Baby Stuffed Pumpkins

Warm, colourful and full of flavour,  these mini stuffed pumpkins are the perfect way to enjoy the taste of autumn. Filled with quinoa, mushrooms and kale, they make a hearty vegetarian main or a festive side dish that looks just as good as it tastes. The Instant Pot makes it simple to cook the filling and pumpkins to perfection in one go, tender, full of flavour, and ready to impress.

Servings: 3–4 portions
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Appliance: Instant Pot Multicooker and Airfryer

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, diced
• 250 g button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 50 g kale, stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
• 100 g quinoa
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 3–4 small pumpkins (about 350 g each or smaller)
• Oil, salt and pepper to taste

For serving

• 80 g plain yoghurt, seasoned with salt and pepper
• A small handful of your favourite nuts, seeds or crispy topping

Preparation method

Prepare the filling
Select Sauté on your Instant Pot and add a drizzle of oil. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes until soft and slightly golden. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until their liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Press Cancel, remove the vegetables from the inner pot and wipe it clean.

Cook the quinoa and pumpkins
Add the quinoa and pour in the vegetable stock, making sure the quinoa is fully covered. Place the small pumpkins in the air frying basket and set the basket on top of the quinoa. Lock the lid with the pressure cooking cover. Select Pressure Cook and set the time for 2 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.

Mix the stuffing
Remove the pumpkins and the air frying insert. Spoon the cooked quinoa into a bowl and combine with the kale and sautéed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and keep warm.

Prepare the pumpkins
When the pumpkins are cool enough to handle, slice off the tops and scoop out the seeds to make a hollow cavity. Brush the insides with a little oil. Remove the pressure cooking cover and lock the lid again. Select Air Fry, set the temperature to 195°C and cook for 10 minutes.

Assemble and serve
Once the pumpkins are ready, transfer them to serving plates. Fill each pumpkin with the warm quinoa mixture, top with a spoonful of seasoned yoghurt and finish with nuts, seeds or crispy onions. Serve immediately while warm.

These mini stuffed pumpkins are a true autumn comfort dish , colourful, nourishing and full of seasonal flavour. Discover more cosy seasonal recipes in our Instant Pot recipe collection and enjoy creative ways to cook your favourite ingredients with ease.