Description
Delicious stuffed mini pumpkins filled with quinoa and vegetables, perfect for a festive meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6 mini pumpkins
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- ¼ cup pecans, roughly chopped and whole for garnish
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp sage, chopped
- rosemary for garnish (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Prepare the Pumpkins:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cut the tops off the mini pumpkins and scoop out the seeds and pulp.
- Brush the insides with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt.
- Place the pumpkins on a baking sheet, cut side up, and roast for about 20-25 minutes or until tender.
-
Cook the Quinoa:
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water. Combine the quinoa and vegetable broth in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked and the broth is absorbed.
- Fluff with a fork and set aside.
-
Prepare the Filling:
- In a skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and spinach, cooking until the spinach wilts.
- Stir in the cooked quinoa, pecans, cranberries, and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
-
Stuff the Pumpkins:
- Fill each roasted pumpkin with the quinoa mixture.
- Top with whole pecans for garnish.
-
Final Bake:
- Return the stuffed pumpkins to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to heat through.
- Garnish with rosemary if desired and serve warm.
Notes
- Selection of Pumpkins: Choose pumpkins that are similar in size for uniform cooking.
- Variations: Feel free to add other vegetables such as bell peppers or mushrooms to the filling.
- Make Ahead: The quinoa mixture can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to stuff the pumpkins.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Vegetarian
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pumpkin
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg