Description
Dinner in a Pumpkin is a comforting and hearty autumn recipe featuring savory Italian sausage, a medley of fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and wild rice all baked inside a hollowed pumpkin. This dish offers a delightful combination of flavors and textures, perfect for a festive family meal or a special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkin
- 3 (6 inch) pumpkin pie pumpkins (or 1 regular medium-size pumpkin)
Meat
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot, casings removed)
Vegetables
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Herbs & Spices
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped (or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (or 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary)
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped (or 3/4 teaspoon dried sage)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Grains
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
Instructions
- Prep Pumpkin: Cut the top off each pumpkin, creating a large enough opening to fit your hand and a spoon inside. Remove all seeds and stringy pulp until the inner pumpkin walls are smooth. Season the inside lightly with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor during baking.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the stuffed pumpkins.
- Brown Meat: Remove the casings from the Italian sausage and place the meat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, until browned thoroughly. If there is excess grease, blot it out using paper towels to avoid a greasy filling.
- Add Vegetables: To the browned sausage, add the diced onion, shredded carrot, chopped bell pepper, and celery. Sauté this mixture for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables soften. Then stir in the minced garlic, fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage), kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix in the cooked wild rice until everything is evenly combined.
- Stuff Pumpkins: Carefully spoon the sausage and vegetable mixture into the hollowed pumpkins, packing it gently but fully. Place the pumpkin tops back on as lids.
- Bake: Position the stuffed pumpkins on a lined or greased baking sheet, placing them on the lowest oven rack or wherever they fit centered in the oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the pumpkin flesh is tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Serve: Remove the pumpkins from the oven. Scoop out some of the tender cooked pumpkin flesh from the sides as you serve the stuffing mixture into bowls. Add hot sauce, extra salt, and pepper according to taste for an added kick.
Notes
- This recipe is a family-favorite tradition, perfect for fall and holiday meals.
- The pumpkin shell becomes tender and edible, adding a natural sweetness and earthy flavor to the dish.
- Use mild or hot Italian sausage based on your spice preference.
- Wild rice adds a nutty texture and pairs beautifully with the herbs and vegetables.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 340 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 963 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
