Holiday Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe

Holiday Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe

Holiday Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe – Vegan and Vegetarian 

The week before Christmas, I picked up a gorgeous Winter Luxury Pumpkin from Swanton Berry Farms, just north of Santa Cruz, California. I was excited to turn this into a beautiful centerpiece that would also make a delicious and nutritious plant-based main dish for the holiday celebration. I chose 3 different kinds of mushrooms from the Far West Fungi Santa Cruz store to include: chantarelle, tree oyster and maitake. Yum! Then I harvested a bunch of kale from my garden the day before cooking.

The stuffing can be made the day before serving. The pumpkin should be baked the day of your celebration, and the stuffing can be reheated inside the pumpkin.

For the stuffing, I made a pot of quinoa flavored with shallots, vegetable broth and white wine. Your favorite grain or mix of grains, such as wild rice, can be used instead of quinoa. Cook the kale (or any mix of your favorite winter greens) down with a splash of lemon juice and salt to taste.

Sweat the mushrooms and then add olive oil when most of the moisture has been cooked out. Add some minced garlic and remove from heat as soon as garlic begins to turn golden. Mix the cooked grains together with the mushrooms and greens, then fill the baked pumpkin with the mixture.

 

Check out the full ingredient list and recipe below:

Vegan Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 pound pumpkin 
• 2 cups quinoa (uncooked)
• 3 cups fresh mushrooms
• 1 bunch kale
• 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 large shallot
• 2 large garlic cloves
• half of a lemon
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• sprig of fresh thyme

Directions:

Prepare the stuffing in advance (up to one day before serving).

• Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and cook diced shallot in olive oil. Add quinoa, water, wine and vegetable broth. Add sprig of fresh thyme. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. 
• Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the thinly sliced kale. Squeeze juice of half lemon over kale and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tender.
• Add diced mushrooms to a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until most of the moisture has cooked out. Then add olive oil and minced garlic. Cook until garlic starts to turn golden then remove from heat.
• Mix the cooked quinoa, kale and mushrooms together so the ingredients are distributed evenly. These can be stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to stuff your pumpkin.

Prepare the pumpkin the day it will be served.

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
• Cut a lid on the top of your pumpkin and remove the seeds (these can be saved for roasting or planting)
• Rub olive oil on the inside of the pumpkin and lay both halves upside down on a baking sheet
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender
• Remove from oven and carefully fill with the quinoa mixture
• Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the stuffing is warmed through
• Serve with a sturdy scoop so you can enjoy both the stuffing and the baked pumpkin. Enjoy!