Awesome Pumpkin Beef Stew
Submitted by Heidi_M
Beef stew with pumpkin chunks, thyme, and peas, served inside a roasted hollowed-out pumpkin shell. A dramatic harvest-season centerpiece for fall dinners.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2 hrsStew is comforting; stew served from a hollow pumpkin is a centerpiece. This harvest-season main course simmers cubed beef with onion, celery, and thyme, adds chunks of fresh pumpkin to soften in the broth, and finishes by ladling everything back into the pre-baked pumpkin shell for serving.
The pumpkin does triple duty here. Its peeled flesh chunks melt into the stew, adding subtle earthy sweetness and silky texture. Its hollowed shell becomes a natural tureen. And as it sits warm during serving, the inside walls soften further, letting diners scoop pumpkin flesh straight from the bowl into their portions.
The key warning from the recipe is real: do not put the pumpkin shell on direct heat. A baked shell holds up beautifully for serving, but anything stronger and it weeps liquid and tears at the seams.
Kitchen Tips
- Choose a sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin (5 to 6 pounds), large carving pumpkins are watery and tasteless
- Trim the rim into points with a paring knife for a dramatic crown look, a Pinterest-style touch
- Brown the beef hard before adding liquid, those fond bits build the stew’s depth
- Don’t overcook the pumpkin cubes in the stew, 30 minutes is plenty or they dissolve completely
- Add the peas only in the last 5 minutes so they stay bright green and pop
Variations
- Stir in a splash of red wine when adding the water for richer body
- Swap pumpkin for kabocha or butternut squash when pumpkins aren’t in season
- Add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon for a slightly sweeter, more autumnal profile
Ingredients
Directions
In a 4-quart Dutch oven, brown beef in butter.
Add onion and celery; sauté until browned.
Stir in 4 cups water, the salt, thyme, and pepper.
Heat to boiling.
Cook covered 1 hour.
Cut 2 inches off the top of the pumpkin.
Trim the rim of pumpkin bottom to form points; scoop out seeds.
Peel top and trimmings; cut into 1 inch cubes; add to beef after 1 hour.
Cook 30 minutes longer or until tender.
Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Bake pumpkin shell 20 mins.
Stir flour into 1 cup water; add stew with peas.
Cook, stirring until thickened; spoon into shell and serve.
Note: Do not place pumpkin on direct heat.
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