Ground Beef and Sausage–Stuffed Mirlitons
By Vallery LomasPublished on November 19, 2025
Time
2 hours, plus 20 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
6 (8- to 10-ounce) mirlitons, halved lengthwise¾ teaspoon table salt 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided1 onion, chopped fine 2 celery ribs, chopped fine ½ green bell pepper, chopped fine4 garlic cloves, minced 8 ounces 85 percent lean ground beef 4 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary 1½ tablespoons minced fresh sage 1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon pepper 1 cup cooked wild rice ¾ cup panko bread crumbs, divided4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided½ ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (¼ cup)
Before You Begin
Mirlitons may also be labeled as “chayotes” in the grocery store.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place 6 (8- to 10-ounce) mirlitons, halved lengthwise, on rimmed baking sheet and season all over with ¾ teaspoon table salt. Turn cut sides down, pour ½ cup water onto sheet, and cover sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until flesh is very tender and easily pierced with paring knife, 50 to 60 minutes. Let mirlitons sit until cool enough to handle, at least 20 minutes.
- Using spoon, discard seeds and carefully scoop out pulp, leaving ½ inch border of flesh. Chop pulp and reserve (you should have about 4 cups chopped). Pour off any remaining water from baking sheet. Line sheet with parchment paper and return mirliton halves to sheet, cut sides up.
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 finely chopped onion; 2 finely chopped celery ribs; and ½ green bell pepper, chopped fine, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add 8 ounces 85 percent lean ground beef and 4 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, and cook, breaking up with wooden spoon, until browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, 1½ tablespoons minced fresh sage, 1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup cooked wild rice, ½ cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and reserved mirliton pulp. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Divide filling evenly among mirliton halves, pressing in gently. Combine ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, remaining ¼ cup panko bread crumbs, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl. Sprinkle evenly on top of filling. Bake mirlitons until topping is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Serve.
Time
2 hours, plus 20 minutes coolingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
6 (8- to 10-ounce) mirlitons, halved lengthwise
¾ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
½ green bell pepper, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces 85 percent lean ground beef
4 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1½ tablespoons minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cooked wild rice
¾ cup panko bread crumbs, divided
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
½ ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (¼ cup)
Ingredients
6 (8- to 10-ounce) mirlitons, halved lengthwise
¾ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
½ green bell pepper, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces 85 percent lean ground beef
4 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1½ tablespoons minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cooked wild rice
¾ cup panko bread crumbs, divided
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
½ ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (¼ cup)
Ingredients
6 (8- to 10-ounce) mirlitons, halved lengthwise
¾ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
½ green bell pepper, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces 85 percent lean ground beef
4 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1½ tablespoons minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cooked wild rice
¾ cup panko bread crumbs, divided
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
½ ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (¼ cup)
Why This Recipe Works
Mirlitons, also called chayotes or vegetable pears, are a type of gourd native to Louisiana with deep roots in New Orleans food culture. Technically a fruit, they have a mild taste and a dense, creamy flesh similar to zucchini and are great for hollowing out and stuffing. Though they are often filled with shrimp and breadcrumbs, here we stuffed them with a savory mixture of ground beef, Italian sausage, lots of herbs, wild rice, and the classic New Orleans trinity of sautéed onions, celery, and green pepper. First, we placed the mirlitons on a baking sheet, added a little water, and covered them in foil to steam in the oven until tender. Once they cooled, we scooped out the flesh and combined it with the rest of the filling ingredients. After loading the filling into the gourds’ hollowed-out cavities, we topped the stuffed mirlitons with panko and Parmesan and returned them to the oven for a crispy finish.
Before You Begin
Mirlitons may also be labeled as “chayotes” in the grocery store.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place 6 (8- to 10-ounce) mirlitons, halved lengthwise, on rimmed baking sheet and season all over with ¾ teaspoon table salt. Turn cut sides down, pour ½ cup water onto sheet, and cover sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until flesh is very tender and easily pierced with paring knife, 50 to 60 minutes. Let mirlitons sit until cool enough to handle, at least 20 minutes.
- Using spoon, discard seeds and carefully scoop out pulp, leaving ½ inch border of flesh. Chop pulp and reserve (you should have about 4 cups chopped). Pour off any remaining water from baking sheet. Line sheet with parchment paper and return mirliton halves to sheet, cut sides up.
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 finely chopped onion; 2 finely chopped celery ribs; and ½ green bell pepper, chopped fine, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add 8 ounces 85 percent lean ground beef and 4 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, and cook, breaking up with wooden spoon, until browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, 1½ tablespoons minced fresh sage, 1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup cooked wild rice, ½ cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and reserved mirliton pulp. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Divide filling evenly among mirliton halves, pressing in gently. Combine ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, remaining ¼ cup panko bread crumbs, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl. Sprinkle evenly on top of filling. Bake mirlitons until topping is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Serve.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments