Description
A cozy and festive fall recipe featuring whole roasted pumpkins stuffed with a savory blend of rice, Italian sausage, vegetables, and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for gatherings or a memorable weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 small pie pumpkins (about 2 pounds each)
- ½ pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups cooked long-grain rice
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash your pumpkins, slice off the tops, and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Set aside.
- In a skillet, cook the sausage until browned, breaking it into crumbles. Drain excess grease.
- Add mushrooms, onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for 6–8 minutes until softened.
- In a large bowl, combine sausage mixture, rice, ¾ cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt, and thyme. Mix well.
- Fill pumpkin shells with the mixture, pressing lightly. Leave space for the filling to expand.
- Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
- Bake uncovered for 50–55 minutes, until the pumpkins are tender when pierced.
- Cool slightly, then slice into wedges for serving.
Notes
Use small pie pumpkins for best results. If a pumpkin wobbles, slice a sliver off the bottom to stabilize it. Prepare the rice in advance to streamline prep time. Don’t overpack the filling—it should have space to expand.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pumpkin wedge
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 105mg