This Stuffed Pumpkin is filled with a savory blend of rice, veggies, and cranberries then topped with cheese and baked until the pumpkin is perfectly tender and the cheese is melty. Plus, these stuffed veggies are naturally vegetarian and gluten-free. So make the most of pumpkin season this year and serve it as a main dish for dinner or as a festive side for your holiday meals.

There’s something so special about this time of year when the weather changes and the fall crops start making their way to the table. It’s the perfect excuse to get creative with seasonal favorites like pumpkins. These stuffed pumpkins are an extra-special seasonal touch that really stands out from the standard casseroles and roasts. Serve them as a meatless main course with Roasted Butternut Squash Soup or Winter Kale Salad, or offer them as a filling (and adorable) side dish at your Thanksgiving table or fall gathering!
Why You'll Love This Stuffed Pumpkin
- Vegetarian main dish. Stuffed pumpkin is a great vegetarian main course to serve at Thanksgiving (or any fall night!). Thanks to the rice, veggies, and tender roasted pumpkin, these stuffed pumpkins are hearty and filling enough that even the turkey lovers at your table won't miss the meat!
- Delicious fall flavors. From the sweet pumpkin and cranberries to the savory veggies and spices, every bite is a perfect blend of comforting seasonal flavors. It's like capturing the essence of autumn in a dish. This is pure comfort food!
- Festive presentation. Serving these perfect little pumpkins whole makes for such a fun and impressive display on your dinner table! It’s the kind of dish that gets everyone excited before they've even taken a bite!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Stuffed Pumpkin, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- pumpkin - I recommend using smaller sugar pumpkins, which are more flavorful, have a meaty texture, and cook faster than larger pumpkins. These are traditionally use for pumpkin pie, but they work great for roasting.
- avocado oil - or olive oil.
- veggies - while the pumpkin is roasting, prep the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and sliced crimini mushrooms.
- basmati rice - long grain rice stays nice and fluffy, helping to keep the filling from becoming too dense or mushy. You can also use a long grain brown rice, if you prefer.
- dried cranberries - for a burst of sweetness.
- seasonings - you only need a little salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- vegetable stock or water
- roasted pumpkin seeds - adds a nice crunch to contrast the soft filling.
- shredded cheese - use mozzarella or substitute with another good melting cheese, like Swiss or Gruyère cheese.
- parsley - this is optional (for garnish), but the fresh flavor makes the hearty filling pop.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a sheet pan, pumpkin carving knife, fork, cutting board, a very sturdy knife, a large pot, and a large spoon.
How to Make the Best Stuffed Pumpkin
First, roast the pumpkin.
- Prep pumpkin. Cut the top of the pumpkin off with a pumpkin carving knife and scoop out the seeds.
- Bake. Place the pumpkin (with the lid on) onto a baking sheet. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until soft. Insert a fork to check doneness. If it's fork tender, it's ready.
Next, make the filling.
- Sauté aromatics. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1-2 minutes. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add mushrooms. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened a bit.
- Add rice and seasoning. Add rice, dried cranberries, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir well until evenly combined.
- Simmer with stock. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover the lid. Simmer until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Add seeds. Stir in pumpkin seeds and set aside.
Finally, let’s assemble and bake.
- Add filling. Transfer the rice-veggie filling into the hollowed-out pumpkin. Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake. Return the stuffed pumpkin to the oven and bake until the melted cheese turns golden brown, about 10 minutes. You can also broil on HI until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve. Garnish the cheese-stuffed pumpkin with parsley and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Try different squashes. Instead of a sugar pie pumpkin, try other types of pumpkins or squashes, like delicata squash, acorn squash, butternut squash, etc. Smaller pumpkins tend to work best.
- Add protein. While this recipe works well as a vegetarian main course, feel free to add in some cooked ground turkey or sausage if you prefer.
- Make it vegan. For a completely plant-based version, skip the cheese or substitute with your favorite vegan cheese alternative.
- Load up on veggies. The rice stuffing mixture would also be great with baby spinach or kale or little pieces of diced sweet potatoes to play up the natural sweetness of the squash.
- Serve with a pumpkin lid. For an extra touch, roast the tops of the pumpkins (with the vines intact as a handle), then set them on top of each pumpkin before serving.
How to Serve
This Stuffed Pumpkin is delicious and filling served on its own, or pair it with some of my favorite fall sides including:
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Potato Leek Soup
- Cornbread Muffins
- Spinach Salad
For more recipes, see our 50 Best Fall Side Dishes.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Season well. Since the flesh of the pumpkin will be eaten straight out of the skin, it's really important to infuse that with flavor. Even if you just sprinkle it with a little salt before baking, it will bring out a lot of flavor.
- Prep the night before. If serving this stuffed baked pumpkin at a holiday meal or dinner party, it can be a big help to prep as much as possible the day before. Get the pumpkins ready to bake, then chill in the fridge overnight. The next day, bake like normal and serve.
- Simplify clean-up. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Once cooled to room temperature, store any leftover roasted stuffed pumpkin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you have leftover filling, you can also store it separately in a sealed container.
How to Reheat
If frozen, place pumpkins in the fridge overnight to thaw when ready to reheat. Then, bake pumpkins on a baking tray in a 375 F preheated oven for 15-30 minutes until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Allow it to cool completely, then wrap each small pumpkin tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap before placing it in a freezer-safe container or bag. The stuffed pumpkins can be frozen for up to 1 month. Note: the texture of the pumpkin meat and filling may be a little mushier after freezing. The best way to enjoy this recipe is always fresh out of the oven!
FAQ
Yes, but the texture of the rice and the pumpkin may soften and turn a little mushy after thawing and reheating. For the best presentation and flavor, serve the stuffed pumpkin straight from the oven.
You can really stuff any type of pumpkin or winter squash. The goal is to choose a pumpkin or squash that isn't too large, which is why I like to use pie pumpkins. They tend to be just a few pounds each and have a wonderful, meaty texture that works very well in this recipe. Other great options include delicata squash, Red Kuri, acorn squash, etc.
Technically, yes, you can eat the pumpkin skin as it is edible. However, it tends to be firm and papery, making it hard to chew. Personally, I scoop out the filling and a little of the roasted pumpkin flesh and don't eat the skin.
More Savory Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Soup
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
- Pumpkin Chickpea Curry
- Pumpkin Cornbread
- Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup
- Pumpkin Pancakes
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Recipe
Stuffed Pumpkin
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Stuffed Pumpkin is filled with a savory blend of rice, veggies, and cranberries then topped with cheese and baked until the pumpkin is perfectly tender and the cheese is melty. Plus, these stuffed veggies are naturally vegetarian and gluten-free. So make the most of pumpkin season this year and serve it as a main dish for dinner or as a festive side for your holiday meals.
Ingredients
- 1 medium pumpkin, about 6 inches tall
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 small carrots, sliced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 1 cup crimini (brown) mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup basmati rice, uncooked, rinsed well and drained
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cup vegetable stock (or water)
- ¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
Roast the pumpkin:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Cut the top part off the pumpkin with a pumpkin carving knife and scoop out the seeds.
- Place the pumpkin (with the lid on) onto a baking sheet. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until soft. Insert a fork to check doneness. If it's fork tender, it's ready.
Make the filling:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1-2 minutes. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened a bit.
- Add rice, dried cranberries, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir well until evenly combined.
- Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover the lid. Simmer until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in pumpkin seeds and set aside.
Assemble and bake:
- Transfer the rice-veggie filling into the hollowed-out pumpkin. Top with shredded cheese.
- Return the stuffed pumpkin in the oven and bake until the melted cheese turns golden brown, about 10 minutes. You can also broil on HI until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
How to store: Once cooled to room temperature, store any leftover roasted stuffed pumpkin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you have leftover filling, you can also store it separately in a sealed container.
How to reheat: If frozen, place pumpkins in the fridge overnight to thaw when ready to reheat. Then, bake pumpkins on a baking tray in a 375 F preheated oven for 15-30 minutes until warmed through.
How to freeze: Allow it to cool completely, then wrap each small pumpkin tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap before placing it in a freezer-safe container or bag. The stuffed pumpkins can be frozen for up to 1 month. Note: the texture of the pumpkin meat and filling may be a little mushier after freezing. The best way to enjoy this recipe is always fresh out of the oven!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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