It's easy to make pumpkin puree at home from a real pumpkin! You'll be ready for all your fall favorites after making pumpkin puree from scratch, or freeze it to always have some on hand.
Pumpkin season has arrived and it's bigger than ever. However, I've also been having a terrible time finding everything I want at the grocery store. Shopping just isn't what it used to be.
Whether you're struggling to find canned pumpkin puree or just want to know exactly what's going in your food, I've got your back with this pumpkin puree recipe, made from 100% pure pumpkin! Seriously just one ingredient is all you need to make organic pumpkin puree from scratch.
The best part is, you don't need to cut open a tough pumpkin. If you've ever tried cutting a whole pumpkin or giant squash in half, you know how difficult and dangerous it can be.
This recipe cooks the whole pumpkin before cutting it open, making it as easy as (pumpkin) pie!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin
How to make pumpkin puree from scratch
- Place the pumpkin in a large baking dish or roasting pan and pierce the skin with a large knife about 8 times.
- Bake at 350ºF for 90 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted easily into the pumpkin.
- Remove from the oven and cut in half. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Scoop out the seeds and stringy center.
- Remove the skin from the flesh using a spoon or knife, and transfer the flesh to a food processor.
- Process the pumpkin until smooth. Use immediately or store according to the directions below.
Top tips
How to vent the pumpkin for cooking
It's important to pierce the skin of the pumpkin before cooking it whole to allow steam to escape and prevent the pumpkin from bursting open in the oven. I used a large knife for this, just make sure you get all the way through the flesh to the center of the pumpkin.
How to use pumpkin puree
You can use homemade pumpkin puree in place of canned pumpkin in all your favorite recipes. It also makes a lovely baby food, just check with your doctor to make sure your baby is ready for solids.
How to store
Allow your puree to cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing pumpkin puree
I love making a large batch and freezing so I'll always have some on hand. To freeze, allow it to cool to room temperature, then measure out into freezer safe zip top bags in the amount that you want.
Press all the air out, seal, and flatten the bag for easy stacking in the freezer. I always label my bags with the contents and date that I froze it. The puree will stay good in the freezer for up to 6 months.
If you want to freeze small quantities, you could also freeze the puree in ice cube trays, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag to freeze long term. This is ideal when using it as baby food.
You can thaw the puree in the refrigerator overnight, or run the sealed bag under warm water until it's loose enough to break up and remove from the bag and then microwave.
FAQ
Where I live it's easiest to find cinderella pumpkins and pie pumpkins, both of which work great in this recipe. I'm sure other varieties would work as well, just make sure it's a sweet, starchy pumpkin that isn't too watery.
This will depend on the size of your pumpkin, but it's safe to assume you'll get 2-5 cups from a single pumpkin.
One 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree is equal to about 1 ¾ cups of pumpkin puree. I like to freeze my homemade puree in this quantity to make it easy to use.
Recipes using pumpkin puree
Single Serving Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 1 pie pumpkin, or other variety
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Place the pumpkin in a large baking dish or roasting pan and pierce the skin with a large knife about 8 times, making sure you get all the way through the flesh to the center.
- Bake for 90 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted easily into the pumpkin.
- Remove from the oven and cut in half. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Scoop out the seeds and stringy center.
- Remove the skin from the flesh using a spoon or knife, and transfer the flesh to a food processor.
- Process the pumpkin until smooth. Portion out to use in your favorite recipes or freeze for later use.
Katie says
Were the Cinderella pumpkins as good as Jon raved about?
Lindsay says
I haven't made a lot of pumpkin stuff, but everything I've made with it so far has been really good! I froze a ton if you want to take any home over Thanksgiving.