The Great Stuffed Pumpkin

This stuffed pumpkin recipe is a dramatic side dish or vegetarian main course ~ I guarantee  it will command center stage on your table.  Perfect for Friendsgiving!

*This post is in partnership with Swanson® ~ thank you for supporting me and the brands I work with, I promise to bring you only the very best!

I love recipes that glorify vegetables, they so rarely get to bask in the spotlight.   Just imagine pulling this steaming whole roasted pumpkin out of your oven, bringing it to the table, and slicing it open to reveal a treasure trove of grains, nuts, fruits and veggies tumbling forth.  It’s dramatic, it’s delicious, and it rivals any turkey or rack of lamb, if you ask me.

I was inspired by one of my favorite cookbook authors, Anna Thomas, who has a version of this in her latest book Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore.  The premise of the book is that with a little bit of forethought you can feed everyone at your table well, despite widely varying dietary needs.  I think it’s such a great concept because it’s something we all struggle with.  At our Thanksgiving table I have a brother-in-law who can’t eat red meat, a sister who doesn’t eat pork, a nephew with a nut allergy, another who is vegan, a daughter who is gluten intolerant, and a close friend who eats nothing but veggies and cheese.  Holiday meals can be challenging!

TIP: The key to creating a vegetarian dish that tempts even the carnivores at the table?  Flavor!  I cooked the grains and rices for this stuffing in Swanson® Vegetable Broth instead of water, and that infuses the whole dish with a depth of flavor from the ground up.

I used a mix of hearty grains and rice in this recipe, including barley, farro, wheat berries, quinoa, and wild rice.  It’s essentially a multi-grain pilaf, enriched with veggies, nuts, and dried fruits.  The grains have a wonderful texture and ‘chew factor’, but flavor isn’t their strong suit.  That’s where Swanson broth comes in.  When you cook grains and rices in broth, they literally absorb its flavor as they simmer and swell up.  That foundation of savory flavor makes a big difference when you’re cooking without animal protein.

TIP: For a variation try filling a pumpkin with regular stuffing.  If you eat meat, I love the idea of using my Pumpkin Cornbread with Country Sausage and Sage Stuffing.  Kinda makes the turkey obsolete!

This stuffed pumpkin recipe can be broken down into several stages.   I assemble my stuffing the day before, and let it come to room temperature the next day while I  par-bake my pumpkin.

After I stuff the pumpkin I moisten everything with more Swanson Vegetable Broth right before I pop it in the oven, that infuses even MORE flavor and allows everything to steam beautifully.

An hour and a half later, bring it to the table, lift off the top, watch the steam rise, and carve it into big fat wedges.

TIP: Keep in mind that if you want to serve this table-side, you’ll need a pretty large round dish or platter to hold the stuffed pumpkin, and the wedges as they fall away, so plan ahead.

notes:

• If you’re not quite up for stuffing a huge pumpkin, try this idea with a smaller winter squash like kabocha.  Look for a large round specimen, and stuff it in the same manner.  You can cut the recipe down as needed.

don’t forget to pin the great stuffed pumpkin!