This special Stuffed Pumpkin is a meal our kids look forward to every season and has become one of our favorite Fall food traditions! It’s a hearty, nutritious meal that is packed with flavor and served right from the pumpkin!

Festive and Delicious Stuffed Pumpkin Dinner

When you start talking to people about their family traditions, food seems to be a common theme.  It only makes sense though – what else brings family together faster than a delicious meal? I remember my Grandma saying that if you want people to always want to come over to your house, then always have good food around. How right she was.

This fun and festive dinner is one of those traditions. Wild rice, ground beef and mushrooms are coated in a delicious, flavor-packed sauce and cook right in the pumpkin. When it’s done baking, you scoop it out, right along with the perfectly cooked pumpkin. It is so hearty and full of delicious fall flavor- making it a meal we look forward to all season long!

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Stuffed Pumpkin:

• Pumpkin
• Ground Beef
• Celery
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• Wild Rice
• Water Chestnuts
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Garlic
• Butter
• Brown Sugar
• Soy Sauce
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Rubbed Sage
• Dried Thyme
• Salt & Pepper

How to Make Stuffed Pumpkin:

1. Clean out your pumpkin. Wash and dry the pumpkin and cut off the top. Make sure the whole is big enough to scoop the filling out when it’s done baking. I like to make sure that I cut on an angle so the lid will sit on top without falling into the pumpkin while its baking. Use a large metal spoon to clean out the inside of your pumpkin. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom of the lid, too!
2. Saute the veggies. In a large skillet, saute the onions, celery, mushrooms, garlic and water chestnuts over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the vegetables start to get tender. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. Cook the beef. In the same skillet, cook the ground beef and seasonings until the beef is crumbled and cooked through. Remove from the heat.
4. Make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the soup, brown sugar, soy sauce and vinegar. Add the cooked rice, vegetables, and ground beef. Stir to combine.
5. Stuff the pumpkin. Pour the rice mixture into your clean pumpkin. Put the top on, and place your pumpkin on a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Bake. Bake in a 400 degree oven for an hour, or until your pumpkin is tender. Larger pumpkins can take longer, so if it’s not quite done, continue cooking in 15 minute intervals or until you can easily pierce the inside of the pumpkin with a fork.
7. Serve! To serve, scoop out the filling- making sure to scrape the inside to get a generous serving of the delicious cooked pumpkin as well!

Tips & Suggestions:

Make individual stuffed pumpkins. Instead of a large pumpkin, cook the filling in small individual sized pumpkins! They will cook a lot faster, so adjust the time accordingly. Start with 30 minutes and check for doneness.

Skip the pumpkin. For a simpler dinner, make the filling and stir in cubed butternut squash. Bake in a casserole dish at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the squash is tender.

How to store leftover stuffed pumpkin. Scoop out all of the filling, along with the cooked pumpkin, and put in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 2-3 days.

What kind of rice can I use for stuffed pumpkin? I like to use a wild rice blend, but you can also use white or brown rice.

Use whatever veggies you like! We love mushrooms, but feel free to leave them out if you’re not a fan. Or try substituting different vegetables as well.

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