How to make pumpkin puree: 3 ways!
So, you want to learn how to make pumpkin puree from scratch? Don’t worry, making pumpkin puree from scratch, you know, from an actual pumpkin is really not as hard as it sounds.
Remember, this was something that our great, great, great grandmothers knew how to do. Because Libby’s canned pumpkin had not been invented yet. 😉
The process does take time but most of the time is hands off time while the pumpkin cooks. This pumpkin puree recipe will quite possibly change your life.
The flavor of fresh pumpkin puree is leaps and bounds better than what comes out of a can, in my humble opinion.
In this post, I will show you 3 methods for cooking pumpkins from scratch and will show you step by step how to go from a whole pumpkin to delicious, fresh pumpkin puree that you can use in any pumpkin recipe. Like this one for pumpkin pie or this one for pumpkin sourdough oat waffles for example.
Let’s get started.
Buying or growing pumpkins?
In any of the three cooking methods, the first thing you will need to do is to buy “pie pumpkins” from the store or grow them yourself.
These are definitely different from the large carving pumpkins we typically see for sale in the fall. And while you technically can cook those ones, they don’t have much flavor at all, are stringy and really won’t taste very good. Plus they tend to be more watery.
Look for small bright orange pumpkins that are labeled “pie pumpkins” or “sugar pumpkins” or something like that. They will look something like this
Growing your own pumpkins
If you want to learn how to grow your own pumpkins in your garden, check out my posts on growing squash here!
And if you want to grow your own pumpkins specifically for making pies with, here are some varieties that I recommend.
- Small sugar pumpkin – this is the variety I grow most often. It’s very dependable, grows a lot of pumpkins, tastes great, and the larger ones can also be traditionally carved.
- Sweet meat pumpkin
- Butternut squash – yes, you can make a pumpkin pie with butternut squash puree. Would it then be called a butternut squash pie? Hmm…
- Winter luxury pie pumpkin
- Long Island cheese pumpkin
- New England sugar pie pumpkin
The great thing about growing your own pumpkins is that one plant will typically produce 3-8 pumpkins! Pumpkins and squash tend to be very prolific so if you plant your own, you will likely have plenty of pumpkins coming your way.
Once you have your pumpkins that you have either grown yourself or purchased, it’s time to make your pumpkin puree.
How to make pumpkin puree – 3 different ways!
Cooking method #1: Roasting
If you buy pumpkins at the store, I recommend buying 3 medium sized ones because they tend to fit nicely on a sheet tray and will give you a good amount of puree when you are finished.
Take them home and cut them in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and save them in a separate bowl for later. I LOVE to make these Tamari Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with mine!
Once you have your pumpkin halves cleaned out, place them cut side down on a large baking tray. Be sure your tray has at least a 1 inch edge all the way around.
Fill your tray with about ½ inch of water and place the whole thing in the oven.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 1 hour or until the pumpkin can be pierced easily with a fork. You want it to be very soft and cooked all the way through!
Do you like how mine have giant craters in them?!? Ha, ha. This happens from time to time, but don’t worry if it happens to you because the flesh inside will be totally fine!
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Tip: You can also roast your pumpkins with the cut side face up if you want to. This will result in a dryer flesh and you’ll need to watch it more closely at the end of the cooking process to be sure it doesn’t burn, but this is also an effective method of roasting that will give you an additional depth of flavor.
Pros and cons of this cooking method:
Pros
- The pumpkin takes on a rich deep flavor
- The pumpkin does not absorb too much water and won’t be too watery
- Hands off. Set it and forget it
- Makes a lot of pumpkin puree at one time
- Not necessary to peel the pumpkins while raw
- Utilizes all of the flesh, no waste
Cons
- Takes a long time to cook
Cooking method #2: Steaming
The second cooking method I will show is steaming.
This method requires you to peel the pumpkin skin off and to cut the flesh into cubes.
To begin, you will need to cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds just like we did in the first method. Remember to save those seeds for later so you can make these amazing Tamari Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!
Now, you can use a vegetable peeler to peel the pumpkin skin off if you want, but I find the process very tedious.
What I usually do is turn the pumpkin half with the cut face down on a cutting board, and then very carefully take my knife and slice the layer of skin off. This is similar to peeling a pineapple or a melon or other similar foods.
You just want to remove the bright orange outer flesh without removing too much of the lighter orange inner flesh.
Once your pumpkin is peeled, you will want to slice the pumpkin into wedges and then into cubes.
If you’d rather skip the step of peeling and cubing the pumpkin flesh, you can buy those bags of pre-cubed butternut squash in the produce section of most grocery stores. This will definitely save you some time and will give you a very similar flavor and texture, even though butternut squash is technically not a pumpkin.
Place all of your cubes into your steamer basket. This tool holds the food above the water level and allows the water to stay underneath the food you are steaming.
I was making this batch with the very last pumpkin I had stored from the growing season and it was pretty small so I didn’t have much pumpkin in the pot.
I also do not currently own a steamer basket but recently received one of these silicone egg steamers, which is absolutely amazing by the way! Farm fresh eggs peel so easily when you steam them. Who knew!? There’s your tip for the day. I just cut the pumpkin into large pieces and placed them on top of the silicone egg steamer.
Add an inch or two of water to the bottom of your pot, cover with a lid (very important to trap the steam!), and cook on medium heat for 30-40 minutes. Check occasionally to be sure there is still water in the bottom of the pot and refill if necessary.
Once the pumpkin is tender, turn off the heat and puree the pumpkin (see below for instructions).
Pros and cons of this cooking method:
Pros
- Does not require an oven
- Less cooking time
- Preserves nutrients (as compared to boiling)
Cons
- Requires peeling the skin before cooking
- Peeling the skin wastes some of the flesh
- Requires a steamer basket
- Needs more babysitting/checking during the cooking process
Cooking method #3: Boiling
The third cooking method is boiling.
Just like in the steaming cooking method, you will need to peel the skin off the pumpkin.
I typically cut my pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and save for later (so I can make these delicious Tamari Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!), and place the pumpkin half with the cut side down on my cutting board.
Then, very carefully, I take my knife and slice the skin off in sections just like I showed you in the steaming method above.
Once the pumpkin is peeled, you will cut the flesh into wedges and then into cubes. I usually try to get mine to be approximately 1-2 inches in size.
Alternatively, you can buy those bags of pre-cubed butternut squash that they sell in the produce section of the grocery store. While technically not a pumpkin, the flavor and texture are very similar and it definitely will save you some time.
Again, I was using the very last pumpkin that I had grown last year, so I didn’t have much pumpkin to work with which is why there’s not very many cubes in the pot.
Place all of your cubes into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the cubes are tender. You don’t necessarily need a lid, but you can cover it if you want to.
Once they are finished cooking, drain off the water and puree the pumpkin cubes (see instructions below).
Pros and cons of this cooking method:
Pros
- Fastest cooking method
- Does not require an oven
- Can make a lot of pumpkin puree at one time with a large pot
Cons
- Does not retain nutrients as well
- Will be pretty watery. You may need to drain further or cook down to remove moisture depending on your recipe. May not be the best method for recipes that need a drier/thicker puree.
- Requires peeling the skin before cooking
- Peeling the skin wastes some of the flesh
Final step: Puree the pumpkin and store
No matter which cooking method you used, the final step is to puree the pumpkin flesh.
When the pumpkin is cool, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and place into a blender or food processor. Add a small amount of water if needed, just enough to allow the machine to blend, and blend until it’s very smooth.
You can also use an immersion blender if desired.
When the pumpkin is pureed to your desired consistency, it is ready to use. If I’m planning to use it fairly soon, I will put it into the fridge (covered) for up to 2 days.
If it will be longer than that before I use it, I will usually put it in freezer bags in approximately 2-3 cup measurements and freeze it for later.
Pro tip: lay the bags flat when freezing, this will make it quicker to thaw!
Use your pumpkin puree in recipes
Now your pumpkin puree is ready to use in all your favorite recipes.
The flavor of freshly made pumpkin puree is far superior to the stuff you’ll find in a can.
Here are some of my favorite recipes to use pumpkin puree in:
I hope you have truly enjoyed learning how to make pumpkin puree. Now you know the process of taking a whole pumpkin and turning it into fresh, pumpkin puree.
A skill that will serve you well for many years to come!
It truly is so satisfying to make something completely from scratch. And to know EXACTLY where your food is from and how it has been prepared.
Taking our food supply into our own hands and getting into the kitchen is so rewarding. I know it definitely fills my soul with joy and makes me feel more connected to the earth and to people who came before me.
I love nourishing my family with such deep rooted foods. And I hope you do too!
Happy pumpkin cooking,
