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Spooky Stuffed Mini Pumpkins with Quinoa and Cranberries
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Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Saucepan
  • Knife

Ingredients
  

  • 4 mini pumpkins
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the tops off each mini pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place the pumpkins on a baking sheet.
  • Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  • Add the quinoa, vegetable broth, and dried cranberries to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
  • Remove the quinoa mixture from heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Spoon the filling evenly into the prepared pumpkins.
  • Bake the stuffed pumpkins for 25 to 30 minutes until the pumpkin flesh is tender when pierced with a fork. Let them cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Choose mini pumpkins that feel heavy for their size so the walls stay firm after baking. The quinoa filling can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge, then simply reheated and stuffed before the final bake. Skip the parsley if you want a milder flavor, or add a handful of toasted pecans for extra crunch right before serving.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Equipment: Baking sheet, Saucepan, Knife