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Ground Turkey Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

Close-up of two ground turkey stuffed pumpkins, topped with melted cheese and parsley.
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A cozy and impressive fall dinner featuring mini pumpkins filled with savory ground turkey and a nutty brown butter sage stuffing.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 small pie pumpkins (about 1 lb each)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup cooked wild rice
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Cut the tops off the pumpkins and scoop out the seeds and pulp.
  3. Brush the insides of the pumpkins with olive oil and place them cut-side down on a baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the pumpkins are tender when pierced with a fork.
  5. While the pumpkins bake, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess fat.
  6. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  7. Stir in the minced garlic, dried sage, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  8. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cooked wild rice and chopped pecans.
  9. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Stir in the fresh sage.
  10. Stir the brown butter sage mixture and Parmesan cheese into the ground turkey mixture.
  11. Once the pumpkins are tender, carefully remove them from the oven. Spoon the ground turkey filling evenly into each pumpkin.
  12. Return the stuffed pumpkins to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted.
  13. Serve hot.

Notes

  • You can substitute acorn squash for the mini pumpkins.
  • For a make-ahead option, prepare the filling and hollow out the pumpkins a day in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator and assemble and bake before serving.
  • Add a splash of white wine to the turkey mixture for extra flavor.
  • Consider this recipe as part of your meal planning for a festive holiday gathering.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cutcooktaste.com/ground-turkey-stuffed-pumpkins/