Leftover Pumpkins? Stuff Them with “Everything Good” for a Cozy Dinner.

Your fall pumpkins can travel from the doorstep to the dinner table, filled with delicious stuffings for a cozy course to share with friends and family.

The original Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good recipe comes from the incredible Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook, Around My French Table. She got the recipe from friends in France who grow pumpkins, then adapted it to suit her own tastes. Following her lead, I’ve changed the recipe over the years, and I’m sharing my favorite version below. Use my recipe and Dorie’s as guidelines, adding or leaving out ingredients to suit your tastes. Every pumpkin is different, so you may need to adjust the quantities to fit yours.

Wash the outside of your pumpkin well. Then use a large chef’s knife to cut out the top as you would for a jack-o’-lantern, making the opening a little wider so the pumpkin is easier to fill. Use a large metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy fibers, scraping the inside walls until they’re smooth and clean. Set the lid aside; you’ll use it to cover the pumpkin while it bakes. {Save the seeds for roasting. They make a delicious snack!}

Splendid Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
Serves 4 to 6

• 1 pumpkin or squash, about 4 pounds
• 8 ounces baby spinach, washed
• One 6-ounce box Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing Mix
• 1½ cups water
• ¼ pound cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, grated
• 4 garlic cloves, or to taste, split and coarsely chopped
• 5 ounces cubed pancetta, sautéed {optional}
• 6 scallions, white parts and 3 inches of the green, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• Freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper, to taste
• ⅓ cup heavy cream

Preparation

Position an oven rack so the pumpkin will fit, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Set the pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, in a Dutch oven, or on a paella pan {as I did}. Season the inside of the pumpkin with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the stuffing mix into a large mixing bowl, add 1½ cups water, and stir until the water is absorbed. Add the spinach, grated cheese, garlic, pancetta, scallions, capers, thyme, parsley and nutmeg and toss everything together.

Spoon the stuffing into the pumpkin and pack it in firmly. The spinach will wilt as it bakes, so it’s fine to fill the pumpkin generously. Since pumpkin sizes vary, you may end up with a little too much stuffing or not quite enough. You can bake any leftover stuffing in a small buttered dish alongside the pumpkin.

Next, drizzle the heavy cream evenly over the stuffing. Give it a moment to trickle down and moisten all the ingredients. If the cream starts to pool on top, gently lift the spinach leaves with a fork to help it seep through.

Put the lid back on the pumpkin and slide it into the preheated 350°F oven. Bake for about 2 hours, until the filling is bubbly and the pumpkin flesh is tender enough to pierce easily with the tip of a knife. If the skin starts to darken, tent it loosely with a sheet of foil.

Here’s a tip from Dorie that I haven’t tried myself but would recommend: “Because the pumpkin will have exuded liquid, I like to remove the cap during the last 20 minutes or so, so that the liquid can bake away and the top of the stuffing can brown a little.”

When the pumpkin is cooked through and the filling is bubbling, carefully take it out of the oven. Let it rest for about 15 minutes so it can cool slightly and the filling can settle. {This is the perfect time to bring the whole pumpkin to the table. It makes a stunning centerpiece!} To serve, use a large spoon to scoop out some filling and tender pumpkin together, or cut the pumpkin into wedges so everyone gets a slice with stuffing on top.

This dish is so versatile! I served it with homemade tomato soup on Halloween night, and it would be just as lovely as a side dish next to a Thanksgiving turkey or holiday ham. Leftovers make a wonderful brunch topped with poached eggs. And if you leave out the pancetta, it becomes a hearty vegetarian main dish.

I hope this pumpkin finds its way from your doorstep to your table, and that it brings everyone together for a cozy meal this season. If you make your own version, I’d love to hear what you stuffed yours with. {Tag me on Instagram so I can see!}