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A bowl of rice mixed with ground meat, topped with bright yellow flower petals and garnished with sprigs of rosemary. The bowl is placed on a green checkered cloth with a gold spoon beside it, and additional rosemary sprigs are on the table.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Dinner in a Pumpkin is a hearty casserole cooked right inside a pumpkin! Perfect for serving on Halloween night before the kids go trick-or-treating.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 8
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pumpkin medium
  • 1 onion small, diced
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced (canned mushrooms also work)
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 8 ounces water chestnuts
  • salt and pepper
  • 10 ounces cream of chicken soup
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 4 cups cooked rice white or brown

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Thoroughly wash and dry the outside of the pumpkin. Cut the top off the pumpkin and clean out the pulp and seeds. Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet. Save the top.
    A top-down view of a large, hollowed-out pumpkin with its top removed, exposing the inner cavity. The orange exterior of the pumpkin is visible, along with another smaller pumpkin partially in the frame on the right side.
  2. Step 2: In a large skillet, sauté onion, celery, mushrooms, and garlic in butter. Add ground beef, sage, and thyme and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the beef. Add salt, pepper, and water chestnuts.
    Cooked ground beef mixed with diced onions and green bell peppers, spread evenly across a surface, showcasing the texture and ingredients. The beef is browned, and the vegetables are softened, blending well together.
  3. Step 3: In a large bowl, mix soup, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce.
    A close-up view of a bowl containing thick, caramel-colored batter or sauce. The mixture has a smooth texture with some small lumps and air bubbles visible on the surface. The bowl is transparent, allowing visibility of the mixture's consistency.
  4. Step 4: Add ground beef mixture and cooked rice to the bowl. Mix until everything is evenly coated with sauce. Empty bowl into the cleaned out pumpkin and replace pumpkin top. Bake for 1 hour on the lower rack of the oven, or on the rack where the pumpkin can be most centered in the oven.
    A close-up of a halved pumpkin filled with a savory mixture of cooked rice, ground meat, and diced vegetables. The blend of ingredients inside the pumpkin appears to be a hearty, autumn-inspired dish.
  5. Step 5: After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the top and check the sides of the pumpkin for doneness. The outside of the pumpkin will turn a dark orange, and the inside of the pumpkin should be tender and easily scoop off the sides with a spoon.
    A whole pumpkin with its top cut off is placed on a foil-lined baking tray. The pumpkin has a smooth, orange skin and its hollow interior is not visible. The background consists of a white tiled wall.
  6. Step 6: If the inside of the pumpkin is still not fully cooked, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin. Sometimes I've cooked the pumpkin as long as an hour and a half before it is ready.
    A close-up of a person holding a spoonful of rice mixed with chopped vegetables and herbs. Below, a white bowl is filled with the same rice mixture, garnished with rosemary sprigs. In the background, there are two pumpkins, one plain and one with a checkered pattern.
  7. Step 7: Using hot pads, place the pumpkin onto a serving plate, remove the lid, and stir. Be sure to scoop off chunks of cooked pumpkin into the casserole as it is served. That's the best part!
    A white bowl filled with rice mixed with herbs and topped with orange flower petals is placed on a white surface. Fresh rosemary sprigs are beside the bowl, and a gold spoon rests on a green checkered cloth. Decor elements include checkered fabric pumpkins.

Notes

Don’t throw away the seeds when you clean out your pumpkin! You can turn them into a yummy treat as well! Pumpkin seeds are packed with magnesium, protein, and zinc. You can toss them with butter and salt and roast them in the oven, or for more flavor, you can season them. This Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds recipe is my favorite!