Dinner in a Pumpkin

Dinner in a Pumpkin

casserole cooked in a pumpkin

Recipe by
Reviewed by Arturs Arnicans
Prep Time: 30m
Cook Time: 1h 30m
Total Time: 2h
Temp.: 375 °F
Servings: 12
Difficulty: Easy
4.8 (13 Reviews)
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Ingredients

Adjust servings:

Nutritional Information

447
Calories
21g
Fat
45g
Carbohydrates
20g
Protein
67mg
Cholesterol
594mg
Sodium
Dinner in a Pumpkin

Recipe Description

Dinner in a Pumpkin has become a halloween tradition in the Mathuse household. After trick or treating, we come home and tuck into this hearty casserole which cooks right inside a pumpkin as we go to scare the neighbours! My kids look forward to it and know that they can’t eat any of their Halloween candy until they’ve eaten their pumpkin dinner first.

This is super easy to prep too. Simply make a filling from ground beef, onions, mushrooms and walnuts. Mix it together with a can of soup, sugar, soy sauce and rice. Bake in the oven for 90 minutes while the kids are out trick or treating in the neighbourhood!

To make Dinner in a Pumpkin, you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients for Dinner in a Pumpkin

Recipe Features

No specific features for this recipe

Steps to make

  1. 1

    Heat the oven and prepare a baking sheet

    5 min
    Step 1 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

  2. 2

    Prepare the pumpkin

    5 min
    Step 2 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet. Slice the top off the pumpkin and clean out the pulp and seeds. Save the lid.

  3. 3

    Saute the onion and mushrooms

    5 min
    Step 3 - Dinner in a PumpkinStep 3 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and mushrooms in oil.

  4. 4

    Add the beef and walnuts

    5 min
    Step 4 - Dinner in a PumpkinStep 4 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Add beef and cook until browned. Drain the grease from the pan. Add walnuts and season to taste with salt and pepper.

  5. 5

    Prepare the filling

    2 min
    Step 5 - Dinner in a PumpkinStep 5 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Mix the soup, sugar, and soy sauce together in a large bowl. Add the cooked beef mixture and cooked rice.

  6. 6

    Fill the pumpkin

    3 min
    Step 6 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Empty the contents of the bowl into the hollowed out pumpkin and replace the lid.

  7. 7

    Bake

    90 min
    Step 7 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Place the pumpkin in the center of the oven and bake for one hour and 30 minutes.

  8. 8

    Check

    Step 8 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Remove the lid of the pumpkin and check that the outside of the pumpkin is a dark orange with tender flesh that can easily be scooped off the sides with a spoon. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes if it’s not fully cooked.

  9. 9

    Serve

    Step 9 - Dinner in a Pumpkin

    Place the pumpkin on a serving plate. Stir and scoop off chunks of pumpkin into the casserole to serve.

Dinner in a Pumpkin is a perfect family meal for Halloween. It’s super wholesome and the kids love it too! Please remember to tag #CookMeRecipes if you take pics of your dinner in a pumpkin this Halloween!

About the author

Lilly Mathuse

Lilly is an enthusiastic and cheerful young mom. She knows as well as any parent that children can be really picky when it comes to food. And she’s had plenty of experience trying to cook meals that are both tasty and nutritious, and able to satisfy the tastes of a fussy kid right away! To save you some precious time, Lilly's going to share with you all the tricks she learned the hard way, so you don’t have to! She has a wealth of recipes for quick and easy meals for kids and families on a budget.

Recipe Reviews

Have you made this recipe? Share your experience and help other cooks!

★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8 out of 5 (13 reviews)
Isaac
November 5, 2024
Verified

Awesome

Uma Johnson
October 18, 2024
Verified

OMG! Dinner in a Pumpkin is pure magic! 🎃 Every Halloween, me and hubby enjoy this while the kids beg for candy! So easy, so delish! My kids can’t touch their treats till they munch this first. Your fam will love it! 🤤

Olivia Johnson
October 31, 2023
Verified

Such an awesome recipe for Halloween! Love it.

Yasmine
October 31, 2023
Verified

So fire, y'all! 🍂🎃 This is always a hit after trick or treating. My fam loves diggin' into the pumpkin for the beefy goodness! Simple and delish, perfect for Halloween vibes. Can't wait to munch again next year!

Emily Johnson
October 5, 2023
Verified

So yummy! Kids loved!

Zach
November 8, 2022
Verified

Awesome

Yasmine
December 24, 2021
Verified

Le dîner dans une citrouille est devenu une tradition de Halloween chez nous. Mes enfants adorent ce plat copieux après avoir fait du porte-à-porte! Si simple à préparer, et si bon, surtout avec un mélange de viande hachée et noix. Nous ne pouvons pas nous en passer pendant les fêtes!

Elizabeth
September 8, 2021
Verified

Dinner in a Pumpkin is now our must-have for Halloween. The kids can't wait after trick-or-treating! It's delightful and so easy to prep, perfect for us!

Emily
August 7, 2021
Verified

Dinner in a Pumpkin has become our family tradition. My kids love the hearty casserole after trick or treating. It’s so easy to make, we really enjoy it.

Penny
October 29, 2020
Verified

Such amazing tradition! After trick or treat, my kids love this dinner. They won’t eat candy until that pumpkin is empty, it’s a fun family time!

Unique
August 6, 2020
Verified

Super easy meal.

Vanessa
January 28, 2020
Verified

So simple and delicious. Dinner in a Pumpkin is now our family tradition. My kids eat without arguing after trick or treating. Love cooking with the pumpkin.

Athina
October 25, 2019
Verified

I love it! Thanks for sharing recipe!

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