This Healthy Pumpkin Casserole offers a nutritious twist on traditional stuffing. With a delightful mix of rice, sausage, apples, and cranberries, all baked inside a pumpkin, it makes for an impressive and flavorful side dish or stuffing for your Autumn or Thanksgiving meals.
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. pork sausage
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 small pumpkin, cored and seeded
- Pumpkin pulp, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped Granny Smith apple
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions:
- Prepare the Stuffing:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, crumble and cook the pork sausage until it is almost done, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the chopped onion and 2 cups of the pumpkin pieces to the skillet. Sauté until the pumpkin begins to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the chopped apple and cooked sausage back to the skillet. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mix the Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, combine the brown rice, dried cranberries, olive oil, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Add the sausage and pumpkin mixture to this bowl and mix well.
- Prepare and Bake the Pumpkin:
- Place the hollowed-out pumpkin in a shallow baking dish.
- Stuff the pumpkin with the prepared rice mixture.
- Cover the pumpkin with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove the foil, place the pumpkin lid on top, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve:
- Serve the casserole hot, directly from the pumpkin for an impressive presentation.
Enjoy this wholesome and delicious casserole that brings the flavors of Fall into your kitchen!