How to Make Homemade Roasted Pumpkin Purée

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Here in Nashville, it’s finally cooling off. The trees are turning colors, and it gets dark at five o’clock. That can only mean one thing: Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It is time to get those decorative Halloween pumpkins into the oven to make up some homemade roasted pumpkin purée!

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Picking Pumpkins for Purée

Back in October, when you were picking out pumpkins that would look cute on the table or front porch, you may not have considered them as fresh produce. But you can put those little Jacks to good use and roast them up for winter baking!

The smaller pumpkins tend to have an earthy, almost spicy flavor, and you may be surprised to learn that the white pumpkins are sweet and creamy. Of course, the favorite for roasting is the Sugar Pie pumpkin, which is perfect for pies.

Don’t be afraid to roast whatever you have, especially if you have white pumpkins! I made a pie using a beautiful Cinderella white pumpkin and it turned out fantastic. Sweet, creamy, fresh, and so lovely. Check out the recipe here!

The main takeaway, though, should be to use what you have without fear!

Roasting Pumpkins is Super Simple

Here are the tools you’ll need:

• Rimmed baking sheet
• Silicone baking mat
• Chef’s knife
• Large spoon for scooping
• A good blender
• Fine mesh sieve
• Mason jars for storage (optional)

Cut off the stems of your pumpkins, and then slice them down the middle. I scoop out the seeds and set those aside. Then, place your pumpkin halves cut-side down on the baking sheet, and set them in the oven for half an hour at 450ºF.

When they come out of the oven, the skin should look loose. Let them cool completely, and then remove the skins.

Place your pumpkin flesh into your blender, and purée until smooth. For an extra smooth purée, pass it through a fine mesh sieve.

Then store your purée in jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or seal in baggies in the freezer for up to a year.

That’s it! It really is just that simple.

What Do I Do with the Waste?

This is a really great question, and I found a great post by Vintage Kitchen Vixen that will help you out with roasting your pumpkin seeds. Personally, that is not for me. My mom always roasted our Jack O’Lantern seeds growing up, but I’ve never had the taste for them.

What I want to talk about is composting. As much as it pains me to say, so much of this will not be compostable. The stems and the pulp can go right in the pile. Don’t worry about that.

However, you cannot compost the roasted skins or the seeds. Cooked food is no good for compost because it draws in critters. And the seeds will sprout and start growing in your bin so you either need to roast them, save them for growing, or toss them in the trash.

To truly minimize the waste that comes with making pumpkin puree, I’d say compost what you can, and roast up the seeds. If you don’t like eating them, I’m sure you can find a friend who’ll take them off your hands.

If you need ideas for what to do with your pumpkin purée, I’ve got you covered. Try these:

• Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Caramel Sauce
• Loaded Pumpkin Scones
• White Pumpkin Pie
• Crunchy Pumpkin Streusel Loaf Cake

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Homemade Roasted Pumpkin Puree

Use all those "decorative" baby pumpkins from Halloween to make a perfectly roasted homemade pumpkin puree for your Thanksgiving pies.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 1 batch

Equipment

• Sheet pan
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
• Blender or Food Processor

Ingredients

  

• 4 lbs various baking pumpkins

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Scrub all the dirt off your pumpkins if you haven't already.
• Remove the stems and slice the pumpkins in half vertically.
• Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Set aside.
• Lay pumpkins cut side down on a lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You'll know they're done when you can pierce the flesh with a paring knife with no resistance.
• Allow the pumpkins to cool completely on the counter before scooping.
• Scoop the flesh from the rind. I collect it in a medium bowl as I go.
• Using a food processor or blender (your preference), puree your homemade roasted pumpkin until smooth.
• Optionally, press the purée through a mesh sieve to remove lumps and any leftover bits of skin. You may also transfer your sieved purée to a cheesecloth and wring out excess moisture.
• Once happy with the texture of your purée, transfer to a freezer container and freeze until you're ready to use.
• Thaw your pumpkin completely before using in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe!

Keyword Pumpkin

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