The Great Stuffed Pumpkin
User Reviews
3.1
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Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
12 servings
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Calories
333 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
The Great Stuffed Pumpkin
Description
This recipe uses a 7-8 pound pumpkin with the top cut off and seeds removed, creating a vessel for a rich filling. The filling combines cooked grains like barley, farro, wheat berries, quinoa, wild rice, and lentils with sautéed diced onions, celery, garlic, fresh sage, tender sweet potato, toasted mixed nuts, and chopped dried fruits such as cranberries, raisins, and apricots. Olive oil lightly sautés the aromatics before mixing with the grains and other ingredients. The mixture is well seasoned with salt and black pepper, then packed into the cavity of the pumpkin.
Baked at 375°F, the pumpkin softens while roasting, imparting a subtle squash flavor to the filling. The nuts add crunch while dried fruits contribute bursts of sweetness that balance savory sage and vegetables. The texture is hearty from the grains and smooth from the cooked pumpkin flesh mixing with the stuffing as served.
The dish serves as a striking festive entrée or side, good for fall meals and gatherings. Garnished with pomegranate seeds and pepitas, it introduces fresh and nutty notes. The recipe suggests substituting smaller winter squashes like kabocha for easier handling and scaling the filling accordingly.
Ingredients
- 7-8 lb pumpkin about 7-8 pounds
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion peeled and diced
- 1 cup celery plus inner leaves, diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 6 cups cooked grains I used barley, farro, wheat berries, and quinoa, (cook in Swanson Vegetable Broth for extra flavor)
- 1 cup wild rice cooked
- 1 cup lentils I used red and green, cooked
- 2 Tbsp sage chopped, fresh
- 1 sweet potato peeled, diced, and cooked until just tender, large
- 1 cup nut I used walnuts, almonds, pistachios and pecans, toasted
- 1 cup dried fruit I used cranberries, raisins, and apricots, chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 cup vegetable broth Swanson brand
garnish
- pomegranate seeds
- Pepitas
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F
- Pierce the top of the pumpkin with the tip of a sharp knife several times and put it on a baking sheet with a lip. Bake the pumpkin for 45 minutes, or until it just starts to give when you press on the side.
- Remove the pumpkin and let it cool slightly.
- Cut a circle around the stem of the pumpkin, just like you would for a jack-o-lantern. Make it at least 6 inches across, or big enough so you can scoop out the interior of the pumpkin and stuff it.
- Scoop all the seeds and stringy bits out of the pumpkin.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion, garlic, and celery for about 15 minutes until the onion has softened.
- Combine the cooked grains, rice, and lentils with the sauteed vegetables in a very large bowl (or divide the mixtures between 2 large bowls if you need to.)
- Mix in the sage, sweet potato, nuts, and dried fruit. Make sure everything gets thoroughly combined. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.
- Fill the interior of the par-cooked pumpkin with the stuffing. Replace the top and place on the baking sheet with a lip. Add a cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Bake the pumpkin for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until everything is steaming hot and the pumpkin is tender. Add more water to the baking sheet as needed.
- Remove the pumpkin carefully to a platter. Remove the top and slice into wedges. Serve the wedges with the stuffing spooned over the top. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and pepitas.
Notes
- For smaller meals or easier prep, use a smaller winter squash such as kabocha, adjusting the filling quantities as needed.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 333 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 333kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 56g | 19% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Sodium | 104mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 1248mg | 27% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 25286IU | 506% |
| Vitamin C | 26mg | 29% |
| Calcium | 101mg | 10% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.1
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