With Rice, Minced Meat, Raisins & Pine Nuts

A traditional festive filling once used for chicken or lamb

This impressive dish is inspired by old Greek festive cooking traditions.
In the past, this sweet-savory filling — rice, minced meat, raisins, pine nuts, spices — was used to stuff whole chicken or lamb for special occasions. Today, it makes the perfect filling for a whole roasted pumpkin, creating a warm, aromatic centerpiece for the holiday table.

Ingredients

Pumpkin

  • 1 whole pumpkin (7–8 kg / 15–17 lbs)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & pepper

Filling

  • 500–700 g minced meat (1.1–1.5 lbs)
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 large carrots, diced
  • 2 cups long-grain or carolina rice
  • 100 g pine nuts (≈ 3.5 oz)
  • ½–1 cup raisins or currants
  • 200 ml broth (≈ ¾ cup)
  • 5–6 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • Salt & black pepper

Method:

1. Prepare the pumpkin

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. Using a sharp knife, cut a circle around the pumpkin stem to create a lid.
  3. Lift the lid off — this will be used later as the pumpkin’s cover during baking.
  4. With a large spoon, carefully scoop out all seeds and stringy fibers, making the inside smooth and clean.
  5. Rub the entire interior with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare the filling

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
  2. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft.
  3. Add the minced meat and sauté until browned.
  4. Stir in the carrots and cook 1–2 minutes.
  5. Add the rice and let it toast lightly with the meat.
  6. Stir in the raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  7. Toast the pine nuts separately until golden and add them to the mixture.
  8. Pour in the 200 ml broth.
  9. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just until the rice begins to absorb the liquid — it should remain undercooked because it will finish cooking inside the pumpkin.

3. Stuff and bake the pumpkin

  1. Spoon the warm filling into the hollowed pumpkin.
  2. Place the pumpkin lid back on top.
  3. Set the pumpkin into a large roasting pan.
  4. Cover the entire tray with foil (or parchment + foil).
  5. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 2–2.5 hours, depending on the pumpkin’s thickness.

4. Finish uncovered

  1. Remove the foil.
  2. Continue baking uncovered for 30–40 minutes, until the pumpkin is browned, the flesh is soft, and a knife slides through easily.

5. Serve

Let the pumpkin rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
Slice into large wedges and serve with generous spoonfuls of the aromatic filling and tender roasted pumpkin flesh.

This dish is comforting, rustic, and deeply traditional — a beautiful nod to old Greek festive flavors.

** Tip **

For a lighter, fluffier texture inside the pumpkin, use Carolina rice.
Carolina rice stays separate, absorbs flavor beautifully, and prevents the filling from becoming dense or sticky — perfect for this Greek-style sweet–savory stuffing.