Vegetable & Rice Stuffed Pumpkin

Forget the turkey. This whole roasted pumpkin is the vegetarian centerpiece your holiday table has been waiting for. Hollowed out and baked until tender, the pumpkin becomes an edible bowl, and scooping its sweet, soft flesh into the stuffing at the table is half the fun.

A clever first step glazes the inside with a sugar-and-tamari mixture, seasoning the flesh from within so it tastes savory-sweet rather than bland.

The stuffing is where it gets generous. Cooked basmati rice carries an autumn medley of chestnuts, Granny Smith apple, dried apricots, raisins, walnuts, and a rainbow of vegetables, warmed with mace, turmeric, and cinnamon. Tamari ties the sweet and savory together and keeps the whole dish gluten-free.

Two bakes do the work: the empty pumpkin softens first, then it bakes again packed with filling so the flavors meld.

One practical note baked into the recipe: the pumpkin bottom goes very soft, so lift it with foil wrapped up the sides to keep it from collapsing. Leftovers should be scooped out of the shell and stored separately.

Chef Tips

• Glaze the inside with the sugar-tamari mix before stuffing; it seasons the pumpkin flesh so it isn’t bland.
• Angle the cut on the lid so it sits back on easily, like a little hat.
• Lift the baked pumpkin with the foil wrapped up its sides, since the softened bottom can give way otherwise.
• Don’t store leftovers inside the pumpkin; scoop the filling out and refrigerate it separately, as it tastes great the next day.

Variations

• Use wild rice or quinoa in place of basmati.
• Swap the chestnuts for pecans, or the apricots for dried cranberries.
• Dial the jalapeno up or down to suit your crowd’s heat tolerance.