Stuffed Pumpkin With Rice: Step-By-Step Recipe
Our incredible Stuffed Pumpkin with Rice recipe brings together warming spices, crunchy pumpkin seeds and tangy and sweet cranberries making it the most beautiful centrepiece for your dinner table!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Rice
- 1½ cup Vegetables
- 1½ kg Pumpkin
- 1 cup Cranberries
- ½ cup Pumpkin seeds
- 1½ tbsp Feta
- 1 tbsp Apricot jam
- ½ tbsp Paprika
- Oil
- Seasoning
Instructions
- Roast Pumpkin: To roast a pumpkin, preheat the oven to 375°F, 190°C or gas mark 5. Roast the pumpkin for 45 minutes, working your way outward. Without turning off the oven, remove the baking sheet and set aside. Keep the liquids that will have amassed inside the pumpkin.
- Mixture: Prepare the filling mixture while the pumpkin is cooking.
- Cook rice: Cook rice by putting it in a medium-sized pot with the stock, covering it, and bringing it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the apricot jam after turning the heat off.
- Cook onion: Large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil on the hob. Add the onion and garlic once it begins to soften. Cook over low heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring constantly. After adding, cook the spinach for approximately a minute, or until it has wilted. Eliminate the heat.
- Mix ingredients: Gather the cooked rice, spinach mixture, feta, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and seasonings together. Remember to add the pumpkin juice you set aside. Make any necessary seasoning adjustments after thoroughly mixing.
- Stuff pumpkin: Place the filling mixture inside the pumpkin and top with the "lid."
- Bake the stuffed pumpkin: Check with a fork to see if the pumpkin is soft after 30 minutes of rewarming. Five minutes after removing the dish from the oven, serve.
Notes
- Choose the right pumpkin: Look for a pumpkin that's about 8-10 inches in diameter and has a flat bottom, so it can sit upright in the oven. Sugar pumpkins, also known as pie pumpkins, are a good choice. Sugar pumpkins have dense, sweet pulp that's perfect for stuffing.
- Cook the rice first: Cook the rice in a separate utensil before stuffing it into the pumpkin. This way, you can control the texture and seasoning of the rice, and it will cook well in the pumpkin.
- Use flavourful ingredients: The stuffing is the star of this dish. So use flavourful ingredients like sautéed onions, garlic, herbs, and spices. It will enhance the flavour of the rice.
- Add some protein: To make the dish more filling, you can add some protein to the stuffing. Cooked sausage, ground beef, or chopped chicken are all great options.
- Don't overstuff the pumpkin: Be careful not to overstuff the pumpkin, or it may take longer to cook and the pumpkin may burst in the oven. Leave about 1 inch of space at the top of the pumpkin to allow for expansion.
- Cover the pumpkin: Cover the pumpkin with foil or a lid during the first half of the cooking time to prevent the rice from drying out. Remove the cover for the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow the top of the rice to brown and become crispy.
- Let it rest: Lastly, allow the pumpkin to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before cutting into it. This will allow the flavours to meld together and the rice to set, making it easier to serve.