Savory Stuffed Pumpkin with Tempeh Sausage & Kale

This whimsical savory stuffed pumpkin aims to impress. Packed with ancient grains, herbs, kale and tempeh sausage, this perfect plant-based centerpiece for the holidays. (Photo source: Dená Brummer) — This whimsical savory stuffed pumpkin aims to impress. Packed with ancient grains, herbs, kale and tempeh sausage, this makes a perfect plant-based centerpiece for the holidays. (Photo source: Dená Brummer)

| Yield: 4-6 servings | Time: 1 day 40 minutes |

Ingredients

Tempeh Sausage and Marinade

1 8 oz package of tempeh – plain, unflavored

1 ½ cup water

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon sage

¼ teaspoon thyme

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon of chili flakes

Pumpkins & Filling

3 small pumpkins or 1 medium size pumpkin (2 pounds)

1 ½ cups vegetable broth (set aside ½ cup)

3 cups of kale

2 cups of Kamut

Preparation

For tempeh prep

To remove bitterness from the tempeh, add to a rimmed skillet or saucepan filled with 1 inch of water and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Steam tempeh for a total of 10-12 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point. Then rinse, pat dry, and crumble the tempeh into small pieces.

Mix marinade ingredients. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Add the crumbled tempeh to the marinade and toss to coat. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 24 hours. I found that 24 hours infused the most flavor.

For the pumpkins

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Wash pumpkins; cut 2-inch circles around the top stems. Remove tops and and clean out the seeds.

Place the pumpkins and tops on the pan or baking dish, then transfer to the oven to roast until tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. The pumpkins are ready when the flesh is darker, and the skin can be easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool.

For the filling

In a large skillet, add tempeh and marinated over medium heat. Bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Let simmer until the tempeh has absorbed all the water. Set aside in a large bowl.

In a medium skillet, add in the kale and 1/2 cup vegetable broth. Cook until kale is wilted and then add to the large bowl with the tempeh.

While the kale is cooking, bring the 1 cup of vegetable broth and kamut to a boil in a heat proof pot. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Once done, add to the large bowl of tempeh and kale and mix all the ingredients together.

Stuff the kale, kamut, and tempeh mixture into the pumpkins.

Zero-waste tips

Leftover pumpkin? Just peel off the skin, and cut pumpkin up into chunks. You can add the pumpkin chunks to soups, chili, and stews.
Seeds: Toss them with 2 teaspoons of melted butter and pinch of salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 300F for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.