pumpkin stew roasted in a pumpkin
pumpkin stew roasted in a pumpkin

Southwest Roasted Pumpkin Stew

5/5
A quick and flavorful southwest stew roasts luxuriously in a pumpkin, which becomes part of the dish and makes for a memorable meal. Top with a poblano-avocado-cucumber salsa for a fresh and spicy kick. Recipe is gluten free and vegetarian (vegan optional).

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours
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Recipe Rundown

I wanted to push this pumpkin stew to the front of the blog this month because it’s a really great recipe (one of my favorites) and perfect for a Halloween dinner.

roasted pumpkin filled with southwest stewed hominy, tomatillos, chile with salsa

Hominy, tomatillo, and chili pepper form the foundation for this flavorful, southwest stew, making for a nutritious, filling dinner (that’s also fun to eat).

Pumpkins are one of my absolute favorite ingredients to work with because of their creamy texture and pleasant squash flavor; they’re super high in vitamin A and C!

Plus, is there anything better than an edible bowl?

As an Arizona native, I love working with Southwest flavors; there’s savory, sour, and spicy here in this stew. I especially love adding a lot of cheddar since there’s no meat in this stew, and it gives it a lot of umami flavor.

In terms of sweet pumpkin recipes, there’s this really delicious pumpkin pie with gluten free crust, but I think everybody should have the opportunity to enjoy fresh pumpkin in a savory way.

Plus, it’s even fun sitting around carving out the lids for this recipe…something that the kids can do with a pumpkin carving kit.

What are the best pumpkins for cooking?

Cooking with pumpkin makes for an exciting presentation and tasty feast. Use any winter pumpkin, such as:

  • red kuri (my number 1 choice and pictured here)
  • sugar pie
  • cheese pumpkin
  • kabocha squash

Make Ahead Tip: You can even remove the seeds in advance and store in the fridge until you are ready to bake the dish.

How to Make Southwest Stew in a Roasted Pumpkin – Step by Step

Like most great stews, this one starts with sweating some onion with garlic, bell pepper, and olive oil until softened (photo 1). After the moisture is released, it’s time to toast the spices to extract flavor (photo 2).

southwestern stew with hominy, bell pepper, tomatillos, and chili powder

After you begin to smell the aroma of spices in the air, you can add the moist tomatillos, hominy, and water. Bring everything to a simmer, then cover and cook to form the southwest stew (photos 3 & 4).

carving the pumpkin, removing the seeds, and stuffing the pumpkin with soup

Assemble the pumpkin stew with an extra layer of cheddar cheese and place under the broiler until golden. Serve whole or cut in half and top with a spoonful of refreshing poblano salsa then serve!

Serving Suggestions

When cooking for myself and my husband, I like to serve an entire pumpkin for dinner and then store the leftovers for a light lunch. If serving to dinner guests, I like to cut the pumpkins in half, since nobody can eat an entire pumpkin in one sitting.

I once made this dish as a casserole for Thanksgiving, and it was a huge hit.

baked pumpkin stew

Top Tips Baking Soup inside of a Pumpkin

  • Prep the pumpkins in advance by making the recipe and storing in the fridge. Reheat when ready to eat.
  • Prepare the poblano-avocado-cucumber salsa up to 3 hours in advance and store in the fridge to accompany the pumpkin stew.
  • To make the lid, use a pairing knife or pumpkin carving knife to cut around the stem; go around a second time to loosen the lid and pry it away with a spoon.
  • Scrape away the seeds and flesh with a spoon.
  • Rub the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Pumpkin always tastes better with salt.
  • You do not need to serve the stew inside of the pumpkin. You could layer the stew in a casserole dish and top with cubed pumpkin rubbed with olive oil instead.

More Delicious Fall Recipes You Might Like

*If you’ve tried this southwest stewed pumpkin or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

Southwest Roasted Pumpkin Stew

A quick and flavorful southwest stew roasts luxuriously in a pumpkin, which becomes part of the dish and makes for a memorable meal. Top with a poblano-avocado-cucumber salsa for a fresh and spicy kick. Recipe is gluten free and vegetarian (vegan optional).
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, southwest
Keyword: baked, gluten free, pumpkin, roasted, soup, stew, vegan, vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 220.98kcal
Author: Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

Southwest Stew

  • 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 pound tomatillos remove husks, rinse, and chop
  • 1 25-oz can hominy or substitute canned beans or corn
  • 1/2 cup filtered water

Pumpkin

  • 2 2-3 pound pumpkins red kuri, sugar pie, cheese, or kabocha
  • 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 oz cheddar cheese (1 cup packed) preferably sharp, grated on large holes

Instructions

Make the Southwest Stew

  • Warm the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add a trio of onion, garlic, and bell pepper, cook for 8 minutes until soft. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and oregano; stir and cook 3 minutes longer.
  • Stir in the tomatillos, hominy, and water. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes.

Roasting the Pumpkin

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and make room on the middle rack for the tall pumpkins.
  • Cut around the stem of each pumpkin until you can pry away the lid. Use a spoon to scrape away the flesh and seeds. Drizzle the olive oil into each pumpkin and swirl around. Season with salt.
  • Set the pumpkins on a baking sheet. Add half the cheese and fill with stew. With the lid on top, roast the pumpkins 1 1/2 hours. Top with the remaining cheese and broil for 3 minutes until golden.
  • Serve in the pumpkin or scoop out into bowls and top with poblano-avocado-cucumber salsa if you wish.

Video

Notes

Canned hominy can be purchased online or in the canned food aisle. Do not use dry hominy, as it needs to be soaked and cooked prior to using in this recipe.
Cheese adds a really flavorful tangy, richness to this dish. If you are vegan, feel free to substitute your favorite vegan cheese.
Recipe adapted from Myra Kornfeld, a cookbook author and chef who I worked with for years at the Natural Gourmet Institute.

Nutrition

Calories: 220.98kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.24g | Protein: 8.48g | Fat: 17.29g | Saturated Fat: 7.07g | Cholesterol: 29.77mg | Sodium: 1353.58mg | Potassium: 301.35mg | Fiber: 2.45g | Sugar: 4.88g | Vitamin A: 1470.99IU | Vitamin C: 47.13mg | Calcium: 226.06mg | Iron: 1.24mg

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Bhavesh
Bhavesh
3 years ago

I have tried this amazing pumpkin stew recipe and i found this recipe easy to make and very delicious in taste. Thanks for sharing this recipe with all of us. Also check out my special pumpkin stew recipe as well. Check out the recipe here: https://www.fitnessattention.com/pumpkin-stew-super-healthy-kids/

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