October 16, 2017

How to Make Pumpkin Puree

Nothing says October more than pumpkin! Pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin coffee, etc. A few years ago, I had gotten what seemed like a truck-load of pumpkins from family members who grew them. I wanted to know what all to make with the extra pumpkins, so I made puree from scratch. Cost wise, making puree does not ‘save’ you money (I paid $1.25 per pie pumpkin at Kroger)—but it’s a super easy way to avoid the canned variety—and it’s one more fall activity to try with the season’s favorite squash.

You can add pumpkin puree to so many recipes and this puree can be doctored however you like or need to suit your tastes.

One pie pumpkin yields about 1 to 1.5 cups, depending on size. I have pureed regular “Jack-o-Lantern” pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, pie pumpkins, and gray/white pumpkins, too. They can all be pureed and all taste similar enough, but I highly recommend these small pie pumpkins. They are the easiest to work with that I’ve found and they were the least messy.

Basic Pumpkin Puree

Emma J. Watling

Homemade pumpkin puree—fresh and easy! Avoid the canned pumpkin and make your own!

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Course Prep

Cuisine American, Holidays

Servings cups

Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients

2 small pie pumpkins whole

Instructions

Wash pumpkins and dry. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut the tops off of pumpkins and slice them in half lengthwise.
Remove seeds and ‘guts’ (use those for pumpkins seeds, etc.). Scrape as much of the stringy center out as possible. Leaving a few strings is okay.
Cut the halves again (to make quarters). Place on baking sheet face up, spaced about 2 inches apart.
Bake on 400°F for 30-45 minutes, or until edges start to curl and pumpkin is pierced easily with a fork.
Remove roasted pumpkin from oven and let cool completely, approximately 30-45 minutes.
Once cool, remove any burnt pieces or strings (would not affect performance but can affect color and/or texture).
Scrape pumpkin from skin into a food processor. Pumpkin may easily 'fall' off of skin but scrape the skin to be sure and get all of the cooked pumpkin.
Process for 2-3 minutes on low, scraping down sides halfway through.
Use immediately in your favorite recipe or place in a container to refrigerate for up to 1 week. Can be frozen for up to a year.

Notes

Using a food processor makes preparing this puree easy and keeps the kitchen clean. An immersion blender, a stand mixer or any other type of blender would also work well.

I freeze 1 cup and 2 cup amounts flat in ziploc bags for up to a year. I recommend using this puree in place of any canned pumpkin for sauces, soups, pies, dog treats and more.