Dinner in a Pumpkin: Our Family’s Halloween Tradition
Every Halloween growing up, dinner came out of the oven inside a pumpkin. Before we ever put on a costume or grabbed a treat bucket, our parents would set a big roasted pumpkin on the table and scoop out dinner for all of us. It’s one of those traditions every one of us sisters still talks about, and now we’re making it for our own kids.
Our mom, Martha, has been making this recipe our whole lives. And our parents never made just one. They always made extra to deliver to the widows and elderly neighbors in our neighborhood, so Halloween night was as much about sharing dinner as it was about candy. That’s the part of this tradition we love most.
*A quick note before you scroll: the dinner in a pumpkin recipe card below is exactly how our mom has always made it. This year we added a few small tweaks for more flavor: we browned the ground beef with onions and mushrooms, and added some seasoning. You’ll find the details right above the recipe card if you want to try that out!
What Is Dinner in a Pumpkin?
It’s a cozy, savory casserole of ground beef, rice, and veggies in a creamy soup, baked right inside a hollowed-out pumpkin. The pumpkin acts as the baking dish, and as it roasts the walls get soft, so you can scoop a little pumpkin into every serving. Kids think it’s magic, and it’s a great way to get a full dinner in everyone before the sugar rush.
Tips for the Best Dinner in a Pumpkin
- Pick the right size. About 1 cup of filling fits per pound of pumpkin, and the full recipe makes around 10 cups. If your pumpkin is smaller, scale down or bake the extra filling in a covered dish alongside.
- Cut the lid at an angle. Angle your knife toward the center so the lid sits on a ledge and doesn’t fall in.
- Skip any extra liquid. The can of soup is all you need. Veggies (especially frozen ones) release water as they bake.
- Go by the pumpkin walls. The filling heats through before the pumpkin softens. It’s done when a knife slides easily into the wall. Smaller pumpkins cook faster, so start checking at an hour.
- Use a foil-lined pan. The pumpkin may leak a little as it roasts.
- Make extra to share. Bake a second pumpkin (or a casserole dish of filling) for a neighbor. It’s the best part of the tradition.
Our Tweaks to the Original
The recipe card below is Mom’s original, but Eliza played around with the seasonings and made a few small tweaks when she made it this year. She loved how it turned out and wanted to share! Here’s what she changed:
- Browned the ground beef with the onion and quartered baby bella mushrooms.
- Seasoned it with 2 cloves minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 3/4 teaspoon dried sage, and 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce.
- Used frozen green beans, broccoli, and corn straight from the freezer.
Dinner in a Pumpkin
Ingredients
Method
- Hollow out a pumpkin that has a stem “handle,” cutting a lid around the stem.
- Cook the ground beef (or chicken) and the rice.
- Mix the meat, rice, and vegetables together, then add the cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup.
- Spoon the filling into the pumpkin and place the lid on top.
- Bake at 375°F until the vegetables are cooked, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Notes
Make It Your Own Halloween Tradition
There’s something special about a dinner that only shows up once a year. If you’re looking for a new Halloween tradition, this is an easy one to start, and it might just become the thing your kids ask for every October. Does your family have a Halloween night dinner tradition? Tell us in the comments!
Looking for more ideas? Check out our fun Halloween dinner ideas, our list of Halloween family traditions worth starting, and finish the night with our pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.
XO The Threads Between Sisters
