Stuffed Pumpkin

Impressive, show-stopping stuffed pumpkin recipes look daunting, but they’re worth the effort for the deliciousness and pizzazz. A browned, tender pumpkin transforms into an edible cauldron, creating a perfect centerpiece for your Sunday dinner, holiday table, Halloween party or fall potluck. This is honestly one of our favorite pumpkin recipes (and that’s saying something).

You’ll need a couple of hours to prep and cook the stuffed pumpkin, but it’s great fun to make. First things first: Leave that jack-o’-lantern alone. Those massive carving pumpkins are best for the porch on Halloween. You’ll need something smaller, such as a good roasting or pie pumpkin. It has to fit in your oven, after all! Look for a mid-sized pumpkin about the size of your soup pot.

Gather the family around to scoop out the pumpkin seeds. Then, stir together a quick, tasty filling made with ground beef, aromatics, vegetables and rice while the pumpkin simmers in a pot. With a big spoon, fill the pumpkin to the brim, then stick it in the oven and let the delicious smell of sweet squash and savory meat fill the house.

Ingredients for Stuffed Pumpkin

• Fresh pumpkin: Sugar, sugar pie or Hokkaido pumpkins are the best winter squash for stuffed pumpkin recipes. Look for a pumpkin about 5-1/2 to 6 pounds with a fairly symmetrical shape. Avoid pumpkins with soft spots, bruises or blemishes.
• Salt: To tenderize the pumpkin, boil it in salt water. You’ll also need salt to season the filling.
• Ground beef: We love ground beef recipes because they’re affordable, filling and popular with people of all ages. You can use lower-fat ground beef here since there’s no risk of the filling drying out.
• Vegetables and aromatics: Freshly chopped onions, crunchy green pepper and minced garlic add flavor and texture.
• Rice: In our meat-stuffed pumpkin recipe, the robust grain absorbs excess juices and makes for a filling but not heavy meal. We usually use plain white rice, but you can use other types of rice, like brown or wild.
• Tomato sauce: Packed with moisture and flavor, tomato sauce brings the filling together. You can make homemade tomato sauce or use a good jarred sauce.
• Ham: A bit of ham plays a surprisingly strong role in flavoring the filling, adding sweetness to offset the savory beef and complement the sweetness of the pumpkin. Go ahead and use leftover ham if you’ve got it.
• Eggs: Two eggs enrich the filling and help bind the grains, meats and veggies together.
• Herbs and spice: A pinch each of dried oregano and freshly cracked black pepper are all you need here.
• Cider vinegar: Adding vinegar brightens up the richness of the meat and balances the flavors.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the pumpkin

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Wash the outside of the pumpkin. With a large paring or serrated knife, cut a 6-inch circle around the top stem. Remove the top and set it aside.

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With a big spoon, scoop out the seeds and loose fibers from inside the pumpkin. Either discard or reserve the seeds for another use.

Editor’s Tip: Yep, this step is exactly the same as you’d do before carving a pumpkin for Halloween.

Step 2: Cook the pumpkin

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Bring a large kettle or pot of water to a boil. Place the pumpkin in a large Dutch oven. Fill the Dutch oven with the boiling water to a depth of 6 inches. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is almost tender but holds its shape. Carefully remove the pumpkin and drain it well. As soon as it’s cool enough, pat it dry inside and out.

Editor’s Tip: It’s important that there’s not excess moisture in the pumpkin for two reasons. First, it would dilute the filling and make it runny rather than robust. Second, extra moisture would continue to steam the pumpkin, potentially softening it too much.

Step 3: Make the filling

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain well. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then transfer it to a large bowl.

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Add the rice, tomato sauce, ham, eggs, garlic, oregano, pepper, vinegar and remaining salt. Stir gently until combined.

Step 4: Stuff the pumpkin and bake

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Place the hollow pumpkin in a shallow, sturdy baking pan. Firmly pack the beef mixture into the pumpkin. Replace the pumpkin top. Bake for one hour, leaving the pan uncovered. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Serve the meat-stuffed pumpkin recipe

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Take off the pumpkin top to show the bubbling interior. If desired, use a paper towel to remove any excess moisture from the top of meat. Slice the pumpkin into wedges, and serve hot or warm.

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Stuffed Pumpkin Variations

• Change up the grain: White rice is easy and simple, but you can up the health factor by using a cooked whole grain instead. Think farro, quinoa or millet.
• Lighten up: For a lighter dinner, replace all or part of the ground beef with ground turkey or chicken. (Look for dark meat if you can.)
• Add cheese: For a gooey take on stuffed pumpkin recipes, add shredded cheese to the filling. Many types of cheese will work, but we like to use a meltable cheese, such as mozzarella, Monterey Jack or cheddar.
• Go vegan: You can omit all the meat and dairy here to make a hearty, seasonal vegan dinner recipe. Simply replace the ground beef and ham with a vegan-friendly protein. You can use drained beans, such as chickpeas, great northern or kidney. Simply saute them with the vegetables in Step 3 and proceed with the filling as written. You could also use a plant-based meat alternative.

How to Store Stuffed Pumpkin

All stuffed pumpkin recipes are most delicious fresh from the oven when the pumpkin is tender and the meat is juicy. You can still keep leftovers, but both the pumpkin and the rice in the filling will absorb liquid and may get a bit soggy. Store any leftover stuffed pumpkin in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How long does stuffed pumpkin last?

In the fridge, stuffed pumpkin will keep for up to four days.

How do you reheat stuffed pumpkin?

We like to reheat our meat-stuffed pumpkin recipe in the oven. Place it on a baking sheet and bake at 350° until heated through, about 30 minutes. To restore the ideal moisture to the filling, sprinkle some cool water over the top of the filling before baking.

You can also reheat stuffed pumpkin in the microwave. This works especially well with single servings. Place a slice of stuffed pumpkin on a plate, sprinkle a bit of cool water on the slice and heat it on high in short bursts until steaming.

Can you make stuffed pumpkin ahead of time?

As mentioned above, stuffed pumpkins taste best freshly baked, so we don’t suggest using this as a make-ahead dinner. That said, you can prepare most of this recipe ahead of time and bake it just before serving.

Prep the pumpkin (Step 1) up to two days ahead of time. Cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge until ready to fill. We don’t like to parboil the pumpkin beforehand since it will shrink and lose moisture in the refrigerator.

You can also prepare the filling (Step 3) up to two days in advance. Prepare the meat and vegetables, stir the filling together as directed, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate.

Remove the filling from the fridge about an hour before you want to bake the pumpkin. As the filling comes to room temperature, you can parboil the pumpkin (Step 2). Then, fill and bake as directed in Step 4.

Stuffed Pumpkin Tips

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What can you do with pumpkin seeds?

We love to snack on pumpkin seeds, which are packed with healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Roasting pumpkin seeds is easy—you can even do it while you bake the pumpkin!

What can you serve with stuffed pumpkin?

We love to serve our stuffed pumpkin recipe as a show-stopping autumn dinner. It’s just so striking and festive—perfect for a party or a holiday table. Look to pair it with a favorite potluck side dish, or embrace fall favorites like sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts or mushrooms. The pumpkin has veggies, protein and starch, but nobody ever says no to a loaf of crusty bread or a simple green salad. To gild the lily, present a delightful pumpkin dessert!

Can you use this stuffing in other winter squash?

Yes, many types of winter squash are fun to stuff (and some have easier seed removal!). You can stuff butternut, buttercup, acorn and kabocha squash. Don’t try to stuff spaghetti squash—it’s a bit of a different beast. Look for a stuffed winter squash recipe, or use this filling and stuff several smaller squash rather than one huge pumpkin.