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Roast Pumpkin is the perfect way to enjoy this favorite squash! Similar to a butternut squash or an acorn squash, this fruit is sweet and delicious!
If you have leftover sugar pumpkins from holiday decorating, we’ll show you how to roast a whole pumpkin in the oven! It can be made into a pumpkin puree for Pumpin Pasta, roasted and enjoyed as a side, or added to pumpkin soup!
What Kind of Pumpkin Can You Cook?
Sugar pumpkins aka pie pumpkins are the best kind of squash to roast as they’re sweet and intended for eating!
A regular pumpkin that you would normally purchase around Halloween is not usually a good pumpkin for eating. They tend to be flavorless, stringy, watery and bland.
How to Roast Pumpkin in the Oven
Cut the pumpkin in half vertically and remove the seeds and stringy insides with an ice cream scoop. Rinse the seeds and make roasted pumpkin seeds while you are at it!
- For a savory roasted pumpkin brush oil on cut flesh and season with salt and pepper. If you are using pumpkin for smoothies, pies, or baby food, then leave it unseasoned.
- Place the pumpkin halves, cut side down and then pierce the outer skin with a fork or knife several times. This allows steam to escape and speeds up the roasting time.
- Bake until you can insert a toothpick into the skin with ease.
How to Roast a Whole Pumpkin
The same preparation steps apply when roasting a whole pumpkin, being careful to extend the baking times for larger pumpkins (remember that sugar pumpkins are the best for roasting). Simply cut the top off the pumpkin and use a spoon to scrape out any seeds and stringy pulp.
The flesh can then be scooped out to make a soup or the pumpkin itself can be filled and served.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Roasted pumpkin is another great option for making pumpkin puree as it has less water than steamed.
Once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, gently scoop out the flesh and put into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until the puree is creamy and smooth. Add a little water if the puree seems too thick. Use your pumpkin puree within a week or portion and put in the freezer for up to a month.
Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes – top with your favorite cream cheese frosting!
- Easy as Pie Pumpkin Cheesecake – only 5 mins of prep!
- Pumpkin Pancakes – thick and fluffy.
- Fudgy Pumpkin Brownies – made with only 2 Ingredients!
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – lunchbox favorite.
Roasted Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease baking pan.
- Cut the pumpkin in half vertically and remove the seeds. Scoop out the stringy insides.
- Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the pumpkin on the sheet pan, cut sides down, and pierce the outer skin with a fork or knife several times.
- Bake for 30-45 mins or until a toothpick easily pierces the skin.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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If I was going use this recipe in baked goods would I add the salt and pepper. Your web site and Sally’s Baking Addiction are my favorites. Keep those recipes coming.
You can leave those out if you are using them in baked good but please for baked good we love to use our homemade pumpkin puree recipe.