How to Make Pumpkin Puree
5
Published Sep 24, 2024
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
Making homemade pumpkin puree is so easy and tastes better than canned pumpkin. Just scoop the seeds, roast, blend and use in all your favorite pumpkin recipes!
I have a ton of healthy pumpkin recipes that call for canned pumpkin (aka pumpkin puree) including my healthy pumpkin muffins, this amazing pumpkin banana bread and my pumpkin baked oatmeal. This homemade recipe comes in handy if you can’t find canned pumpkin or simply want your pumpkin puree to be super fresh.
I know roasting and pureeing a whole pumpkin might seem daunting, but it’s actually so easy. It’s honestly just like roasting up a winter squash. Plus, homemade pumpkin puree does taste waaay better than store-bought canned pumpkin! It may not be super apparent in recipes that use a small amount of pumpkin or have a ton of extra flavor (like these healthy apple muffins), but I think you can certainly taste the difference in recipes where pumpkin is the star… like my healthy pumpkin pie.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh & flavorful – Making your own pumpkin puree means you get the freshest, most flavorful pumpkin possible. It’s a game changer compared to canned!
- Easy to make – With just one ingredient and minimal steps, this recipe couldn’t be easier. Just scoop the seeds (and save to make roasted pumpkin seeds), roast, blend and you’re done! Plus, it’s a great way to make the most of pumpkin season.
- Versatile – Pumpkin puree is the base for so many delicious recipes! You can use it for pies, muffins, soups, smoothies and so much more! Some of my favorite pumpkin recipes are this healthy pumpkin bread, pumpkin oatmeal and pumpkin protein bars.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s the best part… you only need one ingredient to make pumpkin puree… a pumpkin! Look for a “sugar” or “pie” pumpkin that is about 2 pounds in weight. Regular, jack-o-lantern pumpkins used for carving aren’t great options for making pumpkin puree. The flesh is a bit too stringy and watery. But you can certainly still roast the seeds of a jack-o-lantern pumpkin.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Step 1: Start by cleaning the outside of your pumpkin. Carefully cut in half and scrape the seeds and stringy bits out with a large spoon.
Step 2: Heat your oven to 400ºF and place the two pumpkin halves cut-side down in the oven for 45-60 minutes.
Step 3: After the pumpkin is cooked, remove it from the oven and let cool. Once cool, scrape the flesh from the skin of the pumpkin. The flesh should come off easily – if it doesn’t, it needs to roast longer.
Step 4: Discard the pumpkin skin and place the pumpkin flesh in a food processor or high-powered blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Use immediately or save for a later use!
Brittany’s Tips!
- Use a sharp knife: This is key! Make sure you’re using a large, sharp knife when cutting your pumpkin. And don’t try to cut through the stem because it’s way too hard!
- Roast until super tender: Don’t rush the roasting process! Make sure your pumpkin is completely soft and fork-tender before blending. The flesh should come off easily. If it doesn’t or the flesh is still firm, it won’t puree smoothly and may end up grainy.
- Strain if needed: One thing to note is that often times homemade pumpkin puree can be a bit thinner than canned pumpkin, so if your homemade puree seems a bit too liquidy you can always strain it with a mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth, similar to how you would strain yogurt for a thicker consistency.
How to Use Pumpkin Puree
There are so many ways to use pumpkin puree! I honestly love using pumpkin all year round, but especially during the fall season. I’ve got breakfast recipes, main dishes and desserts that use pumpkin. Here are some ideas to try:
- In baked goods – I love baking with pumpkin in the fall! Try using it in recipes like this pumpkin cake, pumpkin cinnamon rolls or flourless pumpkin muffins.
- In soup – Make this curried pumpkin soup or autumn squash soup with this pumpkin puree.
- In a savory dish – For a savory pumpkin dish try my creamy pumpkin pasta or maple balsamic tempeh bowls with pumpkin rice.
- In a drink – I love adding pumpkin puree to my beverages like this pumpkin pie smoothie, pumpkin spice latte or my new obsession, pumpkin cream cold brew.
- As a snack – Make this pumpkin pie yogurt bowl or pumpkin chia pudding for a tasty fall snack! Top them with this pumpkin granola for some added crunch!
- As baby food – Pumpkin puree also makes for a great baby food. You can combine it with other foods (like carrot puree, sweet potato puree, mango, apple or yogurt) or serve it straight up.
- Make dog treats – For all my pet parents out there you can use your leftover pumpkin puree to make these peanut butter and pumpkin dog treats. Trust me, your dogs will love them!
How to Store
After your pumpkin puree is cooled completely, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the best results, I’d recommend using a sugar pumpkin (also known as a pie pumpkin). They have a sweeter flavor and smoother texture than large carving pumpkins, which tend to be stringy and watery.
Yes! If you need the pumpkin puree to last longer than one week you’ll want to freeze it. You can freeze large quantities in a freezer-safe bag. You can also freeze smaller quantities in a silicone ice cube trays. This is perfect for smoothies or shakes like this pumpkin protein shake. Just pop the frozen pumpkin out from the ice cube tray and add to your blender! If you need to thaw your pumpkin, just place it in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Nope! You can roast the pumpkin with the skin on. Once it’s roasted and cooled, the flesh will easily scoop away from the skin.
You’ll know it’s ready when the pumpkin is very soft and fork-tender. If it doesn’t easily scrape away from the skin, it needs more roasting time.
So you may be thinking… what the heck is canned pumpkin anyway? Most of the time it is just cooked, pureed pumpkin, but some brands use different winter squashes and sell it as canned pumpkin. It can also be easy to confuse canned pumpkin with pumpkin pie mix, which also comes in a can. Just be sure to check your labels because these two are very different! Canned pumpkin pie mix has added sugar, salt and spices. Just an FYI, every recipe you’ll see here on EBF calls for canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix.
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
- Quick and Easy Pumpkin Butter
- Pumpkin Brownies
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
- Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 2 lb sugar pumpkin
Instructions
- Clean the outside of your pumpkin, cut in half and scrape out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
- Heat oven to 400°F. Place the two pumpkin halves cut-side down on a baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until very soft inside and fork tender.
- Remove pumpkin from the oven and let cool. Once cool, scrape off the flesh of the pumpkin, leaving the shell behind. If there is a lot of thick flesh that is too hard to be scraped up, then the pumpkin needs to roast longer.
- Place the pumpkin flesh in a food processor or high powered blender and puree until smooth and creamy.
- Let cool completely before using or refrigerating for later use. Pumpkin puree should last up to 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- If your homemade puree seems a bit too liquidy you can always strain it with a mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth, similar to how you would strain yogurt for a thicker consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A lot of work…
I have a can of pumpkin out
right now, ready to make
pumpkin muffins real soon.
I’ll be honest, when I first saw this posted on your blog, I thought “why would I bother when it’s so easy to get it from a can?” But I had a leftover pie pumpkin from my Halloween decor so I gave it a go and wow! It tastes sooo much better than canned! So much creamier and sweeter. And still easy. to do. I had to add a bit of water to the vitamix to get it going but otherwise the recipe is perfect. I used it to make PSLs and your slow cooker pumpkin oats and they were fantastic.
Ah yay! This makes me so happy to hear, Nyssa! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Worked perfect!!
Thanks for the recipe during the national pumpkin purée shortage!
Woo! So glad this recipe worked for you, Sherry!