A Meal In A Pumpkin Recipe

This Halloween, ditch the usual fare and try this incredibly cute and surprisingly delicious meal served inside a real pumpkin! Perfect for a fun family dinner, this recipe was initially a 'yuck' for me, but it's become a favorite. Kids adore the novelty of eating dinner from a pumpkin. Baking time depends on pumpkin size; I baked a 10-12 lb pumpkin for almost 2 hours – consider that a guideline. Get ready for a memorable and spooky meal!

Prep Time 60 mins
Cook Time 150 mins
Calories 483.8 kcal
Protein 42g
Rating 3.0 (1 Reviews)
A Meal In A Pumpkin 41

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Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for A Meal In A Pumpkin

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How to Make A Meal In A Pumpkin

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large skillet, brown 1 lb ground beef, 1 medium onion (chopped), and 1 lb Italian sausage (removed from casings) over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess grease.
  3. Cook until beef and sausage are no longer pink. Drain well.
  4. Cut the top off of a 10-12 lb pumpkin and reserve the lid.
  5. Carefully clean out the seeds and stringy pulp from the pumpkin. Rinse well.
  6. Lightly coat the inside of the pumpkin with shortening or cooking spray.
  7. In a large bowl, combine the cooked beef and sausage mixture with 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree, 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice, 2 cups beef broth, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary, salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pumpkin.
  9. Replace the pumpkin lid.
  10. Wrap the stem and top of the pumpkin tightly with aluminum foil.
  11. Place the pumpkin on a cookie sheet to catch any drips.
  12. Bake for 2-3 hours, or until the rice is cooked through and the pumpkin is tender. Check for doneness with a fork; the rice should be soft. Do not overbake; the pumpkin should not begin to brown significantly.
  13. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Carefully remove the lid and serve directly from the pumpkin.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

45 g

Sugar

46g

Fat

39g

Carbs

18g