About This Sweet and Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe

It’s that time of year again when pumpkins are starting to line the shelves at the grocery store. This year, don’t just carve a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern. Try something new by making this sweet and spicy quinoa stuffed pumpkin instead!

Stuffed pumpkins make such a beautiful and festive centerpiece for your autumn table. And they’re actually really easy to make, too. I think stuffed pumpkins are the perfect example of how food can be both beautiful and delicious. When something tastes as good as it looks, that’s just a real bonus in my eyes!

In this recipe, I have stuffed the pumpkin with a quinoa filling, but you could use whatever you like. The quinoa stuffing is packed with flavor from the spices, currants, and fresh herbs, and the pumpkin makes for a perfect vessel for this mixture. It’s deliciously tender and creamy and offers a healthy way to enjoy the flavors of fall.

Whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving or just looking for a tasty autumn dish, this quinoa stuffed pumpkin will win you over!

What You Need for This Sweet and Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe

Ingredient Notes

• Pumpkin: I have used butternut squash; that’s a little bit sweeter than other types of pumpkin.
• Quinoa: I like to use tri-color quinoa, which is made of a mix of white, black, and red quinoa seeds. It’s more flavorful and has more texture than just regular white quinoa and has a nice nutty flavor.
• Shallot: I like to use shallot in this recipe because it has a delicate and sweet flavor with a hint of sharpness.
• Spices: I like to use simple seasonings such as nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes to add a little bit of heat.
• Thyme: I like to use fresh thyme because it releases more aroma and flavor into the stuffing.
• Currants: They work perfectly in this recipe and help balance out the savory and sweet flavor.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Currants: They can be substituted with raisins, chopped dried prunes, pitted dates, or cranberries.
• Thyme: I like to use fresh thyme in this recipe because it makes the filling more flavourful and aromatic, but you can also use dried thyme or other herbs such as parsley, mint, or coriander.
• Shallot: If you can’t find shallot, you can also use yellow onion or chives.

FAQs

Can I make this sweet and spicy quinoa stuffed pumpkin in advance?

Yes. You can prepare the stuffing 2-3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can even cook the entire pumpkin one day in advance and keep it in the fridge. Before serving it, just warm it up in the oven for a few minutes.

What can I serve with this sweet and spicy quinoa stuffed pumpkin?

The dish is a complete meal by itself, but you can also serve it with soup, a side salad, or meat dishes.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Sweet and Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Pumpkin

Author: Ribana Hategan

Cooking Method: Baking

Cuisine: American

Courses: Main Course

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 50 min Total Time 1 hr

Description

This sweet and spicy quinoa stuffed pumpkin is an all-in-one meal that’s bursting with delicious fall flavors.

Yield: 2 servings 

Ingredients

Servings

• 2 medium-sized pumpkins

For the filling:

• 185 g / 6.5 oz. / 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• A handful of dried currants
• Pumpkin flesh, grated (what you scoop out to make room for the filling)
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
• Sea salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• A pinch of ground nutmeg
• Chili flakes, to taste
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To serve (optional):

• Fresh thyme
• Pumpkin seeds
• Pine nuts
• Extra virgin olive oil

How To Make Sweet and Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Pumpkin Step By Step

1. Preheat the oven to 200℃ / 392℉ and use baking paper to line a baking dish.

   

2. Cut the pumpkin in half and then scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh so you have enough space for the quinoa filling.

   

3. Grate the scoops-out pumpkin flesh and mix it with the cooked quinoa, finely chopped shallot, fresh thyme, dried currants, chili flakes, and half of the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt, ground nutmeg, and black pepper, and mix well.

   

4. Place the pumpkin halves in the baking dish and fill them with the quinoa mixture, gently pressing it in. You can place the pumpkin halves next to each other so they won’t tip over.

   

5. Drizzle the other half of the extra virgin olive oil on top along with some black pepper and use aluminum foil to cover the pumpkin halves. You don’t need to seal the pumpkins with aluminum foil, but make sure it covers the tops and sides to help prevent the quinoa filling from drying out.

   

6. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the pumpkins are tender. Top it up with some more fresh thyme, pumpkin seeds, and pine nuts if you wish, and serve!

   

Note

• To remove the pumpkin flesh, you can use a tablespoon or an ice cream scoop.
• The filling is very versatile, so you can also add more vegetables or even meat such as minced chicken, pork, or beef.