A whole food plant-based centerpiece, perfect for Christmas! Nobody needs to miss out on the theatre of a festive meal – carving into this stuffed pumpkin to reveal the cross-section is sure to impress. For more mouthwatering holiday recipes and inspiration, try Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Tahini Sauce and make this Christmas season even more special.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This show-stopping stuffed pumpkin is surprisingly simple – grab full measurements in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Butternut pumpkin
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Cooked brown rice
- Garlic
- Fennel bulb
- Granny Smith apple
- Lemon
- Caraway seeds
- Chili flakes
- Dried cranberries
- Pine nuts
- Parsley
- Tahini
- Water
Instructions
Follow along with this step-by-step guide to make your Stuffed Pumpkin with Tahini Dressing. You’ll find all the exact times, temperatures, and measurements in the e recipe card below.
Step one: Slice the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, rub the cut sides with olive oil and salt, then roast until tender.
Step two: Toss sliced fennel and apple with lemon juice in a bowl.
Step three: In a pan, toast caraway seeds and chili flakes, add garlic, then stir in the fennel–apple mix, rice, pine nuts, parsley, and cranberries.
Step four: Pack the filling into the pumpkin cavity.
Step five: Tie the halves together with kitchen twine and return the stuffed pumpkin to the oven and roast until heated through.
Step six: Whisk tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and water into a smooth dressing, then slice the pumpkin and serve drizzled with tahini sauce.
Serving Suggestions & More Recipes
If you loved this, you might also enjoy:
- Roast Pumpkin with Balsamic Walnuts and Tofu Feta: a delicious combo of sweet roasted pumpkin, crunchy balsamic-glazed walnuts, and salty tofu feta that makes for an easy, side dish or light meal.
Stuffed Pumpkin with Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
Stuffed Pumpkin
- 1 large butternut pumpkin
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1 Granny Smith Apple
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 tbsp caraway seeds
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 3 tbsp dried cranberries
- 40 g pine nuts
- Large handful of parsley roughly chopped
Tahini Dressing
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- splash of water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C. Slice pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds and hollow out a channel through the centre. Rub with olive oil and salt. Roast for 60 mins or until tender.
- Quarter, core and thinly slice fennel and peeled apple. Mix together in medium sized bowl and stir through lemon juice.
- In a medium fry pan, heat a lug of olive oil over medium heat. Add caraway seeds and chilli flakes. Stir for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add garlic and stir for a further 2 minutes.
- Add fennel and apple, stir for 3-5 minutes until softened. Stir through pine nuts, brown rice, parsley and dried cranberries and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the pumpkin is done roasting, pack the filling into the hollow of the pumpkin and tie both sides together with twine. Roast for a further 20 minutes.
- To make the dressing, whisk the tahini, garlic and lemon juice. Add water until you reach desired consistency.
- When the pumpkin is done, slice and serve immediately with dressing.
Tiffany Castle says
This is a fantastic centrepiece dish. I can’t wait for Christmas
Daniela Velez says
Seriously yum, no kidding.
Sarah says
Been trying your recipes all week and I’m hooked! This one tops the list.
Hong Nguyen says
I love tahini– this takes it to the next level!