Can I substitute ground beef?

Yes! Ground turkey, chicken, or even sausage work beautifully.

Do you eat the pumpkin skin?

With mini pumpkins, the skin softens enough to eat—but some people prefer just scooping out the filling and flesh. Totally up to you.

How do I store leftovers?

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.

Can I freeze stuffed mini pumpkins?

Yes, but the texture softens quite a bit. I recommend enjoying them fresh if possible.

Stuffed Mini Pumpkins: 5 Irresistible Fall Delights

Description

These stuffed mini pumpkins are cozy, flavorful, and perfect for fall! With savory beef, warm spices, and tender pumpkin, they make a show-stopping dinner or holiday side dish that’s secretly simple to prepare.

Ingredients

Scale

8–10 mini pumpkins (Jack Be Little variety preferred)
1 lb ground beef (80/20 chuck recommended)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil (plus 2 tbsp for greasing and brushing)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp ginger + ¼ tsp cloves)
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped (or 1–2 tbsp Italian seasoning)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Preheat oven: Preheat to 400°F (200°C).
Prep pumpkins: Rinse, dry, slice tops off, and scoop out seeds and pulp.
Sauté aromatics: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook 3–5 minutes until fragrant.
Mix stuffing: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, pumpkin puree, sautéed onion and garlic, pumpkin pie spice, herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until blended.
Assemble: Grease casserole dish or skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil. Place pumpkins inside. Brush pumpkins with oil, season with salt and pepper, then fill each with beef mixture. Replace tops and brush with more oil.
Roast: Bake 30–35 minutes until pumpkins are tender and filling is cooked through. Serve warm.

Notes

If pumpkins wobble, trim a thin slice off the bottoms to help them sit flat.
Swap beef for ground turkey, chicken, or sausage.
For a vegetarian version, substitute cooked quinoa, lentils, or black beans.
Add cheese on top before roasting for an extra indulgent twist.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dinner, Holiday
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 stuffed pumpkin
Calories: 285 kcal
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 380 mg
Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 17 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 18 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg