while the water chestnuts provide texture contrast. This dish is as much a centerpiece as a meal, suitable for autumn dinners or special occasions.
When serving, removing the pumpkin top reveals the steaming filling, which can be scooped together with the softened pumpkin flesh. Leftover pumpkin seeds can be roasted with butter and salt or seasoned for a crunchy snack, adding another element of pumpkin to the meal.
Save and roast the pumpkin seeds rather than discarding them; they offer nutritional benefits and can be flavored for a tasty snack. The recipe's timing ensures the pumpkin cooks thoroughly while the stuffing stays moist and well-seasoned.
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin medium
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion small, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced (canned mushrooms also work, fresh
- 2 celery diced, stalks
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon sage dried
- 1 tablespoon thyme dried
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 8 ounces water chestnut
- salt
- black pepper
- 10 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 4 cups rice white or brown, cooked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Thoroughly wash and dry the outside of the pumpkin. Cut the top off the pumpkin and clean out the pulp and seeds. Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet. Save the top.
- In a large skillet, sauté onion, celery, mushrooms, and garlic in butter. Add ground beef, sage, and thyme and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the beef. Add salt, pepper, and water chestnuts.
- In a large bowl, mix soup, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce.
- Add ground beef mixture and cooked rice to the bowl. Mix until everything is evenly coated with sauce. Empty bowl into the cleaned out pumpkin and replace pumpkin top. Bake for 1 hour on the lower rack of the oven, or on the rack where the pumpkin can be most centered in the oven.
- After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the top and check the sides of the pumpkin for doneness. The outside of the pumpkin will turn a dark orange, and the inside of the pumpkin should be tender and easily scoop off the sides with a spoon.
- If the inside of the pumpkin is still not fully cooked, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin. Sometimes I've cooked the pumpkin as long as an hour and a half before it is ready.
- Using hot pads, place the pumpkin onto a serving plate, remove the lid, and stir. Be sure to scoop off chunks of cooked pumpkin into the casserole as it is served. That's the best part!
Notes
- Save the pumpkin seeds when cleaning out the pumpkin; they can be roasted with butter and salt for a nutritious snack.
- Season the seeds with spices if desired to create a sweet and spicy roasted pumpkin seed treat.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 497 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 497kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 51g | 17% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 75mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 734mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 1022mg | 22% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 14g | 28% |
| Vitamin A | 14747IU | 295% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 96mg | 10% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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