Stuffed Pumpkin: 5 Recipes To Pay Homage To Fall

The pumpkin is not only the queen of fall decoration but also a culinary centerpiece offering thirty-six opportunities to be seized. The editorial archives keep our tips for carving the pumpkin and storing it afterwards, but we think it's time to savor its must-have taste in combination with meat, cheese, mushrooms, bacon or as a vegetarian variation. The stuffed pumpkin ideas we've selected for you will get you off to a great start in fall cooking.

Stuffed pumpkin: what's special?

Pumpkin, pumpkin, squash, all of the Cucurbitaceae family, differ only in form. Brought to France in 1957, the pumpkin (taste of pumpkin and chestnuts combined) quickly wins over gourmets with its red or orange spinning top shape, a mild flavor, a displayed flavor of chestnuts, a thick and particularly creamy flesh. It refers to great nutritional value, including vitamins, trace elements, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, starch, natural sugars and carotene. Since this abundance makes an autumn pumpkin-based recipe idea generous and unmissable, don't hesitate to concoct the stuffed pumpkin in two steps and three movements.

Take the pleasure of setting up an edible centerpiece

Carving pumpkins is a classic fall activity, but this year, instead of turning them all into something spooky, spare a few to use as bowls. Indeed, a stuffed pumpkin can hold soups, desserts, and hearty toppings (just like peppers), providing a super festive Halloween meal.

Pumpkin stuffed with mushrooms and quinoa

The ingredients for 6 servings, made in a total of 50 minutes are as follows:

• 6 mini pumpkins
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 250 g sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped leeks
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon of rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon of thyme
• 1/3 glass of dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation instructions

The preparation will take you 20 minutes. First preheat the oven to 200˚C. Meanwhile, cut off the tops of 6 pumpkins and remove the seeds. Do not throw them away, because they are good for roasting, just like pumpkin. Brush the inside and outside of the bottoms lightly with olive oil, as well as the top of the pumpkin. Before putting in the oven, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cooking can last 25-30 minutes with the tops on and ends when the inside flesh becomes soft.

Prepare the quinoa and mushrooms

After placing the pumpkins in the oven, prepare the quinoa. Rinse it well first, then mix 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of vegetable broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and continue cooking, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed. It will take 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, soften the mushrooms and leeks with 2 teaspoons of olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme to the pan to cook 1 minute more. Then add the white wine and cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. So the quinoa needs to be cooked. Measure 2 cups of cooked quinoa into the pan with the mushrooms and leeks and stir to combine evenly. After removing from the oven, divide the mixture into each pumpkin-bowl. Surely, a little parsley for garnish will give more color. Serve hot.

Pumpkin stuffed with bread and spices

Don't frown! A stuffed pumpkin recipe idea that will help you use old bread. You will need a large baguette, cut into 1.5 cm slices.

• 3 pumpkins of 1 kg each or one of 3 kg
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth
• ½ teaspoon of grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme, minced
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 cups of coarsely grated Gruyère
• 2 cups coarsely grated Emmental
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

How to get by?

1. At first, preheating the oven to 200˚. Place the baguette slices on a large baking sheet and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, until slightly crispy. Remove from the oven and let cool a little.
2. Cut a large circle around the stem to form a lid. Remove the seeds and innards. You can season the inside with ½ teaspoon of salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, chicken / vegetable broth, nutmeg, thyme, salt and black pepper. In another bowl, combine the grated cheeses.
4. Place a layer of toast on the bottom of the pumpkins, then cover with about ¾ cup of the cheese and about ½ cup of the cream mixture. Continue to layer the bread, cheese and cream mixture until the inside is filled to about 2 cm from the top. If you have any cream mixture left over, pour it over.
5. Put the top back on the pumpkins and brush the outside with olive oil. Bake for an hour and a half, until the pumpkins are slightly soft at the top and the filling swells gently.

To serve, halve or quarter the pumpkins and garnish with fresh thyme!

Vegetarian stuffed pumpkin

Four pumpkins will be the centerpiece in our vegetarian stuffed pumpkin recipe. On the mixture side for stuffing, prepare 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or margarine, 2 cups of finely chopped parsnip, 2 cups of chopped cabbage, 3 chops of celery, finely chopped, 1 cup of chopped onions, 1 large carrot, diced, ¼ cup chopped fresh sage, 2 minced garlic cloves. Also add ½ cup of white wine, 1½ cup of plain vegan cream, ¼ cup of tomato paste, ¾ cup of salt and ½ cup of chopped pecans.

Preparation in stages

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Carefully slicing the top of each pumpkin under the base of the stem to make a lid, remove the seeds. Then place the pumpkins upside down and the lids on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a paring knife can easily pierce the bark. You can wrap the stems in foil so that they do not burn. Once cooked, remove the pumpkins from the oven, carefully turn them over and let them cool.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet (eg, cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the parsnips, cabbage, celery, onions and carrot. Stir and cook until the onions begin to brown, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
3. When the parsnips are tender, add the sage and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the wine and increase the heat to bring it to a boil until it has almost evaporated.

1. In a bowl, whisk together the creamer and tomato paste until smooth, then add them to the pot with the salt and bring to a boil. Stir until the sauce thickens, then remove the pan from the heat, mash a few vegetables coarsely and stir in the pecans.
2. Using a spoon, scoop the pumpkin flesh into bite-sized pieces. Stir the pieces into the stew. Make sure you leave enough “wall” and bottom inside for it to be a sturdy bowl.
3. Fill the pumpkins with the stew mixture, then adjust the lids. Keep leftover stew warm for serving in a bowl. Place the stuffed pumpkins in a baking dish, preferably with a lid, or cover with foil. Serve this vegetarian stuffed pumpkin hot after cooking it for about 30 minutes.

Mini pumpkins stuffed with sausages, rice and cranberries for 8 to 10 people

First, get the following ingredients:

• 8-10 mini pumpkins
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ kg of minced pork sausage
• ¾ cup sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup crimini mushrooms, roughly chopped
• ½ cup of apple cider
• 1 cup chopped raw pecans
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1 packet of quinoa change seeds, brown and red rice
• 1 cup chopped kale leaves
• 1 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Instructions for preparation

1. Start by preheating your oven to 200˚C. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. Cut off the tops of the pumpkins and remove the seeds. Rub the outside and top with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until just tender.
2. Meanwhile, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain the fat and reserve the sausage.
3. In the same pan, add the onions and mushrooms to cook them. Add the apple cider to the pan. Deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Then add the pecans, nutmeg and thyme and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced (4-5 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.

1. The quinoa seeds, brown rice and red rice should be cooked in the microwave according to the directions on the package.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sausage, onion, mushrooms, dried cranberries, rice, kale and 3/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
3. Finally, stuff the pumpkins with the mixture of sausage, rice and cranberries. Heap the mixture on each pumpkin. Sprinkle with the rest of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

As for the temperature, it should be reduced to 180˚C. Simply bake the pumpkins in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pumpkins are tender and the filling is heated through. Serve hot, making the tops and lids rather decorative in their place.

Pumpkin stuffed pork recipe

Wondering what to do with all those pumpkins that have grown so well this year? Here's one way to serve stuffed pumpkin as a main dish.

Ingredients

All you need is a pumpkin with the seeds removed, a cup of pearl barley, 2 cups of water or chicken broth, ½ kg of cooked pork, cut into cubes, 2-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped, 2 medium garlic cloves, minced, 1 small celery stalk, thinly sliced, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon chicken seasoning.

Follow the instructions below to prepare this culinary masterpiece

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Prick the top half of the bark on the outside to allow steam to escape during cooking. Place in a shallow pot (such as a drip pan) and fill with about 2 cm of water. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the pumpkin becomes soft
2. Meanwhile, cook the barley and mix it with water or chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until all the water is absorbed.
3. Finally mix the cooked barley with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Fill the inside, cover with a lid and return to the oven in a saucepan with water. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Place on a plate and let cool a little.

Pumpkin stuffed with mushrooms and chestnuts

And finally, a recipe that surprises with its taste of chestnuts and mushrooms, a rare and typically French combination for fans of the vegetarian diet. First get: a pumpkin, 30 ml of olive oil, 1 clove of garlic and 1 chopped shallot, 300 g of sliced mushrooms, 200 g of chopped chestnuts, 200 g of quinoa and 25 cl of soya beans. cooked.

You start by preheating the oven to 180˚C. Remember to clean the pumpkin and divide it into two equal parts. You must hollow out the seeds. Then brush the two halves with olive oil, salt and place on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. So, it's ready to put it in the oven for 40 minutes. In a skillet, heat together the remaining olive oil, chopped garlic and shallot. Leave to brown for 5 minutes after adding the mushrooms and chestnuts. Mix well with the soybeans. Finally, you can fill the two halves of the pumpkin with the mixture and cook for another 15 minutes. As for the quinoa you should serve with the meal, follow the preparation instructions on the package.

Of course, as long as the fantasy spawns a multitude of pumpkin recipe ideas, even sweet and savory pumpkin muffins, the list will get longer and tastier.