Stuffed Pumpkin With Aromatic Rice Recipe

With fall comes cooler days, changing leaves, and stores brimming with pumpkins of all varieties. But as you shop for these colorful squash, know that there are so many uses for the mighty pumpkin beyond jack-o-lanterns and pie! This stuffed pumpkin with aromatic rice recipe, courtesy of recipe developer Julie Kinnaird, demonstrates how to use the pumpkin as both an ingredient and a vessel for a hearty rice and pork dish that's perfect for autumn.

This "one-pot" dinner is both festive and unexpectedly flavorful. Kinnaird uses brown basmati rice for its sturdy grain and fragrant, nutty character. The ground pork gets an umami boost from a combination of soy sauce and brown sugar, while basil and shishito peppers offer a kick of freshness and heat. 

Selecting a suitable squash is key to the success of this crowd-pleasing meal, so be sure you know how to choose a pumpkin that won't rot too quickly before getting started. Next, you'll need a few tools to prepare your pumpkin for baking. A heavy, well sharpened chef's knife is best for carving out a lid for your pumpkin pot, and a good old-fashioned ice cream scoop works wonders for cleaning out all the guts and seeds. There's no waste in this recipe — the fleshy inner walls of the shell will soften during baking and become a sweet and nutritious component of the aromatic rice stuffing.

Brown basmati rice and ground pork form the base of the pumpkin stuffing, along with yellow onion, shishito peppers, ginger, and garlic — all sauteed in vegetable oil. Water chestnuts and raw cashews add sweetness and crunch. Brown sugar, soy sauce, and coconut milk lend creamy and savory richness, while fresh basil gives an intensely herbal, aromatic finish.

Cut off the top of the pumpkin and thoroughly clean out the seeds and pulp.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Bring the water, salt, and rice to a boil in a large pot.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the rice simmer.

Cook the rice for about 35 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork.

While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or saute pan over medium-high heat.

Add the onion, peppers, ginger, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

Add the ground pork to the pan, breaking it up into small pieces and cooking until no longer pink.

Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and coconut milk to the pan, stirring to combine. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes over low heat.

Stir in the cooked rice, water chestnuts, cashews, and 1 ½ cups basil leaves.

Spoon the rice mixture into the cleaned pumpkin shell.

Transfer the filled pumpkin to a parchment-lined baking sheet and replace the pumpkin lid. 

Place the baking sheet in the oven, adjusting racks as needed.

Bake the pumpkin for 1 hour until the shell is tender and the filling is heated through.

Remove from oven and transfer to a platter.

Serve the pumpkin filling in bowls, mixing in a bit of the pumpkin flesh from inside the shell.

Garnish each serving with remaining sliced basil, and enjoy right away.

This recipe's key ingredients — rice, ground meat, and aromatic vegetables — can easily be modified to suit your taste preferences. Any flavorful long-grain rice will work well in place of brown basmati; just be sure to cook your chosen variety according to the package directions. Ground beef, chicken, or turkey will work in place of the pork, and different types of peppers with varying levels of heat can fill in for the shishitos (take care when working with extra spicy varieties!).

Cilantro or shiso leaf would be tasty in place of or in addition to the fresh basil. While cashew nuts are Kinnaird's favorite for this recipe because of their meaty texture and touch of sweetness, she says pine nuts would also add an interesting flavor dimension. Want to keep the dish nut-free? Try using shelled edamame in place of the cashews.

This recipe is versatile as an all-in-one main course but is also a great addition to a seasonal buffet. If you find yourself with leftovers at the bottom of the pumpkin, it is important to promptly remove them from the shell and store them in a separate container in the refrigerator. This is because the pumpkin will start to release liquid from its flesh once the filling is depleted. 

Fortunately, there's no need to waste any of the cooked pumpkin flesh. Before transferring your rice to a container, scrape out any remaining pumpkin flesh, mix it into the rice, and then toss the shell into a compost bin. When you're ready to eat, reheat the leftover rice in a microwave-safe container or wrap in foil and heat in a conventional oven at 375 F. The stuffing will keep well for about 3 days in the fridge.