Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

You’re going to LOVE these Stuffed Mini Pumpkins. They’re adorable, delicious, easy to make and a favorite at the Thanksgiving table!

Looking for a delicious plant based show stopper? Stuffed Mini Pumpkins are your answer. They’re such a simple dish to whip up but they’re loaded with flavor!  The farro is delightfully chewy, the pumpkin flesh and dried cranberries are deliciously sweet and a host of other vegetables provide a riot of flavor. These Stuffed Mini Pumpkins are such a fun dish for the Thanksgiving table, they’re so pretty they double as decoration!

What’s in these Mini Stuffed Pumpkins?

I used FARRO as the grain which provides such a lovely nutty and earthy flavor and a chewy texture, then boosted the nuttiness with some roughly chopped cashews.

The vegetable base comes from sauteed onion, garlic and celery splashed with white wine and sprinkled with Herbes de Provence. Once the farro is cooked it’s added to the onion mixture along with some balsamic vinegar, black pepper, baby kale, dried cranberries, the nuts, fresh herbs and shiitake mushrooms. YUM.

What can I substitute?

1. If you don’t have farro, you could use rice (white, brown or wild) or quinoa.
2. Instead of baby kale you could use spinach or Swiss chard.
3. Don’t have Herbes de Provence? no problem, try dried oregano, parsley or savory seasoning.
4. I used fresh thyme and parsley but you can switch in your favorite herbs
5. Don’t like mushrooms? Just leave them out:)
6. You could use walnuts or pecans instead of cashews.

Can I make them in advance?

YES! Make your life easier on Thanksgiving Day by preparing these little beauties in advance. They keep happily in the fridge for at least 3 days. Just cover and warm up in the oven for 20 minutes or so before serving. Drizzle a little extra balsamic over them for an extra boost just before they go to the table.

Are mini pumpkins really edible?

Yes! so often we use them for ornamental purposes but they’re really sweet and delicious when roasted. Both orange and white mini pumpkins are edible.

What equipment do I need to make this dish?

A large non stick saute pan. If you’re looking for a good one try this Stone Earth pan by Ozeri. I like it because it’s 100% free of any nasty chemicals you can so easily find in some non stick pans.

An oven proof dish with a lid. This beautiful Le Creuset Braiser would be perfect! Pricey I know but it will last you a lifetime!  If that’s a bit a of stretch try this braiser which is also very nice:)

Did I mention these are insanely good for you?

Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

Print Recipe

Mini Stuffed Pumpkins. The most adorably delicious Fall side.

• Author: The Well Fed Yogi
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: vegan, side, Thanksgiving, Fall
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

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6 mini pumpkins,

1 cup farro

3/4 cup vegetable stock

Further 4–5 tablespoons vegetable stock

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 sticks celery, diced

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1 cup dry white wine

1 packet shiitake mushrooms (sliced)

3 cups roughly chopped baby kale

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup roughly chopped nuts (cashews, walnuts or pecans)

1 cup dried cranberries

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F
2. Slice the tops off the mini pumpkins and scoop out the seeds. Place the pumpkins in an oven proof dish and brush them inside and out with a little vegetable stock. Pour 3/4 cup vegetable stock around the little pumpkins. Cover and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Cook the farro or your desired grain as per the packets instructions.
4. Heat 4-5 tablespoons vegetable stock in a large frying pan, add the diced onion and cook on medium heat for approximately 5-7 minutes or until translucent.
5. Add the celery, garlic, Herbes de Provence, thyme, parsley, shiitake mushrooms if using, kale and white wine. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add a little more stock if the mixture becomes dry.
6. When the farro is cooked, drain it well and add it to the onion mixture. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, sprinkle in the nuts and dried cranberries.
7. Stuff the pumpkins with the onion mixture, add another 1 cup of vegetable stock around the pumpkins in the pan if it’s dry, cover and return to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pumpkins are soft. Serve warm.

Other posts you may like!

Thanksgiving Apple and Herb Stuffing

Apple and Pear Sauce

If you’ve whipped up these Stuffed Mini Pumpkins or any other recipe on The Well Fed Yogi, please do rate the recipe and leave me a comment below, I would love to hear from you! If you snapped some shots of the dish, please do share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

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