7 Foods You Can Serve in a Pumpkin Shell and Shell Prep Tutorial

If you love decorating with pumpkins in the fall, consider using them as a perfectly functional bowl for your favorite recipes. You will find instructions how to prep your pumpkin as well as 7 Foods You can Serve in a Pumpkin Shell.

One of the coolest ways to serve food at Halloween time is to serve it right inside of a pumpkin. You may have seen this done a time or two and thought it was something only a well-trained chef can do, but the truth is anyone can do it! Serving food in a pumpkin shell can be fun and easy, you just need to know a few tips and tricks. Here are 7 Foods You Can Serve in a Pumpkin Shell, and I am even sharing how to prep the shell for best results. Here is what you need to know.

7 Foods You Can Serve in a Pumpkin Shell

Soups and Stews: Consider using a large pumpkin to serve soups, stews, and even chili . The shell will hold the ingredients well, and you get extra points if you are serving a pumpkin flavored soup!

Veggie Dip: Use a smaller pumpkin to serve veggie dip in alongside with fresh veggies. You can add dill dip or ranch dip easily inside a small pumpkin, but pumpkin dip is especially appropriate.

Pudding: Why not consider serving dessert inside of a pumpkin shell? Serve pudding inside of the shell and top with crushed graham cracker for an extra festive look. You can even chill the entire pumpkin beforehand and it will keep the pudding nice and cold. Here is a recipe for pumpkin pudding that is lovely in a mini pumpkin.

Ice: Place a pumpkin shell full of ice near your bar or drink station. This is a great way to serve ice to your guests and a chilled shell can actually help keep the ice cold.

Candy: You can use a pumpkin shell as a candy dish quite easily. You can insert a small bowl into the pumpkin shell or line it with plastic wrap if you wish to prevent the pumpkin from touching the raw pumpkin shell. Choose small candies to add to the inside of the shell and you can even keep the lid on until you are ready to serve. Guests will love digging in.

Fruit: Why not arrange a fruit salad inside of a pumpkin shell? You can do it quite easily, and any fruit can be used. Just add a serving spoon and you are ready to go!

Dessert Fluff: There are so many desert fluffs out there, perfect for dipping fruit or cookies in at the end of a meal. Fill a pumpkin up with one of these fluffs and see how simple it can be to present a gorgeous dessert.

Now let’s talk shell prep. There are some steps you want to take to make sure your shell will hold up and serve the food properly.

How to Prepare Your Pumpkin Shell:

1. Always use a pumpkin that is fresh and free from any signs of rot or disease.
2. Clean and rinse the pumpkin well both inside and out before use. Dish soap and lukewarm water will do.
3. The inside should be cleaned out of all seeds and skin. You can use a spoon or scoop to clean out close to the walls of the pumpkin.
4. You can line the inside of the shell with plastic wrap or tinfoil depending on what you are serving. This will help keep the food clean and keep pumpkin debris out of it.
5. You can also drop a serving bowl into the pumpkin so the food doesn’t touch the pumpkin at all. Just find a bowl to fit and hide it inside.
6. Save the lid of the pumpkin so you can easily cover your food prior to serving.

Keep these tips in mind when serving food this holiday season, as serving from a pumpkin shell can be a beautiful addition to your table!