Easy Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Puree, fast and easy with no additives. The better substitution to store bought. The Perfect How to make Pumpkin Puree without an oven recipe.
Ever since I came to Italy (over 20 years ago), and Autumn would come, all I would think about was Homemade Pumpkin Pie.
Of course my Italian friends and relatives had never heard of it and had never seen a Pumpkin, so there I was with my cravings of everything Pumpkin coming and going year after year.
Until believe it or not a few years ago, Halloween and everything Pumpkin became the rage, even my mother-in-law planted pumpkin seeds! And how those pumpkins grew. So I knew that my sweetest Pie desire, Pumpkin Pie was even closer.
And since I would never find Pureed Pumpkin in the can here, I decided to make my own Homemade Pumpkin Puree.
What is the difference between sugar pumpkins and jack o lantern pumpkins?
Sugar pumpkins, also known as pie pumpkins, differ from jack-o’-lantern pumpkins mostly in their culinary use and characteristics. Sugar pumpkins are smaller in size, usually ranging from 4 to 8 pounds, with a sweeter, denser flesh and a smooth texture.
They are specifically bred for baking and cooking purposes, making them ideal for making pumpkin puree, pumpkin pies, soups, pasta and other savory and sweet dishes.
In contrast, jack-o’-lantern pumpkins are larger and have a thinner, less sweet flesh, making them better suited for carving and decoration during Halloween festivities. While both types of pumpkins belong to the same family, their distinct qualities are used for either culinary creations or carving.
Different ways to make it
- Boiling Method – Clean and chop pumpkin into one inch size pieces, place in large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil, continue on a low boil until tender.
- Then drain and place in a blender, and blend until smooth. Use in sweet or savory dishes.
- Roasting Method – Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, then slice the pumpkin in half, be sure to cut crosswise through the stem then scoop out the seeds and strings.
- Place the halves, cut-side down, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast uncovered, for approximately 40-60 minutes, or until tender. Let cool.
- Roasted Pumpkin is already soft so you can mash it with a fork or puree it in a blender or food processor.
- Be sure to use small sugar pumpkins for puree.
How to Store it
Place unused puree in glass or plastic container and refrigerate for up to 7 days. To freeze the puree place it in an airtight freezer safe container and it will last for 4-5 months in the freezer. A little liquid may separate, just stir it back into the puree.
And this is where this fast and easy method to make Easy Homemade Pumpkin Puree comes in. Once you have made homemade there will be no going back to the canned stuff.
How to substitute with Pumpkin Puree
Just like you can substitute oil with Applesauce, well you can also do it using Pumpkin Puree.
Using it as a substitute for oil, the ratio is one to one. In other words, one cup of oil is simply replaced with one cup pumpkin puree.
To substitute pumpkin puree for butter, you would then multiply the amount of butter by 3/4. In other words If a recipe calls for one cup, use 3/4 cup puree in its place.
If that seems too drastic a change and you do like some butter in a recipe, then why not do a half and half substitution?
Is Pumpkin good for you?
Pumpkin is a great source of potassium and beta-carotene. It also contains some minerals including calcium and magnesium, as well as vitamins E, C and some B vitamins. So yup Pumpkin is very good for you!
What to make with Homemade Pumpkin Puree:
Maple Glazed Pumpkin Cinnamon Cake
Pumpkin Focaccia Bread with Black Olives
and more to come!
This is pure Pumpkin Puree, no additives no salt just plain old Pumpkin. Now just imagine all the recipes you can make?! Enjoy!
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 4-6 pound pumpkin (2-4 kilos)
- water
Instructions
- Clean and chop pumpkin into 1-2 inch size pieces, place in large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil, continue on a low boil until tender.
- Drain and place in a blender, blend until smooth. Use in sweet or savory dishes. Place unused puree in glass or plastic containers and refrigerate for up to 7 days or several months in the freezer. Enjoy!
Hi, when you talk about substituting the purée for oil, what kind of recipe does this apply to please?
Hi Clare, you can substitute it in cakes, cookies, quick breads even brownies if you like. It’s up to you. Take care.
What do I do with the Pumpkin skin?
Hi Melissa, personally I don’t do anything with it, but you could make roasted pumpkin chips you could also search on google for ways to use it. 🙂
What is the difference between sugar pumpkins and jack-o-lantern pumpkins? Growing up I used jack-o-lantern pumpkins to make pumpkin pie.
Hi Roger,sugar pumpkins, differ from jack-o’-lantern pumpkins mostly in their culinary use and characteristics. Sugar pumpkins are smaller in size, they have a sweeter, denser flesh and a smooth texture. They are specifically grown for baking and cooking purposes. Whereas, jack-o’-lantern pumpkins are larger and have a thinner, less sweet flesh, making them better suited for carving and decoration during Halloween festivities. Hope that helps. Take care!
Hi, This worked perfectly for boiling. I didn’t even need to peel. Once the pumpkin is soft, put in a strainer and let cool for a few minutes. The peel comes right off!
Hi Michele, thanks, great tip!
You don’t mention the type of pumpkin to use as the preferred pumpkin is the small sugar pumpkin available in the fall, not the one we use to carve jack o’laterns.
Hi Irla, the best pumpkin to use is a small sugar pumpkin. With the carved pumpkins the only thing you can really use for those is the seeds for roasting. Thanks.
Not to sound silly…do you also use the outside of the pumpkin…the skin? I would use the skin for savory dishes but wasn’t sure for this idea😊. J. Zanutto
Hi Jeanne, no I never use the outside of the pumpkin. Sounds interesting though.
Where is the recipe for the Italian sour dough starter.
Here it is https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/lievito-madre-recipe/. 🙂
Thank you so much for posting a pumpkin puree recipe with a boiling method!
I don’t have an oven, and all the recipes I could find online only give oven roasting as an option. 🙂
Hi Natalie, your welcome, everyone says how roasting gives so much more flavour, maybe so but I just find I waste so much of the squash with roasting. And the flavour in my opinion is still there with boiling. Have a great weekend.
Wow this has simplified everything. thank you
Does the fresh pumpkin need to be peeled before cooking?
Hi Mary, if you cook it by boiling it then yes it should be removed, but if you roast it then no, leave it on. Hope this helps.
Yes, it does help, thank you for your quick response.
Would be nice to have a print option for the roasted pumpkin puree, not just the boiled version.
Hi Alice, good idea I just added it to the recipe card. Have a great weekend.
Il mio preferito è zuppa di zucca!!!❤️?
Hi LauraAnna, I like that too!