Cucurbitacées • Cucurbita maxima

Moranga Pumpkin - Organic

"A generous pumpkin with a sweet taste and South American roots"

$4.49

Number of seeds 20 seeds

Originating in Brazil , the Moranga pumpkin is an heirloom variety renowned for its sweet, mealy, and flavorful flesh , prized in many traditional recipes. Its round, ribbed fruits , a vibrant orange , bring color and abundance to the autumn vegetable garden, while embodying the generosity typical of tropical squashes adapted to temperate climates.

In the garden, Moranga develops a vigorous, creeping habit , quickly covering the ground with dense foliage that naturally suppresses weeds and retains moisture. Its sustained growth , natural resistance , and generous fruit size make it a first-rate food plant in a vegetable or permaculture garden .

Adapted to long rotations and open-space cultivation, it contributes to species diversity , attracts pollinators in summer, and offers a luminous and structuring presence until the end of the season.

Growing climate: Temperate to warm climate
Sowing difficulty level: Medium
Care required: Regular

Note: prefers well-drained soil rich in organic matter, susceptible to root rot in wet soil.

The Moranga pumpkin is highly prized in cooking for its sweet, melting, and slightly sugary flesh, ideal for purées, soups, gratins, desserts, or even homemade gnocchi. It keeps very well in a cool, dry cellar and can also be dried or frozen to extend its availability in the kitchen throughout the year.

In Brazil, it holds a central place in culinary tradition, notably in the famous dish called “Camarão na Moranga” — a whole hollowed-out pumpkin stuffed with shrimp in a creamy sauce made with coconut milk, tomatoes, and spices, then baked au gratin. This festive and convivial dish celebrates both the bounty of the fruit and its ability to contain, nourish, and enhance the flavors of the sea.

Beyond this iconic recipe, Moranga is also used in vegetarian stews, as a side dish with meats, or in sweet preparations—candied, in tarts, or in flans. Its versatility and rich flavor make it a key ingredient in popular and family Brazilian cuisine, passed down from generation to generation.