Nov 22, 2022

Stuffed Roasted Pumpkin

Hearty stuffed roasted pumpkin is the perfect way to enjoy this seasonal squash.

A savoury ground beef and quinoa filling with vegetables and spices all tucked into a roasted half sweet pumpkin bowl. It makes the perfect autumn meal.

I love using small sweet pumpkins, also known as pie pumpkins, when they come into season. They are really versatile and can add so much flavour to almost any dish. Or as in this case, become the dish, literally. Each mouthful should include a scrape of the interior of the pumpkin flesh for the full flavour of this recipe.

Though this recipe contains meat, this can be easily swapped with Beyond Beef. Also, change the chicken stock to vegetable stock and this becomes a wonderful vegan meal.

Ingredients

(Makes 2 servings)

1, 2lb sweet pumpkin, halved and deseeded (a.k.a. pie pumpkin)
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup tricolour quinoa
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 sweet red pepper, deseeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2lb ground beef
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can (796ml) diced tomatoes, with liquid

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the pumpkin seeds and connective material (reserve seeds for roasting). Place pumpkin halves cut-side-down on the baking sheet and roast until a fork easily pierces the skin (about 45 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.

While the pumpkin roasts, prepare the stuffing.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the tricolour quinoa and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer until the stock is reduced. Turn off the heat and let sit covered for 15 to 20 minutes or until the remaining liquid is absorbed by the quinoa. Set aside.

Stainless Steel Saucepan with Lid, 3.4 Quart

While the quinoa simmers place a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the extra-virgin olive oil, and once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and red pepper, with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and the carrot, celery, diced red pepper begin to soften (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic, mix, and sauté for an additional minute. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with parsley, oregano, smoked paprika, remaining sea salt, ground black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon. Mix well and begin browning the meat, breaking up any large clumps. Once the meet is browned, add the tomato paste and mix well. Add can of tomatoes and mix well. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer until liquid is reduced. Add the prepared quinoa to the beef mixture and mix well.

Flip the roasted pumpkin over so the cut-side is up. Place on a platter and divide the beef and quinoa mixture evenly between the halves, filling the seed cavities of each. Serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: