Stuffed Mini Pumpkins with Mushrooms, Walnuts, and Cheese Recipe
Delightful stuffed mini pumpkins filled with a savory blend of mushrooms, garlic, walnuts, and cheese, enhanced with smoked paprika and fresh herbs. This dish combines tender roasted mini pumpkins with a creamy, flavorful filling and a golden grilled cheese topping, perfect as a comforting vegetarian entrée or side.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Mini Pumpkins
- 4 mini pumpkins (Jack-be-Little or Munchkins), washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly milled pepper
- Pinch fleur de sel or Celtic salt
For the Filling
- 12 mushrooms, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 60 g (2½ oz) walnuts (or pre-cooked chestnuts)
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (or bacon rashers, chopped)
- 4 tablespoons crème fraîche half fat (or Greek yoghurt)
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon rosemary, thyme, sage)
- 100 g (4 tbsp) cheese (Emmental, Comté, Parmesan, or Cheddar), grated (keep half for grilling at the end)
Instructions
- Prepare the pumpkins. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Carefully remove and reserve the tops of the mini pumpkins. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp from inside each pumpkin, creating a hollow cavity for the filling. Brush the outer skin and interiors lightly with olive oil and season with freshly milled pepper and a pinch of fleur de sel or Celtic salt.
- Make the filling. Heat a pan over medium heat and add a little olive oil if needed. Sauté the chopped mushrooms and finely chopped garlic until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chopped walnuts (or chestnuts), smoked paprika (or bacon if using), and fresh herbs, cooking for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the crème fraîche (or Greek yoghurt) and half the grated cheese to combine the mixture well.
- Stuff the pumpkins. Spoon the creamy mushroom and walnut filling evenly into each hollowed pumpkin. Replace the pumpkin tops to cover the stuffed pumpkins.
- Roast the stuffed pumpkins. Place the stuffed pumpkins on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the pumpkin flesh is tender but holds its shape.
- Grill the cheese topping. Remove the pumpkin tops, sprinkle the reserved grated cheese onto the filling surface, and place the tops back on. Switch to the grill/broiler setting and grill for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Serve warm. Carefully transfer the stuffed mini pumpkins to plates. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately as a hearty vegetarian main or side dish.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts with pre-cooked chestnuts for a sweeter, softer texture.
- If preferred, replace crème fraîche with Greek yoghurt to reduce fat content while maintaining creaminess.
- Smoked paprika can be swapped with chopped bacon rashers for a non-vegetarian option.
- Choose cheese varieties like Emmental, Comté, Parmesan, or Cheddar based on your flavor preference.
- Be gentle when hollowing out the pumpkins to avoid breaking their shells.
- For a gluten-free meal, ensure all ingredients including cheese and yogurt are certified gluten-free.
Keywords: stuffed mini pumpkins, baked pumpkins, vegetarian pumpkin recipe, mushroom stuffed pumpkins, cheesy stuffed pumpkins