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This savory dinner in a pumpkin recipe is baked until tender and filled with creamy sausage, rice, vegetables, and cheese. It's hearty, cozy, and just as fun to serve as it is to eat. If you've never tried a stuffed pumpkin recipe before, get ready for your new favorite fall tradition!
Jump to:
- Ingredients Needed for Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe
- How to Make Stuffed Pumpkin, Step-by Step
- How to Handle Variable Bake Times for Stuffed Pumpkins
- Alternate Filling Ideas for Roasted Pumpkins
- How to Store a Stuffed Pumpkin
- Nutrition Values for Savory Stuffed Pumpkins
- Top Tips for Success
- What to Serve With Savory Stuffed Pumpkin
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipe
- Reviews
This isn't your regular "dinner in a pumpkin" recipe. It's full of fresh veggies (and a fruit too!), flavorful sausage, and no "cream of canned" anything!
I especially love making this stuffed pumpkin recipe on Halloween night. You can prep it ahead, pop it in the oven, and let it bake while you get the kids into costumes and ready for trick-or-treating. Cleanup is quick and easy, which means you'll be out the door (and on your way to candy!) without stressing over dinner dishes.
Let's talk about how good it is for your senses too! The baked pumpkin comes out of the oven in the most sublime color of burnt orange. Just looking at it feels like late autumn.
And then there is the smell! Not only does the creamy sausage and vegetables smell delicious, but the baked pumpkin will take you back to the Halloween nights of your childhood. Remember the tantalizing scent of candles burning in jack-o-lanterns?
I'm really talking up Halloween for this recipe, but honestly, it would make a delicious dinner anytime during the fall.
And how great would it be on Thanksgiving!
The ingredient for this recipe that you'll find in the bulk section is the whole grain (i.e. rice, farro, barley, etc) that you choose to serve the casserole and pumpkin over.
Enough talk, let's get this party started.
Jump to:
- Ingredients Needed for Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe
- How to Make Stuffed Pumpkin, Step-by Step
- How to Handle Variable Bake Times for Stuffed Pumpkins
- Alternate Filling Ideas for Roasted Pumpkins
- How to Store a Stuffed Pumpkin
- Nutrition Values for Savory Stuffed Pumpkins
- Top Tips for Success
- What to Serve With Savory Stuffed Pumpkin
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipe
- Reviews
Ingredients Needed for Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe
- 1 pound pork sausage roll
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 head of broccoli, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 large apple, diced (I recommend Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- salt
- pepper
- dash of pumpkin pie spice
- 1-2 whole pie pumpkins
- Your favorite grain (white or brown rice, farro, barley, etc) to serve the baked stuffing over. We used white rice for the longest time, but have branched out and tried other grains (thanks to this blog) and they are all delicious with this recipe.
What Kind of Pumpkin Works Best for Dinner in a Pumpkin?
I recommend using pie pumpkins for this recipe because they have the best flavor and texture for eating. They are usually small, however, so I end up having to put the stuffing into two pumpkins.
Another benefit of pie pumpkins is that they are usually soft-skinned and easy to cut and clean out. Larger pumpkins can have very thick walls, which could be difficult to cut.
If you don't plan on actually eating the pumpkin flesh with your stuffed pumpkin, you could technically use any variety of medium pumpkin to bake the casserole in. Just make sure it fits inside your oven!
How to Make Stuffed Pumpkin, Step-by Step
Prepare the Pumpkin
Start by removing the top rack from your oven and preheating it to 350 degrees. Put a piece of tin foil down on top of a cookie sheet or 9x13 pan.
Next, wash your pumpkin and cut the top off. Remove the seeds and stringy bits. Season the inside with salt, pepper, and just a bit of pumpkin pie spice.
Tip: save the seeds for roasted pumpkin seeds!
Prepare the Stuffing
Slice and dice all the fruit and vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Then, in a large saute pan or skillet, brown the sausage until no pink remains. Add in the garlic, onions, broccoli, and carrots. Saute until veggies are soft, about 5-7 mins.
Make it Cheesy!
Next, add the cream cheese, milk, parmesan, and cheddar cheese to the skillet and stir occasionally until the cheeses have all melted, creating a creamy sauce over the meat and vegetables. Add in the diced apples.
Stuff the Pumpkin
Carefully spoon the creamy mixture into the prepared pumpkin and place it on the cookie sheet or 9x13 pan. You may need to use 2 pumpkins if you are using small sugar pie pumpkins.
Roast the Whole Pumpkin
Place in oven and bake for 1.5-2 hours at 350 degrees. (Cooking time depends on the size of your pumpkin).
You'll know it is done when the pumpkin is fork tender and a beautiful burnt orange color.
(See the section below on variable bake times for more help if needed).
Serve and Enjoy!
To serve, scoop out the filling and serve on top of hot rice, or other grain of your choice. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pumpkin out. The pumpkin meat goes great on the side of the casserole.
How to Handle Variable Bake Times for Stuffed Pumpkins
Because pumpkins come in different sizes and thicknesses, one of the trickiest parts of making a stuffed pumpkin is figuring out how long to bake it. Here's how to make sure your roasted pumpkin turns out perfectly every time.
- Check the pumpkin size: Small sugar or cheese pumpkins (2-3 pounds) usually bake in 60-75 minutes. Larger pumpkins may take up to 90 minutes or even 2 hours.
- Consider Pumpkin Thickness: Some pumpkins have thin walls that soften quickly, while others are thick and need extra time. You'll know if your pumpkin has thin or thick skin when you cut the top off. The harder it is to cut through the top, the thicker the skin is.
- Test for Doneness: Insert a fork or knife into the side of the pumpkin. It should glide in easily, like testing a baked potato. If the flesh still feels firm, keep baking in 10-15 minute increments. If you're unsure about it's size or thickness, start checking around the 60-minute mark.
- Protect the top: If the lid or top of your pumpkin starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil so the inside has time to finish cooking.
- Par-roasting option: For larger pumpkins, you can par-roast (pre-bake) the hollowed-out pumpkin for 15-20 minutes before adding the filling. This gives you a head start and ensures tender pumpkin flesh without overcooking the filling.
Alternate Filling Ideas for Roasted Pumpkins
I love the recipe as is, but there are lots of ways to alternate the pumpkin fillings to make it your own.
- Make it vegetarian by leaving out the sausage and adding mushrooms instead.
- You could use ground chicken or turkey instead of the sausage, although the sausage adds such a delicious savory flavor.
- Switch up the veggies: try out mushrooms, corn, zucchini, celery.
- Make it spicy: Use a Hot Sausage roll, or some red pepperflakes to the creamy cheese sauce.
- More Protein: Add in some lentils or cooked white beans for an extra boost of protein.
- Swap the base: instead of white rice, try serving this cheesy pumpkin casserole over farro, brown rice or barley.
- Creative filling ideas: try adding cranberries, chestnuts, kale, mushrooms, or pecans.
If you love this casserole filling as much as my family does and want to eat it more often than when pumpkins are available, you technically could just make it in the skillet and serve it over rice, omitting the pumpkin baking step. The flavor will be a little different, but still great.
How to Store a Stuffed Pumpkin
While pumpkins make a great edible baking dish, they aren't ideal for storing food once dinner is done.
To store your stuffed pumpkin start by scraping out all the stuffing from the pumpkin, as well as any pumpkin meat you want to save. I like to store the pumpkin flesh and stuffing in separate air-tight containers. It will last for 3-5 days in the fridge.
The outer shell of the pumpkin should be tossed out.
Nutrition Values for Savory Stuffed Pumpkins
This truly is a complete meal, full of veggies, meat, and grains. Between the pumpkin, broccoli, carrots, apples, and onions, this meal provides your body with a bunch of vitamins and minerals. I mean, check out that insane amount of Vitamin A on the nutrition label.
The sausage provides a great amount of protein.
You can up the nutritional value by serving the casserole filling over a healthy whole grain, like brown rice or farro. This will increase the meal's fiber and potentially its protein, depending on the grain you choose.
All the creamy goodness of the meal does come with a cost of a high amount of saturated fat. But the cheeses aren't all bad, as they also provide a high amount of calcium.
Check out this nutrition label to learn more.
Top Tips for Success
If you are using a non-stick skillet, you don't need to add oil when browning your sausage, because it will create its own oil as it cooks. If you are not using a non-stick pan, you might want to add a small bit of oil or cooking spray to prevent the meat from sticking to the pan.
I highly recommend lining your baking pan with tin foil for easy cleanup, as sometimes the filling will bubble over the pumpkin, making a big mess. The pumpkin also creates some juices as it cooks.
Remember, it takes about 1-2 hours to bake, so don't forget to start cooking early!
What to Serve With Savory Stuffed Pumpkin
We usually serve the casserole and pumpkin over white rice, but it honestly would be delicious over so many whole grains. Here are some links to how to cook a few that would be great
If you'd like some additional sides with this recipe try serving it with:
- an autumn salad (check out Autumn Harvest Honeycrisp Apple Salad)
- 30 minute dinner rolls
- Apple Ginger Fizz mocktail would be a fun fall drink on the side.
- Since your oven will be tied up, try this No-Bake Pumpkin Dessert recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best pumpkin to use for stuffing and baking a whole pumpkin is a sugar pie pumpkin. They have sweet, tender flesh that doesn't take too long to bake.
If you use large carving pumpkins they turn out stringy and lack flavor. They also might make your casserole watery.
Bake a stuffed pumpkin at 350°F (175°C) for 75-90 minutes, or until the flesh is fork-tender. Larger pumpkins may need up to 2 hours. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil while the inside continues baking.
Remember that the casserole inside of the stuffed pumpkin is already fully cooked, so you don't need to worry about it. You just want to make sure the pumpkin is soft and ready to eat.
Yes! You can make this recipe in mini pumpkins. Mad About Macarons has a full tutorial on how to stuff mini pumpkins.
You can prep the filling a day in advance and store it in the fridge. On the day you plan to serve, simply scoop out your pumpkin, add the chilled filling, and bake as directed.
This makes dinner in a pumpkin a stress-free option for busy weeknights or holidays.
Yes - the pumpkin filling freezes well. Store cooled filling in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop before stuffing into a fresh pumpkin or serving over rice or pasta. (Avoid freezing the baked pumpkin shell itself, since the texture doesn't hold up.)
Well, I hope you've loved this meal as much as I do!
✌️Ems
Recipe
Dinner in a Pumpkin with Creamy Sausage and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 pound regular pork sausage roll like Jimmy Dean sausage roll
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 head of broccoli, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 large apple, diced Any variety of apple will work ok, but I recommend Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp or Granny Smith.
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
- dash of pumpkin pie spice
- 1-2 pie or sugar pumpkins I usually need 2 small sugar pumpkins for this recipe.
Instructions
- Start by removing the top rack from your oven and preheating it to 350 degrees. Put a piece of tin foil down on top of a cookie sheet or 9x13 pan.
- Next, wash your pumpkin and cut the top off. Remove the seeds and stringy bits. Season the inside with salt, pepper, and just a bit of pumpkin pie spice.
- Slice and dice all the fruit and vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Then, in a large saute pan or skillet, brown the sausage until no pink remains. Add in the garlic, onions, broccoli, and carrots. Saute until veggies are soft, about 5-7 mins.
- Next, add the cream cheese, milk, parmesan, and cheddar cheese to the skillet and stir occasionally until the cheeses have all melted, creating a creamy sauce over the meat and vegetables. Add in the diced apples.
- Carefully spoon the creamy mixture into the prepared pumpkin and place it on the cookie sheet or 9x13 pan.
- Place in oven and bake for 1.5-2 hours at 350 degrees. (Cooking time depends on the size of your pumpkin). You'll know it is done when the pumpkin is fork tender and a beautiful burnt orange color.
- To serve, scoop out the filling and serve on top of hot rice, or other grain of your choice. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pumpkin out. The pumpkin meat goes great on the side of the casserole.
Amber White
Hello! I make this every Halloween for me and my kids! They just love digging into this delicious dish right before we go shuck corn together. It is one of my fondest family memories. Thank you so much for bringing this tradition into my family's lives.
Petal Elkwood
I love this recipe so much. It is crunchy Mom approved. My kid's favorite part is taking the pumpkin guts out and throwing them at the neighborhood stray. I would suggest also throwing the guts at the silky mom next door. I did this part and it was my way of saying thank you for giving my kids lunchables. Overall, I would highly recommend this. My kid said, "Dearest mother may I pack this in my organic eco-friendly sustainable middle-of-the-day meal container the day after we fall asleep on our walnut-made, hand-carved, hand made everything, hand-grown sleeping areas with the blankets you made by hand including shearing the wool off of our sheep?" 10/10
Kyle
I look forward to this meal every Halloween. The pumpkin is delicious with this casserole filling.