Pumpkin & Beef Bake with Dates and a Hint of Cinnamon
When pumpkin season rolls around, there's only one question in our kitchen: when is this bake finally landing on the table? Hokkaido pumpkin meets savoury minced meat, juicy dates and a gentle pinch of cinnamon. That play of hearty, lightly sweet and warmly aromatic makes this bake a real autumn highlight. A spoonful of cottage cheese on top rounds it all off beautifully.
Ingredients
- 1 Hokkaido pumpkin, small, about 400 g; kabocha squash works well too
- 400 g minced beef and pork mix, or use all beef
- 2 onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 8 dates, pitted
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- salt
- pepper
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tsp butter
- 1 cottage cheese or sour cream, about 200 g
- Parmesan, freshly grated, to taste
The ingredient amounts above scale with your choice. The value per serving stays the same, while the total in the pot grows with the number of servings.
All nutrition values side by side
| Nutrient | per serving (estimate) | Total for 3 Servings |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 560 kcal | 1,680 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 30 g | 90 g |
| Protein | 36 g | 108 g |
| Fat | 32 g | 96 g |
| Fibre | 4 g | 12 g |
| of which sugar | 18 g | 54 g |
How this is calculated
Target amount = ingredient amount × target servings ÷ base servings. The result is then rounded for kitchen use: from 100 g or ml to the nearest 5, between 1 and 99 to the nearest 1, pieces and spoons to half units, amounts below one unit to quarters, thirds or halves. Teaspoons and tablespoons also go down to an eighth, kilograms and litres stay finer.
Total = value per serving × target servings. The value per serving is unchanged, because ingredient amount and serving count change by the same factor.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (FIC), Art. 32 and 33: nutrition values per 100 g or 100 ml, additionally allowed per portion.
- European Commission, Guidance document for competent authorities for the control of compliance with EU food law, setting of tolerances for nutrient values declared on a label, December 2012.
Nutrition values are estimates from the recipe record, not laboratory results. Even for checked labels the EU sets tolerances: for fat, protein and carbohydrates 20 percent in the range of 10 to 40 g per 100 g, and 2 g per 100 g below that. Home cooking varies more, because variety, size and cooking loss of the ingredients differ. Kitchen rounding also shifts the total slightly against the plain rule of three. Anyone who has to keep amounts exact for medical reasons, for example during a nutrition therapy prescribed by a doctor, should discuss them with a doctor or a registered dietitian. Your serving count is calculated in your browser only, it is neither stored nor transmitted.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C).
- Fry the minced meat in a hot pan until crumbly and browned.
- Peel the onions and garlic, chop finely and add to the meat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato purée and fry briefly, then deglaze with 250 ml water.
- Halve the dates, cut into pieces and add to the pan along with the cinnamon. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Wash and halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. The skin is perfectly fine to keep on. Cut the Hokkaido into rough chunks and grate using a food processor or box grater.
- Mix the grated pumpkin with small flecks of butter, salt and pepper.
- Spoon the meat mixture into a large baking dish and spread the pumpkin evenly over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 200C (fan 180C) for about 45 minutes.
- Scatter the finished bake with freshly chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan, and serve with the cottage cheese (or sour cream).
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Nutrition facts per serving (estimate)
| Calories | 560 kcal |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 30 g |
| Protein | 36 g |
| Fat | 32 g |
| Fibre | 4 g |
| of which sugar | 18 g |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to peel the Hokkaido pumpkin?
No, the skin of a Hokkaido pumpkin is edible and can be cooked along with the flesh.
Can I use sour cream instead of cottage cheese?
Yes, sour cream is a great alternative to cottage cheese and works just as well here.
Which minced meat is best for this bake?
The recipe uses a mix of minced beef and pork, which gives the bake a lovely savoury depth.
How long does the bake need in the oven?
The pumpkin and beef bake cooks at 200C (fan 180C) for about 45 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender and lightly browned.
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