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Home › Recipe

Published: Nov 16, 2020 by Elizabeth Marek · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

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homemade pumpkin puree

You won't believe how easy it is to make your own pumpkin puree at home. No need to buy it in a can. Fresh pumpkin puree has more flavor and color than canned puree. All you need is a sweet pumpkin, some shortening or oil, and 45 minutes for roasting. Blend and done! Your pumpkin recipes will taste even better with fresh pumpkin puree!

pumpkin puree recipe

WHAT PUMPKINS MAKE THE BEST PUMPKIN PUREE?

Pumpkins that make the best puree are sweet and have smooth outer skin. During the Autumn months, you will typically see something called "sugar pumpkins" or "pie pumpkins" in the produce section. These are what you want to make your pumpkin puree. 

sugar pumpkins

You might be tempted to use a big orange Jack-o-lantern pumpkin to make your puree but that would be a mistake. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins are very bland and have a stringy texture.

But you're not limited! You can also make puree from butternut squash, acorn squash, Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, Ghost Rider, New England Pie Pumpkin, Lumina (which are white), Cinderella, and Fairy Tale pumpkins. Pumpkins keep for a very long time in a cool dry place so you can even grow your own pumpkins (they are so easy to grow!) and turn them into puree later! 

different types of pumpkins for pumpkin puree

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PUREE STEP-BY-STEP

For this recipe, I'm using two sugar pumpkins that weigh about 3 lbs. The amount of pumpkin puree you get from your pumpkins will vary. These two made about 2 cups.

Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash your pumpkins and pat dry. Use a sharp knife to cut them in half.

pumpkin sliced in half

Step 2 - Remove the seeds with your hand or spoon. You can roast these pumpkin seeds if you want! They make a fantastic snack and are high in vitamins. 

removing pumpkin seeds from a pumpkin with a spoon

Step 3 - Rub some vegetable shortening on the fleshy side of the pumpkin. This will keep it from drying out and also create some yummy caramelization aka more flavor in your puree. 

hand applying shortening to a cut pumpkin

Step 4 - Place the pumpkin halves flesh side down onto your baking sheet. Poke some holes in the skin with a sharp knife about ¼" deep. This will help steam escape while roasting. 

knife piercing the skin of a cut pumpkin

Step 5 - Place into the oven and roast for 45-60 minutes until the surface of the pumpkin is soft to the touch (use a spoon to test). 

spoon pressing the surface of a roasted pumpkin

Step 6 - Remove the pumpkins from the oven and let them cool a bit so you can pick them up.

closeup of roasted pumpkin half

Step 7 - Remove the pumpkin from the skin and place into a food processor. Blend for 3-5 minutes or until the puree is very smooth.

spoon scooping pumpkin from the skin

pumpkin puree shot from above in a food processor

Step 8 - Your pumpkin puree is ready to use! You can store it in a ziplock bag for up to a week or freeze it for up to 6 months. I like freezing in a quart-sized bag that is pre-weighed so I know exactly h0w much pumpkin I have.

pumpkin puree in a freezer bag

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Recipe

pumpkin puree recipe

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

How to make your own homemade pumpkin puree at home. Use this delicious puree to make your favorite pumpkin recipe!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 113kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Ingredients

  • 2 small sugar pumpkins about 3 lbs each
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • Wash and pat dry your pumpkins then slice your pumpkins in half with a sharp knife.
  • Remove the seeds and strings and set aside to roast later or discard
  • Cover the cut edge with a layer of vegetable shortening to keep it from drying out and to encourage carmelization
  • Pierce the skin 6-8 times with a sharp knife about ¼" deep to allow steam to release while roasting
  • Once the skin is soft, remove the pumpkin from the oven and let cool until you can handle it
  • Scoop out the pumpkin and place it into a food processor
  • Blend the pumpkin until it's very smooth 3-5 minutes
  • Place into the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months.

Notes

This recipe does not contain salt so that the puree is not salty. 
You can use other types of pumpkin to make purees such as acorn squash, butternut, or cinderella pumpkins. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins do not make great puree because they are bland. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 113kcal | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol May says

    November 25, 2020 at 2:42 pm

    5 stars
    Turned out just as stated, it was very easy and taste so much better than canned kind!!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      November 25, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      Thank you so much! Im so glad you liked the recipe

      Reply
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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