The filling takes about 15 minutes in a pan, and the oven does the rest. You can make it the evening before and fill the pumpkin just before baking.

2 h 5 minprep 30 min · cooking 1 h 35 min
4 servingsLunch
Mediumdifficulty
660 kcalper serving

Ingredients

For the pumpkin

  • 1round hard-skinned pumpkin, about 2 kg
  • 2 tbspoil, for brushing
  • ½ tspsalt

For the filling

  • 4 tbspoil
  • 3medium onions (about 400 g), finely chopped
  • 1carrot (about 100 g), finely grated
  • 180 grice (1 cup), well rinsed
  • 1 tspsweet paprika
  • 100 gwalnuts, roughly chopped
  • 50 graisins, rinsed
  • ½ tspcinnamon
  • 1 tspsalt
  • ¼ tspblack pepper
  • 300 mlwarm water

To serve

  • 2 tbspparsley, finely chopped

You will need: a 25×35 cm baking tray and a large frying pan

Method

  1. Prepare the pumpkin

    Heat the oven to 180°C. Cut a lid off the pumpkin, about 5 cm below the stem, and scoop out the seeds and fibres with a spoon. Brush the pumpkin inside and out with 2 tbsp oil, then sprinkle the inside with ½ tsp salt.

    If the pumpkin wobbles, slice a very thin piece off the bottom, but don't cut through it.

    stuffed pumpkin — Prepare the pumpkin

  2. Soften the onions

    Pour 4 tbsp oil into the pan and add the 3 chopped onions and 1 grated carrot. Fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the onions are soft and translucent but not browned.

    stuffed pumpkin — Soften the onions

  3. Toast the rice

    Add 180 g rice and stir for 3 minutes over medium heat, until the grains turn translucent at the edges. Take the pan off the heat and sprinkle in 1 tsp paprika – on the heat it burns quickly and turns bitter.

    stuffed pumpkin — Toast the rice

  4. Add the walnuts

    Add 100 g walnuts, 50 g raisins, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, and stir. Taste the filling – it should be slightly salty, because the rice will absorb some of the salt.

    stuffed pumpkin — Add the walnuts

  5. Fill the pumpkin

    Spoon the filling into the pumpkin, to about three fingers below the rim, and pour in 300 ml warm water. The rice swells, so don't fill it to the top. Put the lid on and set the pumpkin in the baking tray.

    stuffed pumpkin — Fill the pumpkin

  6. Bake with the lid on

    Bake at 180°C for about 70 minutes with the lid on, until a knife slides easily into the pumpkin wall and the rice is soft but still holds its shape.

    Put the tray on the middle shelf so the pumpkin bakes evenly.

    stuffed pumpkin — Bake with the lid on

  7. Brown the filling

    Take off the lid, turn the oven up to 200°C and bake for another 15 minutes, until the top of the filling turns golden and the pumpkin skin wrinkles slightly.

    stuffed pumpkin — Brown the filling

  8. Let it rest

    Leave the pumpkin out of the oven for 10 minutes so the filling sets and is easier to cut. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp parsley and bring the pumpkin whole to the table.

    stuffed pumpkin — Let it rest

How to serve

Cut the pumpkin into wedges, filling included, and serve with cabbage salad with lemon or with pickled gherkins.

How to store

Cooled pumpkin keeps in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It turns watery in the freezer, so don't freeze it. Reheat it at 160°C for 15 minutes, wrapped in foil.

What you can swap

  • Instead of walnuts – 100 g almonds, roughly chopped.
  • Instead of raisins – 50 g dried apricots, finely chopped.

Questions and answers

What is the best pumpkin for stuffing?

Pick a round, hard-skinned pumpkin weighing about 2 kg, such as a honey pumpkin. Bigger ones bake unevenly and their flesh stays dry.

The rice in the pumpkin is still hard. What can I do?

Pour 100 ml warm water into the filling, close the lid and bake for another 15 minutes. Next time, check that the lid fits tightly.

Can I make it ahead?

You can make the filling the evening before and keep it in the fridge. Fill the pumpkin just before baking so it doesn't turn watery.

Can you eat the skin of a baked pumpkin?

The skin of a honey pumpkin softens when baked, and you can eat it. If it is thick and tough, leave it on the plate.

Did you know?

Pumpkin is among the most common vegetables in Bulgarian fasting cuisine. During the Christmas fast, people don't eat meat, eggs or dairy.

Per serving (approx.): 660 kcal · protein 12 g · fat 36 g · carbohydrates 72 g