Cheesy Pizza Pumpkins
Nothing says cozy fall nights quite like these Cheesy Pizza Stuffed Pumpkins! A fun and festive twist on pizza night, these adorable mini pumpkins are filled with gooey cheese, zesty sauce, and your favorite toppings. Perfect for Halloween parties or a family dinner with a seasonal flair.
🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
🕒 Cook Time: 30 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 small baking pumpkins (about 1–1.5 lbs each)
- 1 cup pizza sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup mini pepperoni slices (or chopped pepperoni)
- ½ cup cooked Italian sausage (optional)
- ½ cup diced bell peppers (red, green, or orange)
- ¼ cup black olives, sliced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep the pumpkins
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Carefully slice the tops off the small pumpkins, just like carving a jack-o’-lantern lid. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp (save the seeds for roasting later if you’d like). Lightly season the insides with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle with oil
- Brush the inside and outside of each pumpkin with a little olive oil to help them soften while baking. Place pumpkins on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Par-bake the pumpkins
- Bake the hollow pumpkins (without filling) for about 15 minutes. This ensures they’re tender enough to eat but still sturdy enough to hold the cheesy filling.
- Mix the filling
- In a large bowl, combine pizza sauce, half of the mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, peppers, olives, onion, and Italian seasoning. Stir until well mixed.
- Stuff the pumpkins
- Carefully spoon the pizza mixture into each par-baked pumpkin until full. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake until melty
- Return stuffed pumpkins to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and serve
- Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve warm. Each pumpkin becomes its own personal pizza bowl—fun, festive, and oh-so-cheesy!
Pro Tips
- Choose the right pumpkins: Look for sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins, as they are naturally sweeter and tender, unlike carving pumpkins.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the sausage and pepperoni and load up on mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach instead.
- Meal prep hack: Par-bake and clean pumpkins ahead of time, then fill and bake fresh when ready to serve.
Nutrition Information (per stuffed pumpkin)
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 pumpkin | 420 | 21g | 32g | 22g | 5g | 9g |
Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on ingredients used. Please consult a nutritionist for exact dietary needs.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These Cheesy Pizza Stuffed Pumpkins combine the cozy flavors of fall with everyone’s favorite comfort food—pizza! They’re festive enough for Halloween night, yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner. Kids love the “pumpkin bowls,” and adults will appreciate the gooey, cheesy goodness inside.
Whether you’re searching for Halloween dinner ideas, a fall comfort food twist on pizza, or simply want to surprise your family with a creative dish, these stuffed pumpkins are guaranteed to be a hit.