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Savory Stuffed Pumpkin with Sausage and Gruyère

A beautiful and delicious fall dish where savory sausage, rich Gruyère cheese, and aromatic herbs are baked inside a tender pumpkin. Perfect for a special occasion or a cozy weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • baking pumpkin 1 large, about 5-10 pounds
  • Knife for cutting pumpkin and bread
  • Large bowl for mixing ingredients
  • Large skillet for cooking sausage and aromatics
  • Slotted spoon for removing sausage
  • Whisk for egg mixture
  • Baking Sheet for baking the stuffed pumpkin
  • aluminum foil optional, for tenting if top browns too quickly

Ingredients
  

For the Pumpkin and Stuffing Base

  • 1 large baking pumpkin about 5 to 10 pounds, with a nice flat bottom
  • 1 pound day-old crusty bread such as sourdough or French baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1.5 cups grated Gruyère cheese about 5.5 ounces
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil such as canola
  • 1 pound uncooked Italian sausage casings removed
  • 3 large shallots thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced, 2 to 3 cloves
  • 0.25 cup dry white wine
  • 2 heaping cups spinach or Swiss chard coarsely chopped, 2 to 3 cups

For the Custardy Mixture

  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups half-and-half or 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

For Topping

  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out seeds and stringy bits. Save seeds for roasting if desired.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Cut day-old bread into 1-inch cubes.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with grated Gruyère cheese.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Heat neutral cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking it apart. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve drippings in the skillet.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Add thinly sliced shallots to the same skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Pour in dry white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet (deglaze).
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Add chopped spinach or Swiss chard to the skillet and cook until wilted, a few minutes.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Add the cooked sausage and wilted greens mixture to the bowl with bread cubes and Gruyère cheese. Toss to combine.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, fresh thyme leaves, and black pepper.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Pour the egg mixture over the bread and sausage mixture. Toss gently until every piece of bread is coated.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Spoon all the stuffing mixture into the hollowed-out pumpkin cavity. Pack it in but don't squash.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Place the stuffed pumpkin on a baking sheet.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until pumpkin is tender when poked with a fork and stuffing is golden brown and cooked through. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil.
    1 large baking pumpkin
  • Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
    1 large baking pumpkin

Notes

Use a pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin for the best flavor and texture. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheated gently.