Ghapama
Whole pumpkin stuffed with rice, dried fruit and honey. · Armenia
Whole pumpkin stuffed with rice, dried fruit and honey.
About Ghapama
A whole pumpkin is hollowed out, filled with rice, dried apricots, raisins, walnuts and honey, then baked until soft and served cut into wedges. Festive and fragrant, it appears on Armenian holiday tables.
🏛️ History & Culture
Ghapama’s origins are debated, but it is a beloved Armenian harvest dish that likely evolved from simple rural cooking—stuffed pumpkin was a practical way to combine autumn staples. Regional variations exist within Armenia and the wider Caucasus, with cooks adjusting the filling to include apples, prunes, or different nuts, while the core of rice, dried fruits, and honey remains consistent.
In Armenian culture, ghapama holds a special place on festive tables, especially at Christmas and New Year, where its golden, sweet aroma symbolizes abundance and warmth. The dish is often served as a centerpiece, cut into wedges so each guest receives a portion—a gesture of sharing and hospitality that ties families together during winter celebrations.
🍳 How to make Ghapama
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedGhapama (Armenian Stuffed Pumpkin)
A festive Armenian holiday dish: a whole pumpkin hollowed and filled with rice, dried fruits, walnuts and honey, then baked until the flesh is meltingly tender and the filling fragrant. Served in wedges so each slice carries both sweet rice and soft roasted pumpkin.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 150 min
- Total
- 175 min
- Serves
- 6-8
- Difficulty
- Medium
Recipe ingredients
- 1 whole pumpkin, round, about 2-2.5 kg / 4½-5½ lb, with a flat bottom so it sits upright
- 200 g (1 cup) short-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- 750 ml (3 cups) water, for parboiling the rice
- 120 g (¾ cup) dried apricots, chopped
- 80 g (½ cup) raisins or dried plums (prunes), chopped if large
- 100 g (1 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped, lightly toasted
- 80 g (¼ cup) honey, plus extra for drizzling
- 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, plus a little for greasing
- 2.5 ml (½ tsp) ground cinnamon, optional but traditional
- 1.25 ml (¼ tsp) ground allspice or clove, optional
- 5 ml (1 tsp) salt, for the rice water
Steps
- 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Wash the pumpkin and dry it well.
- 2 Slice off the top of the pumpkin about 5 cm / 2 in below the stem to make a 'lid'. Set the lid aside. Scrape out all seeds and stringy fibers with a spoon, leaving the flesh intact. Rub the inside lightly with a little butter.
- 3 Parboil the rice: bring 750 ml water and the salt to a boil, add the rice, cook 5-7 minutes until just tender but still firm at the center (it will finish inside the pumpkin). Drain and rinse briefly under warm water to stop cooking.
- 4 In a large bowl, combine the parboiled rice, chopped apricots, raisins, walnuts, honey, 30 g butter, cinnamon and allspice if using. Toss gently so the honey and butter coat everything.
- 5 Spoon the filling into the hollowed pumpkin, pressing down gently but do not pack tightly - the rice will expand as it steams. Fill to about 2 cm / ¾ in below the rim. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp honey over the top of the filling.
- 6 Place the lid back on the pumpkin. Set the pumpkin on a parchment-lined baking dish or roasting pan (it may weep liquid as it bakes).
- 7 Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 2 to 2½ hours. The pumpkin is done when a knife pierces the outer wall with almost no resistance and the filling is hot through; the internal temperature at the center of the filling should reach at least 75°C / 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- 8 If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil. If the lid starts to char, remove it for the last 30 minutes and let the filling brown lightly.
- 9 Remove from the oven and let the pumpkin rest, covered loosely with foil, for 15-20 minutes so the filling sets and is easier to cut.
- 10 To serve, slice the whole pumpkin vertically into wedges (cut from top to bottom through skin and filling) so each portion has some flesh, some rice filling and some of the caramelized top. Drizzle each wedge with a little extra honey if desired.
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Ghapama — frequently asked questions
What is Ghapama?
A whole pumpkin is hollowed out, filled with rice, dried apricots, raisins, walnuts and honey, then baked until soft and served cut into wedges. Festive and fragrant, it appears on Armenian holiday tables.
What is Ghapama made of?
Ghapama is made with pumpkin, rice, dried apricots, walnuts and honey.
Where does Ghapama come from?
Ghapama comes from Armenia, and is especially associated with Nationwide. Ghapama’s origins are debated, but it is a beloved Armenian harvest dish that likely evolved from simple rural cooking—stuffed pumpkin was a practical way to combine autumn staples.
Where can I eat Ghapama?
An Armenian celebration, carried whole to the table and sliced.
How do you make Ghapama?
Making Ghapama at home takes about 25 minutes of prep and 150 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 6-8 and is rated medium. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.
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