Description
This delightful recipe features mini pumpkins stuffed with a flavorful mixture of ground pork sausage, quinoa and rice blend, cranberries, pecans, and kale, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The pumpkins are first roasted to tenderize, then filled and baked to meld all the savory and sweet flavors for a perfect fall-inspired dish ideal for gatherings or a special family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Mini Pumpkins
- 8-10 mini pumpkins
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Stuffing
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1 cup roughly chopped crimini mushrooms
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1 cup chopped raw pecans
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 package Seeds of Change Quinoa Brown and Red Rice (about 2 cups cooked)
- 1 cup chopped kale leaves
- 1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pumpkins: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Slice the tops off the mini pumpkins and scoop out all the seeds and stringy bits to create hollow shells.
- Roast pumpkins: Rub the insides and outsides of the pumpkins and their tops with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place them upright on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until they just begin to soften but still hold shape.
- Cook sausage: While pumpkins roast, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork sausage and cook until browned, breaking it up into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Drain excess grease and set the sausage aside.
- Sauté vegetables and deglaze: In the same skillet, add chopped sweet onion and crimini mushrooms. Cook until tender and fragrant. Pour in the apple cider to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Stir in chopped pecans, nutmeg, and fresh thyme. Simmer until the liquid reduces slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Prepare rice blend: Microwave the Seeds of Change Quinoa Brown and Red Rice according to package instructions until fully cooked and fluffy.
- Mix stuffing ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooked sausage, sautéed onion and mushroom mixture, dried cranberries, prepared rice blend, chopped kale, and 3/4 cup of the shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano. Mix well to evenly distribute all ingredients.
- Stuff pumpkins: Transfer the pumpkin bottoms to a large cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Spoon the sausage and rice stuffing mixture into each pumpkin, filling them generously and mounding the filling on top if desired. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano over the stuffed pumpkins.
- Bake stuffed pumpkins: Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake the stuffed pumpkins for another 15-20 minutes until the pumpkins are tender and the stuffing is heated through and golden on top.
- Serve: Place the pumpkin tops back on the pumpkins and serve hot as an eye-catching, hearty dish perfect for fall or holiday meals.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner protein option.
- Fresh herbs like sage or rosemary can be added for more aromatic stuffing.
- Ensure to remove all pumpkin seeds and pulp to prevent sogginess.
- If you don’t have a cast-iron pan, any oven-safe baking dish will work and help contain juices.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
