Description
This festive Halloween Stuffed Pumpkins recipe features tender mini pumpkins filled with a flavorful wild rice stuffing mixed with broccoli, dried fruits, pecans, and feta cheese. Baked to perfection, these adorable jack-o-lantern pumpkins make a perfect spooky and delicious centerpiece for your autumn table.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkins
- 5 medium-sized mini pumpkins
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Stuffing
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 160 grams (1 cup) wild rice
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 600 ml (2 ½ cups) vegetable stock
- 100 grams broccoli, steamed or boiled
- 65 grams (½ cup) pecans, toasted and chopped
- 40 grams (⅓ cup) dried cranberries
- 40 grams (⅓ cup) prunes, quartered
- 80 grams (⅓ cup) feta cheese, diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pumpkins: Preheat your oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Cut off the tops of the mini pumpkins and scoop out all the seeds using a spoon. Drizzle each pumpkin with olive oil, then place them on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until tender but still firm, as they will be baked again after stuffing.
- Make the stuffing: In a sauté pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and cook the chopped shallot and minced garlic until translucent. Add the wild rice along with the rosemary sprigs, then pour in the vegetable stock. Cook the rice mixture according to package instructions (about 40 minutes), until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Remove the rosemary sprigs, then stir in the steamed broccoli, dried cranberries, chopped prunes, toasted pecans, and diced feta. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and mix thoroughly.
- Carve jack-o-lantern faces: Using a small paring knife, carefully carve two small triangular eyes on each pumpkin to resemble jack-o-lantern faces. Optionally, carve a mouth for an extra spooky look.
- Stuff and bake pumpkins: Fill each roasted pumpkin with the prepared wild rice stuffing, dividing it evenly. Place the stuffed pumpkins back on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the pumpkins are soft and the filling is heated through.
- Serve and enjoy: Carefully remove from the oven and serve warm as a festive autumn main dish or impressive side. Enjoy the combination of sweet, savory, and nutty flavors inside the tender pumpkin shell.
Notes
- Use mini pumpkins that are firm and without blemishes to ensure they hold their shape when baking.
- Wild rice may vary in cooking time; adjust liquid amount and cooking duration based on the package instructions.
- Steaming broccoli helps retain its bright green color and nutrients while keeping it tender for the stuffing.
- Feel free to substitute feta with goat cheese or omit for a dairy-free version.
- For added texture variety, you can include chopped celery or mushrooms to the stuffing.
- Carving a face is optional; pumpkins can be served simply stuffed if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed mini pumpkin
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
