It’s that time of year – pumpkin is officially appropriate in every recipe! Savor this time, as it is fleeting and precious.
Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but, the pumpkin window is relatively small, so enjoy it!
Instead of making your pumpkin-based recipes from a can, how about making them from a pumpkin? It’s easy as pie! *wink*
I don’t know that making your own puree is necessarily cheaper than buying it, but it’s fun and you get the added side-effect of being able to toast the seeds.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
- Obtain a least two sugar pie pumpkins. These are the cute little pumpkins, not the big pumpkins you buy to make jack-o-lanterns. Trader Joe’s has them for $1.99 each right now.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
- Cut the pumpkins in half down the middle, scooping out all the seeds and stringy insides. Get them pumpkins nice and clean – no gunk left inside. Keep the seeds to roast – they’re full of protein and lots of other nutrients, like manganese, magnesium, and even iron.
- Place the halved pumpkins face down on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan and roast 45 minutes – 1 hour. The time required will depend on the size of your pumpkin and your oven. You want the pumpkin to be soft and mushy – you should be able to pierce it easily with a fork
- Let cool, and scoop out the insides, placing into a food processor or high speed blender (I used the Ninja
- Puree the pumpkin until it’s smooth. You may may have to add a little water to get everything all blended together nicely – don’t worry, ‘cause we’re going to drain it next.
- Pour the puree into a sieve or a colander lined with paper towels, and let drain for at least an hour or up to a day. You will be surprised how much liquid will drain out. You can put the puree mix into the fridge to chill out and drain.
- Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to a week, or, freeze for later use.
In the end, I got about seven cups of puree total out of two pumpkins, or, roughly three-and-a-half cans. I had two very full 3-cup containers plus one extra cup that I used right away.
One can of Libby’s pumpkin puree at Amazon Fresh (our local delivery service) is $2.33. I spent $3.98 on pumpkins, so it is cheaper to make your own, but any savings are really washed away in time spent. Personally, I think it is time well spent, though!
Happy Fall from me and Pipa!
(Can you tell she really didn’t want to stand still for this photo?)
View Comments (11)
Not only is it cheaper, but this way I know exactly what went into my pumpkin dish and that’s priceless! (Can I brag that I won 3rd place at the Goffstown, NH pumpkin cook-off with my pumpkin mac & cheese? Made with home-cooked pumpkin purchased from the Swan Tail farm in Snohomish, WA.)
Seriously? Way to go, Amy!
Did you get a ribbon?
was searching online for pumpkin puree and found your site….. have the oven preheating now… thanks! Going to make some pumpkin bread. Amy, would you be willing to share your pumpkin mac n cheese recipe? Totally understand if not. But know that I am just a staying at home mom/skier girl and pretty much am a beginner cook and would only use it for my fam.
all the best to you both,
kristina
Hi Kristina,
Good luck with the pumpkin puree! I sent Amy an email asking her for her award-winning mac recipe just in case she doesn’t see this comment. Perhaps I will try to get her to guest post in, in fact. ?
Thanks for dropping by — and as one skier girl to another — hope to see you more around these parts!
Angela
Hi Kristina, here is that pumpkin mac recipe: https://testkitchentuesday.com/2011/11/16/guest-post-award-winning-pumpkin-mac-n-cheese/. Good luck!
Thanks, I have a ton of pumpkins. They just sort of fell in my lap. do you think the puree I make can be frozen?
Oh, yes, it can absolutely be frozen. In fact, I routinely make and freeze it. Put it in one quart ziptop bags or containers with measurements on the side so you know how much you have, leaving a little space at the top for expansion. Then, take it out of the freezer and into the fridge two days before you need it — voila, it will thaw and be ready to use!
thank you so much!!
I am about to have some serious pumpkin puree making going on in my house!! I have the next 4 days and abut 15 pumpkins!
Oh my gosh – that is a lot of pumpkins! Good luck and happy pureeing!
Oh wow!
Angela thank you so much for this step by step guide on how to make your own pumpkin puree =) I LOVE LOVE LOVE pumpkin and I am oh so happy when this time of the year comes and I get to make PUMPKIN soups and PUMPKIN pies and PUMPKIN cupcakes. Love to munch on the yummy and healthy seeds as I watch television, too. This year I have decided to make some pumpkin cupcakes for my daughter’s class for her bday and I want to make sure that I make it from scratch and that I know exactly what I put in it… as so many little kids have different food allergies…anyway…I am so going to try this and make my own puree. Thankfully I found just the right pumpkins for it (…We live in eastern Europe and let’s just say people are not used to this whole pumpkin thing yet =)…) Wishing you a joyful season and thanks again!
Hi Evie,
Thanks for your nice note! Happy pumpkin season and good luck with all your recipes. Happy birthday to your daughter!
Angela