Slow Cooker Dinner in a Pumpkin Recipe
This Slow Cooker Dinner in a Pumpkin is the ultimate fun autumn, Thanksgiving, or Halloween dinner! Featuring a savory beef and herb rice filling steamed inside a buttery, tender pumpkin bowl, it’s a kid-approved, one-pot showstopper that solves the problem of oven-baked pumpkins collapsing. Healthy, high-protein, and WW friendly!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 456kcal
Ingredients
- 2 small sugar/pie pumpkins: approx. 2-3 lbs each. Crucial: Ensure they fit in your slow cooker with the lid closed!
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef 97% or 98% lean is best to avoid grease.
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms (about ½ of a 225g package)
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables defrosted
- 1 ½ cups cooked rice (I use mixed wild rice and brown rice) I use Ben's Bistro Express-fine herbs with wild rice. Using flavored/seasoned prepared rice is the "Lazy Way" hack for instant flavor.
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp gravy powder *I use Clubhouse brown or beef gravy
- 2 tbsps ketchup
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ cinnamon
- ½ cup water (for the slow cooker)
- ½ tsp pepper
Garnish
- pumpkin seeds
- fresh thyme
- Sharp Topping: A sprinkle of shredded Sharp Cheddar or Parmesan on top of the filling for the last 15 minutes of cooking (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the tops off the pumpkins and scoop out all seeds and strings (innards).2 small sugar/pie pumpkins:
- Mix the salt, cinnamon, sugar and pepper together and rub it on the inside of the hollow pumpkins.½ tsp salt, ¼ cinnamon, 1 tsp brown sugar
- In a large skillet, brown the extra lean ground beef with the onions and mushrooms until softened. Drain off any excess liquid.1 lb extra lean ground beef, 1 small onion, 1 cup fresh mushrooms
- Prepare the rice, as per package directions (The Uncle Ben's takes about 2 minutes).
- In a small cup, whisk together the ¼ cup water, cornstarch, pepper, soy sauce, Worcestershire and gravy powder.1 tsp soy sauce , 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tbsp gravy powder , 1 tsp cornstarch, ¼ cup water, ½ tsp pepper
- Pour the liquid into the skillet and stir for about a minute, until a thick, glossy glaze forms over the meat.
- Turn off the heat. Fold in the cooked rice, ketchup, and defrosted frozen vegetables.1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, 1 ½ cups cooked rice (I use mixed wild rice and brown rice), 2 tbsps ketchup
- Divide the mixture evenly and stuff (loosely packed) it into the two pumpkins. Place the pumpkin lids back on.If you have extra filling that didn't fit in the pumpkins, cook it in a ramekin alongside them. If your slow cooker is too crowded, simply put the extra filling in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave for 2-3 minutes until piping hot!
- Pour ½ cup of water into the slow cooker.½ cup water
- Place a large piece of parchment paper inside to act as a "sling" (this prevents the pumpkins from sitting in water and makes them easy to lift out later).
- Place the stuffed pumpkins on the parchment.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 (or HIGH for 1.5 hours).
- Test for Doneness: Poke the outside of the pumpkin with a fork. If it slides in easily like a baked potato, it's ready! *It may not 'look ready' but the fork test is the best way to tell!
- Carefully lift the pumpkins out using the parchment sling.
Garnish:
- Add optional garnishes such as fresh thyme, pumpkin seeds, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese (or extra ketchup for kids) as desired!pumpkin seeds, fresh thyme, Sharp Topping: A sprinkle of shredded Sharp Cheddar or Parmesan on top of the filling for the last 15 minutes of cooking (optional)
- To Serve: Use a large spoon to scoop out a portion of the soft, sweet pumpkin flesh along with the savory beef and rice filling or eat it right out of the pumpkin!
Notes
💡 Variation: If using PLAIN Rice
If you aren't using pre-seasoned herb rice, add these seasonings to your beef mixture while browning to maintain the "Award-Winning" flavor:
- Add: ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, and ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper.
- Increase the Gravy Powder/Cornstarch to 1 tablespoon for a slightly richer sauce.
- The Fork Test: Your pumpkin is done when a fork slides into the outer skin as easily as it would into a baked potato. Don't overcook, or the walls of the "bowl" will weaken.
- The Parchment Sling: Do not skip this! A soft, hot pumpkin is heavy and hard to grab. The parchment paper allows you to lift the whole thing out safely without it breaking.
- The "Inner Scrape": When serving, make sure to use a sturdy spoon to scrape the sides of the pumpkin. The steamed "meat" of the pumpkin is the best part of the meal!
- The Ramekin Hack: If you have extra filling that won't fit in your pumpkins, you can cook it in a ramekin alongside them in the slow cooker. If your slow cooker is too crowded, simply put the extra filling in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave for 2-3 minutes until piping hot!
- The "Inner Scrape" Rule: The most important thing to know is that the pumpkin is not just a decorative bowl-it is the vegetable side dish! Because the slow cooker "steams" the pumpkin, the orange flesh becomes buttery-soft. When you take a scoop of the savory beef and rice filling, use your spoon to scrape a generous portion of the soft pumpkin "meat" away from the inner wall.
- The "Kid-Friendly" Ketchup Hack: If you have children (or picky eaters!) who are skeptical about eating a pumpkin, try the Ketchup Swirl. A little bit of ketchup on top of the filling provides the acidity and sweetness that kids love, and it bridges the gap between the savory meat and the mild pumpkin.
- Family Style vs. Individual: You can place the pumpkins in the center of the table and let everyone scoop their own portions onto plates, or carefully slice the sturdy pumpkin into thick wedges (like a cake) and serve a "wedge" of pumpkin with the filling piled on top.
- Customizing the Crunch: Since the entire dish is soft and comforting, I like to offer a few "crunchy" toppings at the table like toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), shredded sharp cheddar, Parmesan cheese, or fresh thyme.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5pumpkin | Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 624mg | Potassium: 3029mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 60245IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 9mg
