Sausage & Rice Stuffed Pumpkins

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Yields1 Serving
 3 small pie pumpkins (about 2 pounds each)
 ½ lb bulk sweet Italian sausage
 1 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
 2 medium onions, chopped
 1 medium green pepper, chopped
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 4 cups cooked long grain rice
 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
 ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
 1 tsp salt
 ½ tsp dried thyme
1

Preheat oven to 450°. Cut a 3-in. circle around each pumpkin stem. Remove tops and set aside. Remove strings and seeds from pumpkins; discard seeds or save for roasting.

2

In a large skillet, cook sausage, vegetables and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain. Remove from heat; stir in rice, 3/4 cup cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and thyme.

3

Place pumpkins in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; fill with rice mixture. Replace pumpkin tops. Bake 30 minutes.

4

Reduce oven setting to 350°. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until pumpkin is tender when pierced with a knife and a thermometer inserted in filling reads 160°. Sprinkle remaining cheese over filling. Cut to serve.

Ingredients

 3 small pie pumpkins (about 2 pounds each)
 ½ lb bulk sweet Italian sausage
 1 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
 2 medium onions, chopped
 1 medium green pepper, chopped
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 4 cups cooked long grain rice
 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
 ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
 1 tsp salt
 ½ tsp dried thyme

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 450°. Cut a 3-in. circle around each pumpkin stem. Remove tops and set aside. Remove strings and seeds from pumpkins; discard seeds or save for roasting.

2

In a large skillet, cook sausage, vegetables and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain. Remove from heat; stir in rice, 3/4 cup cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and thyme.

3

Place pumpkins in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; fill with rice mixture. Replace pumpkin tops. Bake 30 minutes.

4

Reduce oven setting to 350°. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until pumpkin is tender when pierced with a knife and a thermometer inserted in filling reads 160°. Sprinkle remaining cheese over filling. Cut to serve.

Sausage & Rice Stuffed Pumpkins