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Learn How to Roast a Pumpkin and make puree! Whether you need to roast pumpkin to make a sweet dessert or a savory recipe, this is the way to do it!
I always wondered how to roast pumpkin when I saw those sugar pumpkins piled up high at the grocery store come every October.
Pumpkin puree for me has always come right out of a can. I’m so ashamed to admit that. Why would I bother roasting an entire pumpkin, then peeling the skin to remove the flesh of the pumpkin only to pulse it down and make your own puree when you can pay the same amount for a can and it’s all done for you?
The honest truth?
Because homemade pumpkin puree tastes so much better.
Plus you have way more control. If you’re using it for a pumpkin pie, I like to do half a pumpkin and half a butternut squash – which if you haven’t tried that before, you need to! Your pie will be incredibly more pumpkin-y which is what we all want for a pumpkin pie, right?
And hey, before you look at my ingredient list and think, that’s not a savory pumpkin purée, you can simply omit a few ingredients and make this for a pumpkin soup, risotto, or chili.
Ingredients for pumpkin puree
- Sugar Pumpkin or Pie Pumpkin: these are the small pumpkins that you see at the store. Not the giant Jack-O-Lantern sized one. I don’t recommend using any other pumpkin than the variety listed. We’ll slice the pumpkin down the center and roast it, no need to make pumpkin cubes or anything.
- Cane Sugar: the sugars will caramelize in the oven which will undoubtedly yield a better baked good.
- Ground Cinnamon: adds just a hint of flavor and mostly for the aromatics. The pumpkin chunks smell so good when they come out of the oven! I like added a hint of spices (like the cinnamon or nutmeg) so that it gives the pumpkin puree plenty of aroma.
- Butter: I use cubed butter, no need to use melted butter and the butter will naturally melt in the oven. You could also use a little bit of coconut oil here if you wanted to skip the butter.
- Savory Ingredients: nutmeg and kosher salt. These are great if you want to know how to roast a pumpkin and use it for savory recipes. Feel free to make this your own. A good rule of thumb is that you can sprinkle a hint of whatever your recipe calls for. So if you are planning on using paprika, sprinkle a hint of it on the pumpkin slices and they’ll take it that flavor.
How to Roast Pumpkin Whole
I like to roast the pumpkin at 425ºF for two main reasons.
- The first is that the higher temperature promotes the Maillard reaction and helps caramelize the natural sugars in the pumpkin better. It also helps that we’re adding a bit of sugar and that will also caramelize. This gives your baked goods more depth of flavor. Think of it as the difference between butter and brown butter.
- The second thing is that a fresh pumpkin has a higher water content. Roasting at 350-400ºF will leave you with a watery roasted pumpkin and you’ll need to help strain and reduce the moisture. Kicking the temperature up a notch helps evaporate a lot of that moisture and it helps concentrate the flavors. So you’re left with a velvety-smooth, deeply-flavored pumpkin puree.
Homemade Pumpkin Puree for Sweet Recipes
Breakfast & Brunch
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Muffins
Under 500 calories
Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffles
Under 500 calories
Chai Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
Breakfast & Brunch
Crunchy Pumpkin Spice Granola
Breakfast & Brunch
Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding Bowls
Using Pumpkin Puree for Savory Recipes
Soups & Stews
Harvest Pumpkin Leek Soup
Dinner
Weekend Pumpkin Chili
30 Minute Meals
Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry
How to Roast Pumpkin (and Make Purée)
Ingredients
Sweet Purée:
- 1 (2-3 pound) sugar pumpkin (or pie pumpkin)
- 2 teaspoons cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter cut into small cubes
Savory pumpkin purée:
- 1 tablespoon butter cut into small cubes
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and parchment paper to make clean up easier.
- CLEAN: Using a sharp knife, slice the pumpkin down the center vertically through the stem. Using a large spoon, scoop out the pumpkin seeds and ribs. You can wash and roast these separately if you’d like or discard.
- SPRINKLE: the sugar and cinnamon over the pumpkin halves on the flesh side, or if you’re making the savory puree, use the ingredients listed there. Then place pumpkin halves on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Drop the small cubes of butter in the belly of the pumpkin.
- ROAST: Once the oven is preheated, place the pumpkins in the oven and allow them to roast for 45-55 minutes or until fork tender. Pierce the flesh and if it goes through without any resistance you have the perfect texture. If at any point your pumpkin flesh starts browning, cover loosely with a foil.
- COOL: Once done, remove and allow the pumpkin to cool for several minutes.
- PUREE: Peel the pumpkin skin and place the flesh of the pumpkin in the bowl of a food processor or a high power blender. Puree the pulp to your desired consistency.
- OPTIONAL: For an extra smooth pumpkin puree, feel free to run it through a mesh strainer to take out any string bits of the pumpkin and to reduce the amount of liquid (especially if you are subbing homemade puree for canned in a recipe.)
- STORE AND USE: Store pumpkin puree in the refrigerator in an airtight container if you plan on using this within 1-2 days. Or freeze in these measured containers for later. Use in your favorite pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, chili, French toast, waffles, soups, chia puddings, and of course pies!
Notes
- Subbing for canned puree: Homemade roasted pumpkin will have a thinner consistency than a can of pureed pumpkin. To help get the right consistency for baked goods, I suggest straining the pumpkin puree through a mesh strainer to help reduce the liquid. Just allow the strainer to dip into a bowl for 10-15 minutes and it should be good to go!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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