Description
Miniature pumpkins are stuffed with quinoa, apples, onion, kale, pistachios, dried fruit, and parmesan. A festive meatless fall meal!
Ingredients
- 2 miniature pumpkins, uncooked
- 2 c chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 c uncooked quinoa
- Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 of a medium onion, roughly diced
- 1 medium apple, roughly diced
- 1 1/2 c kale, chopped with stems removed
- 1/2 tbsp. dried Rosemary
- 1/2 c dried fruit (craisins, raisins, cherries, diced apricot, or a mixture)
- 1/2 c chopped, shelled pistachios
- 1/2 c freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F.
- While the oven is preheating, you’ll steam your pumpkins. This will make it easier to cut them and clean the insides out. Add 2-3 inches of water to a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Bring the water to rolling boil over high heat. Sit your pumpkins down in the steamer basket and cover the pot with a lid. Steam with the lid on for 15-20 minutes, adding water to the pot as necessary. Remove the pumpkins and let cool on the counter.
- While the pumpkins are steaming, cook the quinoa. Start by rinsing the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. This will remove any bitterness. Add the quinoa, the chicken or vegetable stock, and several dashes of salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Put the lid on the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the quinoa can be fluffed with a fork.
- Once the pumpkins have cooled, cut the tops off and scoop out the seeds. You can save the seeds for roasting, if you like.
- Rub the insides of the pumpkins lightly with olive oil, and salt and pepper the insides. They are now ready for stuffing.
- To complete the quinoa stuffing mixture, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sautée until lightly browned and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add diced onion and apple and sautée 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add in chopped kale and stir until wilted. Stir in 2 cups of the cooked quinoa, 1-2 tablespoons more olive oil, and the rosemary. Salt and pepper liberally. Add in the dried fruit of your choice (I used a combination of golden raisins and craisins), as well as pistachios and parmesan cheese.
- Scoop the quinoa mixture into the hollowed out pumpkins, packing it down as you add. Pile the quinoa stuffing high — the more it’s overflowing, the prettier it will look! Place the top of the pumpkin atop the stuffing, and bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted.
Notes
Here are two ways to prep this ahead:
- Steam the pumpkins, scoop out the seeds, and cook the quinoa ahead (steps 1-4). Then when it’s time to cook and serve, you can pick up at step #5 above.
- Alternately, you can prep the pumpkins and prep the stuffing in advance. Then just refrigerate in an airtight container and when it’s time to cook and serve, you’ll only have step #7 remaining.
Keywords: vegetarian, pumpkin, quinoa, meatless
