How to Roast a Whole Pumpkin to Make Puree
Skip the trip to the store and make your own homemade pumpkin puree! It's easy once you know how to roast a whole pumpkin. Follow along for step-by-step instructions!
Equipment
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- large spoon
- parchment paper or silicone liner
- canning funnel (optional)
- mason jars or freezer-safe bags
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin ideally a baking pumpkin
Instructions
How to Roast Pumpkin
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Rinse your pumpkin to clean it off. Turn the pumpkin on its side and use your large knife to slice beneath the handle to remove it.
- Place the pumpkin right side up, center your knife where the stem was, and rock the chef's knife all the way down to split the pumpkin open.
- Use a large spoon to remove the seeds and stringy bits from your pumpkin.
- Poke holes into the pumpkins with a sharp knife or fork. Place the pumpkins on the baking sheet with the outside up.
- Roast for 50-80 minutes, depending on the size of your pumpkin. When it's done, the skin will sink in and the pumpkin meat will be extremely tender.
- Remove from the oven and let the pumpkin cool for 30 minutes to an hour before peeling off the skin from the meat. Use a paring knife or spoon if needed.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
- Add all of the cooked pumpkin to the bowl of your food processor.
- Blend until the pumpkin has a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Store the pumpkin puree in mason jars and keep it in the fridge for 5-6 days.
Notes
If you don't want to make pumpkin pie right now, store your leftover pumpkin puree in mason jars or an airtight container in the fridge. I prefer to use a canning funnel to make it easy to fill the jars. You can store it safely in the fridge for 5-6 days.
To save your roasted pumpkin for later use, you can also freeze your fresh roasted pumpkin. To do so, store it in a wide-mouth mason jar and leave at least 1 inch of headspace. Refrigerate the jar until very cold before freezing.
For freezer bags, add however much you'd like in each container and freeze for up to 1 year. Thaw in the fridge before using.
- If you're using your pumpkin for a savory recipe, like pumpkin soup, you can drizzle the inside of the raw pumpkin with olive oil and kosher salt before roasting to bring out the flavor.
- This method also works for other winter squashes, including acorn squash, butternut squash, red kuri, and more. Cooking time may vary for different a kind of pumpkin.
- Be sure to save your pumpkin seeds for future uses - clean, season, and bake them on low heat in the oven.
- To speed things up, cut the pumpkin halves into smaller pieces.
- For a sweet treat, sprinkle the inside of the pumpkins with melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a little salt. Bake them inside up and enjoy as a sweet treat this holiday season.
Nutrition
Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 4624mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 115777IU | Vitamin C: 122mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 11mg
Calories: 354kcal