Roasted Pumpkin Stuffed With Ground Beef, Rice & Fall Vegetables
Whether it's in soup, a casserole, or sweet, sweet pie, pumpkin is a great addition to any meal and is an even better main ingredient. But have you ever tried stuffing a pumpkin and eating it whole? Then you don't know what you've been missing! If you're wondering what you should fill it, there's only one way to go: a spicy mixture of ground beef, rice, and fall veggies. Yummy!
You'll Need:
For the pumpkin:
- 1 small pumpkin (about 2 lbs)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 oz shredded cheese
- olive oil to baste the pumpkin
For the filling:
- ½ lb ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup chopped red & yellow bell peppers
- 3½ oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup parsley
- ⅔ cup cooked rice
- 2 eggs, whisked
Here's How:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and cut off the pumpkin stalk on the bottom so the pumpkin can stand upright.
2. Cut off the pumpkin top and hollow out the inside.
3. Rub the inner walls of the pumpkin with salt and then place the pumpkin upside down (with the opening on a paper towel) for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the rice and prepare the filling. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, and season with salt and pepper. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, mushrooms, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper, and parsley and mix well.
5. Remove the pan from the stove and stir the whisked eggs and cooked rice into the mixture.
6. Spoon the filling into the hollow pumpkin.
7. Baste the outside of the pumpkin with olive oil, sprinkle cheese on top, and cook for 1 hour.
For a real wow effect, serve the pumpkin whole and cut it at the table so everyone can enjoy how great it tastes AND looks!
You can find the recipe for the Pumpkin Cheese Cake featured in the bonus video here.