Throw an All-Pumpkin Halloween Dinner Party
By Adina Steiman
Pumpkins have always been a big part of celebrating Halloween, from creepy grinning Jack O’Lanterns to spiced lattes. But if you’re hungry for a new way to throw a Halloween party—one that doesn’t involve blindfolds and peeled grapes—pumpkins are even more essential.
Since pumpkin recipes can skew savory or sweet, Halloween is the perfect time to serve up an all-pumpkin menu that’s surprisingly varied but consistently delicious. Here’s how.
Start with a creamy soup. Whether you roast and puree your own pumpkin or use premade canned puree, pumpkin soup is genius for a party. It’s easy to make ahead, and you can serve it in small glasses as a shot if you want to make like a caterer, or ladle it out generous portions for a sit-down meal. Add some toasted pumpkin seeds or breadcrumbs for some contrasting crunch, and you’re off to a deliciously spooky start.
American: Butternut Squash and Sage Soup with Sage Breadcrumbs
Asian: Hot-and-Sour Pumpkin Soup
Mexican: Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Mexican Cream and Toasted Pepitas
Stuff pumpkin for a showstopping main course. Why carve a face into a pumpkin when you can stuff it with bread, cheese, and/or sauteed vegetables to create a main course that can easily feed a crowd? For even more sweetness and flavor, sidestep the classic jack o’lantern varieties at the supermarket and hit up the farmer’s market for a more flavorful “pie” or “cheese” pumpkin variety.
With cheese: Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
With vegetable stew: Pumpkin Stuffed with Vegetable Stew
With stuffing: Neo-Classical Thanksgiving Dressing with Apricots and Prunes, Stuffed in a Whole Pumpkin
Bake it into a creamy (or crunchy) dessert. It’s no surprise that pumpkin is at home in a range of desserts, so we pulled together the recipes most likely to delight your guests—from a simple, homey bread pudding to a gorgeous swirled cheesecake (see above) and a crunchy brittle that’s a perfect topping for simple scoops of your favorite vanilla or dulce de leche ice cream. Done!
Creamy: Pumpkin-Ginger Cheesecake
Comforting: Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Crunchy: Pumpkin-Seed Brittle
photos: Romulo Yanes (3); Marcus Nilsson
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