This is the best stuffed pumpkin I’ve ever made. My family are obsessed with it! I am going to make it for Thanksgiving. You can either serve it as a Holiday centerpiece (if you get a big pumpkin), or as a side. If you want to get really fancy, you could serve a baby pumpkin per person as a side dish. You can also substitute the pumpkin with a large acorn squash if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 1 baby pumpkin or large squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
- 2 cups cooked Orzo, brown rice, or quinoa
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp a neutral-tasting oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mushrooms (button, shitake, Chanterelle…whatever you can get your hands on!)
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, minced
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans*, chopped
- 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
- Sea Salt and cracked pepper to taste
*To toast pecans, lay them out on a baking sheet and place in a medium oven 375 degrees for about 15 minutes. Be super careful to keep an eye on them. Nuts go from toasted to burned really easily
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees F
- Place the whole pumpkin in the oven on a baking sheet, and bake for about 40 minutes or until a knife slips in easily.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.
- Meanwhile, turn up the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Toss the cubed squash with the olive oil, lay on a greased baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, or until browned, and softened.
- Cook the Orzo, quinoa, or rice according to package directions and rinse/drain. Place in a large bowl and mix around with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Add 1 tbsp of a neutral oil such as grape seed or avocado oil to a skillet. Add the onion, and fry for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and mushroom, and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Add the mushroom mixture to the Orzo/rice, and fold in.
- Add the sage, pecans, and fruit.
- Carefully fold in the roasted squash.
- Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
- Slice off the top of the pumpkin. Set aside.
- Scoop out the seeds with a kitchen spoon.
- Spoon the filling into the pumpkin.
- Before serving, pre-heat your oven to 350 F. Cover the pumpkin (leave top off and set aside), with a piece of foil. Heat for 25 – 30 minutes.
- Serve with top on.
A last little tip to take it over the top: You might want to sprinkle with some vegan or non vegan cheese before you bake the final stuffed pumpkin in the oven. If vegan, I suggest Follow Your Heart Parmesan Shreds. If not vegan, I recommend grated Cheddar.
