Printable Recipe: Couscous and Tofu Sausage Stuffed Pumpkin

Couscous and Tofu Sausage Stuffed Pumpkin

This recipe is pretty, impressive, and oh-so-tasty. If you're making this vegetarian Thanksgiving or Christmas main dish in addition to a holiday turkey, don't be surprised if the meat-eaters eye this dish with envy-- it's really wonderful.

To prepare this vegetarian Christmas or Thanksgiving specialty, be sure to buy small pumpkins with a nice flavor, such as Small Sugar pumpkins, Little Boo, etc.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
4 oz. tofu sausage crumbles, Italian flavored
1/2 C. chopped onion
2 C. peeled pumpkin, chopped into 1/2" chunks
1/2 of a Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
1/4 C. white wine
1 C. couscous
vegetable broth, as needed
1/4 C. dried cranberries (unsweetened)
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground ground pepper
4 small pumpkins (about 1 lb. each) seeded, cleaned, and hollowed out

Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Crumble tofu sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3. To skillet, add onions. Add a little olive oil if necessary. Cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.

4. Add pumpkin. Saute until beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Add apple and sausage. Cook about 3 minutes longer.

5. Add wine, cook until wine reduces, about 3 minutes. Remove sausage mixture from the heat and set aside.

6. Cook couscous in vegetable broth according to package directions.

7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

8. In a large mixing bowl, combine couscous, cranberries, olive oil, herbs, and salt and pepper.

9. Spoon tofu sausage mixture over and stir to combine well.

10. Stuff your four serving pumpkins with couscous mixture, dividing it evenly between the pumpkins.

11. Place pumpkins in a baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 25 minutes.

12. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.