Transform fall sugar pumpkins into pumpkin puree.
This recipe makes a mild and creamy homemade pumpkin puree for all kinds of recipes!
With this easy recipe to make your own pumpkin puree, nothing goes to waste, not even the seeds!
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What is Pumpkin Puree?
- Homemade pumpkin purée is cooked and mashed or blended pumpkin.
- Healthy choice! Pumpkins are chock-full of nutrition with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.
- Fall dessert fave! This pumpkin purée recipe is perfect for pies, cheesecake, or this ever-famous and adored pumpkin roll recipe!
- Use it all! Rinse and make these tasty roasted pumpkin seeds for a wholesome, healthy snack.
Ingredients and Variations
Pumpkins – Choose fresh and heavy unblemished pumpkins that smell sweet and bright and cut them in half vertically.
Seasonings – Season pumpkin pieces with olive oil or leftover bacon grease for a smoky flavor. A dash of salt is desired, but not necessary. If you know you’ll be using pumpkin puree for smoothies or baked goods, sprinkle in some homemade pumpkin pie spice or some simple cinnamon sugar.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
- Prepare pumpkin (per the recipe below). Scoop out the seeds (set aside).
- Brush with olive oil and season, if desired.
- Bake pumpkin halves cut side down until fork-tender.
- Cook before scooping out the flesh and blend in a food processor until smooth.
I use a food processor, but you can also use a high-powered blender, immersion blender, or a potato masher.
Note: Strain pumpkin puree through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer to remove a lot of the excess liquid if using the pumpkin puree to bake otherwise there will be too much moisture.
Stovetop Pumpkin Puree: Prepare as above but boil in water until the pumpkin pieces are tender. Drain, cool, and puree. Boiled pumpkin will need to drain in cheesecloth longer.
Storing Pumpkin Puree
Keep pumpkin puree in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freeze portions in small zippered bags or in ice cube trays to add to smoothies, overnight oats, pumpkin butter, or as an extra pop of nutrition to a soup or stew. Keep in the freezer for up to 6 months to keep the best quality.
Ways to Use Pumpkin Puree
There are so many uses for this homemade pumpkin puree recipe from making a pumpkin smoothie, to swirling in yogurt, to using in pasta sauce, to making pumpkin pies. Whatever your use, this canned pumpkin puree replacement will do the trick in your favorite pumpkin recipe!
Did you make this Pumpkin Puree? Leave us a comment and a rating below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 sugar pumpkin 2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil if baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and pith (the stringy bits).
- Brush olive oil over the flesh of the pumpkin (the cut side), and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt if desired. (*see note)
- Place on a baking tray, cut side down, and roast 45-55 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Cool the pumpkin slightly.
To Puree
- Once cooled, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin and place in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Fresh pumpkin can contain a lot of water compared to canned so if necessary, line a strainer with cheesecloth and place the pumpkin puree in the cheesecloth to drain for 30 minutes.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Pantry, Sauce
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This is a lot easier than I thought! Thanks!!!
Thank you for the great recipe& information on what & how to prepare the pumpkin
Oh my, thank you so much!! I was gifted 6 pie pumpkins and had no idea what to do with them. Thrilled to know that I will be making pumpkin stuff from scratch-scratch this year. <3
Delicious recipes that are incredibly easy to create for us busy workers.
Thanks
Glenda
Thanks for the receipe, I am using it for dog to mix in with her food. No canned pumpkin in nearby store bought a small sugar pumpkin and baking it.
Written directions and video do not match!
Spent a ton of time following the written directions. Peeled the pumpkin, cut the flesh into chunks, THEN baked the flesh.
While waiting for it to cook I watched the video and they roasted the pumpkin halves, then easily scooped out the flesh after it was cooked.
Apologies for the confusion Melissa. Smaller pumpkins can be prepared either way (roasted in halves or cubed) while larger pumpkins should be cubed. If boiling, both types should be cubed. I’ve updated the notes in the recipe.
Holly, does this work with a pumpkin squash too?
This should work well with any winter squash (time may vary slightly based on size and variety).
Is the nutritional information based on a 5 pound pie pumpkin or a serving? How much pumpkin equals one serving? It’s showing a huge amount of vitamin a, protein and calcium and was really wondering…. Please advise. Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Melissa, for this recipe the nutritional information is for the entire pureed sugar pumpkin.
When boiling pumpkins to get pumpkin puree you need to strain, mash, and then put back in the pot and simmer out some of the remaining water. At least this is how my family has been processing our pumpkins. We make pumpkin cookies and bread, and freeze for winter months.
Thanks for the suggestion Amy! That would work great too.
Just did this for the first time ever! I used the roasting method for the most flavor and it turned out beautifully! It was sooo easy. The skin peeled off pretty easy. I did that while it was still warm. I let it sit out and cool for the next 3-4 hours after so the purée wouldn’t be too soupy. Then i threw it in a processor (half by half). After that i decided to use a sieve with slightly larger holes to run it through a little at a time to catch any large clumps. It’s nice & silky and thick. If you want to steam or boil it I highly recommend to let it dry in the fridge over night so that your purée isn’t soupy. I’m about to make some pumpkin cheesecake with it. So excited to taste it!
Thanks so much for your tips Caitlin! I hope your cheesecake turns out wonderfully!
You didn’t actually tell us how to bake the pumpkin. Please include instructions on how it is cut, temperature and time.
Hi Mojo, you will find all the information on how to bake the pumpkin in the recipe below. You can scroll almost to the bottom of the page to find it or select the jump to recipe button at the top. Enjoy!
I want to make a pumpkin pie from home grown pumpkin.
Mmmm, that would be delicious Margery.
Glad I found these recipe’s
We are happy to have you Alice!
Can I eat pupkin only without adding it to cake or anything
You can! I hope you enjoy it!
i bake all the leftover pumpkins from halloween , mash them with honey and cinamon ANd flax seed and tumeric and make my dog treats with them they love them
That sounds like a great idea Pat!
Do you know how long pumpkin puree can be stored in the fridge?
Pumpkin puree should last a week in the fridge.
Holly, I have a large (11 inches tall and wide), whole carving pumpkin that I want to use to make pumpkin pies and breads. Last year I boiled it in chunks. This year I want to try roasting. My question, since this is quite large, is can I cut it into sections, then place on a roasting pan (more like a broiler pan) and shall I cover it with aluminum foil before baking it?
I would cut it into chunks but I don’t think you’d need to cover it. Let us know how it goes!
Well Told recipe and further it can be stored for 2 more days in the refrigerator that great!
Hello, I just wanted to be sure before trying that I lay both halves of the pumpkin cut side up on the pan? Thank you!
I lay them cut side down as it helps keep the pumpkin from browning. I have updated the recipe to include this information. Have a great weekend!
Last year I made pumpkin whoopie pies and a pumpkin pie from scratch. However, I could not seem to squeeze enough water out of the puree (I boiled it). This year I am making the whoopie pies again, but am also making pumpkin pie truffles and want to try to bake the pumpkin. I use a long neck pumpkin rather than the round one. Do the cooking times or steps vary between the two types of pumpkins?
I used only the round pumpkin so I can’t say for sure. If you puree is very watery, you may consider draining it in cheesecloth and squeezing out some of the liquid.
I usually just clean them, remove the skin and chop them into chunks in a steaming basket and steam them cooked. That way I don’t have too much water in them.
How long can this be stored up to?
If you don’t use it within 2 days, I’d recommend freezing it.
I freeze mine in quart size ziplocks 1/2 cup measurements and flatten it to freeze. It defrosts in like 15 minutes or less
Thank you for sharing Amy!