Making your own homemade pumpkin puree is incredibly simple. All you need is a pumpkin, an oven, and a food processor to create a nutritious batch of silky pumpkin puree.
Fall is the time of year when pumpkin starts to take centre stage! The leaves change into various shades of orange and red and fall off the trees as the days become cooler and shorter.
It’s time for cosy, warm, comforting pumpkin treats. Many of these include pumpkin puree, such as pumpkin bread, pumpkin scones, and pumpkin overnight oats.
Here in New Zealand, we don’t celebrate seasonal treats, so pumpkin puree isn’t something we can buy in the grocery store. You won’t find pumpkin lattes (unless you visit an overpriced Starbucks 😉 ) or pumpkin bread anywhere during Autumn.
It’s so disappointing!
Even more reason for me to whip out my food processor to make this super simple and silky pumpkin puree. I even used one of my homegrown pumpkins for this recipe, and it weighed a whopping 5.3 kgs (12 lbs)!
I don’t need that much pumpkin puree, so I just used half of it.
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What Type of Pumpkin is Best for Homemade Pumpkin Puree?
This recipe only requires pumpkin—nothing else! I used a homegrown crown pumpkin, the most common variety sold in New Zealand.
You want to select a sweet pumpkin with dense flesh that isn’t too watery.
The best variety to use for a flavourful, silky pumpkin puree is a sugar pumpkin. It has smooth flesh and is sweet, which is perfect for baking.
Butternut squash is another popular choice for making homemade pumpkin puree. Its sweet flavour and dense flesh make it perfect for pureeing.
Avoid These!
Avoid carving pumpkins. They are too stringy, flavourless, and lack enough flesh to make pumpkin puree.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
The printable recipe card is below.
1. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits.
2. Place pumpkin halves on a baking sheet, cut side down. Roast at 190°C (375°F) for 45-60 minutes or until the flesh is tender. If a fork can easily pierce through the skin, it’s ready.
3. Once the pumpkin is cooked and cooled, slice it into smaller pieces and scoop out the flesh. Add the pumpkin to a food processor in batches and blend until smooth.
How to Thicken Pumpkin Puree
For baking with pumpkin puree, it needs to be thicker. To get it thicker, some of the liquid needs to be drained off.
1. Place a double layer of cheesecloth in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the pumpkin puree into the cheesecloth and squeeze it to release the extra liquid.
Tip: You can leave the puree sitting in the strainer for a few hours to continue to drain if you prefer.
Storage
- To Refrigerate: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
- To Freeze: For longer storage, freeze the puree in portions using soup cubes or freezer-safe bags for up to six months. Consider freezing in portion sizes required for baking recipes, like 1/2 or 1 cup.
- To Defrost/Reheat: Place in the refrigerator overnight to defrost. If enjoying as a side dish, defrost it overnight, then reheat it in a saucepan.
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Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 2.5 kg pumpkin (5.5lbs) skin on
Instructions
- Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits.
- Place pumpkin halves on a baking sheet, cut side down. Roast at 190°C (375°F) for 45-60 minutes or until the flesh is tender. If a fork can easily pierce through the skin, it's ready.
- Once the pumpkin is cooked and cooled, slice it into smaller pieces and scoop out the flesh. Add the pumpkin to a food processor in batches and blend until smooth.
To Thicken Pumpkin Puree
- Place a double layer of cheesecloth in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the pumpkin puree into the cheesecloth and squeeze it to release the extra liquid. You can leave the puree sitting in the strainer for a few hours to continue to drain if you prefer.
Notes
- To Refrigerate: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
- To Freeze: For longer storage, freeze the puree in portions using soup cubes or freezer-safe bags for up to six months. Consider freezing in portion sizes required for baking recipes, like 1/2 or 1 cup.
- To Defrost/Reheat: Place in the refrigerator overnight to defrost. If enjoying as a side dish, defrost it overnight, then reheat it in a saucepan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.