So this year for my Thanksgiving dinner, I decorated the table with white mini pumpkins (5-6″ size). I then used them for decorating the doorway at Halloween. They were super cute, but were destined for the garbage. So a quick Google later, and I found out you can eat all those mini pumpkins, the white, orange, mini and super tiny! Both the Hubby and I were skeptical as to the taste, but I felt bad just tossing them. At first I was just going to do them the way I do my butternut squash (olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and seasoning), but after Hubby cut the tops off and scooped them clean, I realized I could do stuffed mini pumpkins instead. They actually have a huge interior space, perfect for filling with goodness. I threw together a low carb stuffing with what I had in the fridge, topped it with cheese, and hoped for the best.
They were delicious! Both the Hubby and I love a savoury squash and with all the bacon and sausage, it melded into a concoction worthy of serving to guests.
So if you’ve always wondered if those sacks of mini pumpkins you bought to decorate the house with, were actually edible? Yes. Most definitely, yes! They lose most of the pumpkin flavour and end up being a really nice squash.
Serve fresh from the oven, the pulp of the pumpkin can be easily scraped from the rind with a fork.
Stuffed Mini Pumpkins
Ingredients
- 4 mini pumpkins 5-6"
- 4-5 pieces of thick cut bacon sliced into 1/2" pieces
- 1 onion chopped small
- 3 small Thai red chilies minced
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 6 slender asparagus
- 3 small roma tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
- 1 pack mild Italian sausages
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated mozzarela
- 1 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Cut the top 1" or so off of the pumpkin. It may look like its solid, just take a scoop out of the center until you reach the seeds. Remove the seeds and fibers from each.
- Render the bacon pieces in a frying pan, frying until crisp.
- Use a slotted spoon and remove from the pan, placing into a large bowl.
- Add the onion, chilies, caraway seeds, cumin, and mustard seeds to the bacon fat, season with salt and pepper, sauteing until the onion turns soft.
- Remove from the pan and add to the bowl.
- Add the sausages, cut small or removed from the casings completely, and fry until browned.
- Remove from the pan and add to the bowl.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil if needed to the pan.
- Chop the asparagus spears and tomatoes into small pieces, and add to the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Saute for just a few minutes, then add to the bowl.
- Give the ingredients a sprinkling of Mrs. Dash and add the oregano and cheeses.
- Tin foil line a baking sheet.
- Form a ring from tinfoil to hold each pumpkin.
- Mix the ingredients and scoop into the pumpkins, feel free to scoop to overfilling.
- Top with a sprinkle more cheese.
- Bake at 350°F for one hour.
