Easy Pumpkin Puree from Scratch
How to make homemade pumpkin puree from scratch to be used in your favorite pumpkin recipes. Jump to the Easy Pumpkin Puree Recipe
The recipe requires only two ingredients and that’s counting salt, which is technically optional! You are looking at 45 to 60 minutes of roasting time, but that’s really not too bad especially since it makes your home smell amazing. You can make pumpkin puree in advance, too. It will keep for a week in the refrigerator and for months in the freezer. (Some find that the texture changes over time when frozen, but we haven’t had any issues with that yet. I’ll keep you updated, though.)
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: How to make classic, unfussy pumpkin pie from scratch. This is our favorite way to make pumpkin pie. It’s easy, too!
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree
You want to use small baking pumpkins when making pumpkin puree. Look for signs that say “sugar pumpkin” or “pie pumpkin.” They just taste better than anything larger (especially your Jack-O-Lantern varieties. Leave those to the decorating).
If you are at a farmer’s market, ask the farmer which pumpkin to get. They’ll know best.
Once it’s home, give the pumpkin a good rinse then get to cutting it in half. It’s pretty easy, especially when you are using the smaller varieties.
If the pumpkin doesn’t sit steady, slice a small bit away from the bottom so that it does. Then plunge a heavy knife into the top near the stem and push down to the bottom.
Keep your fingers out of the way. I find that a dishtowel helps to keep the pumpkin from moving around on me.
Rotate the pumpkin and make a cut from the stem to the bottom again. Wiggle the knife through the bottom so that all but the stem is cut. Don’t try to cut through the stem, it’s way too tough.
Finally, pull the two halves apart. As you do this, the top of the pumpkin should break just under the stem and the stem can be pulled away. By the way, we use this cutting method for spaghetti squash and shared a video showing how we do it.
And there you go. Scoop out the pumpkin seeds and any stringy flesh then lightly season with salt.
Don’t throw away the seeds, here’s our easy recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds
Place the halves cut-side-down onto a baking sheet and roast until the flesh is soft and coming away from the skin.
Once the pumpkin is roasted, throw the softened flesh into a food processor and blend until smooth. Easy!
This recipe isn’t just for pumpkin. Think about swapping in other winter squashes like butternut or acorn. The roasting time might need to be adjusted slightly, but the method stays the same. Simply roast until the squash can easily be pierced with a knife in several places.
Use this homemade pumpkin puree for things like our Easy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes, your very own Pumpkin Spice Latte From Scratch and Pumpkin Pie.
For more from scratch recipes, check out our Fail-Proof Homemade Mayonnaise, Ketchup From Scratch and Homemade Hummus that has so many reviews we can’t keep up.
Finally, keep this recipe for homemade pumpkin pie spice handy so that you can make all your favorite pumpkin recipes.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, review it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #inspiredtaste on Instagram. Happy cooking!
Easy Pumpkin Puree from Scratch
- PREP
Skip the can and make your own pumpkin puree at home. It’s easy, smells incredible and works perfectly in your favorite pumpkin recipes. Look for baking pumpkins often labeled “sugar pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins”. There’s lots of variety so if you are buying directly from the farmers at farmer’s markets, ask them which pumpkin works best for your needs. This method works with most winter squashes — think butternut, acorn or interesting varieties like honeynut.
Makes 5 to 6 cups pumpkin puree
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 small baking pumpkin, 4 to 6 pounds
Fine sea salt, optional
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse and pat dry the pumpkin. Cut the squash from stem to end, but don’t try to cut through the stem (it’s too tough). When you’ve cut through the pumpkin, just pull each half apart. We do this in two parts. Cut one side from the stem down to the bottom of the pumpkin. Remove the knife, rotate the pumpkin to the opposite side then do the same. When there is a slit down both halves of the pumpkin, put down the knife and pull the halves apart. They should separate at the stem.
Scoop out the seeds and most of the stringy bits. Lightly season the inside of the pumpkin halves with salt then place cut-side-down onto the baking sheet. Bake until the pumpkin can easily be pierced with a knife in several places and the flesh is pulling away from the skin, 45 to 60 minutes.
Cool until you can safely handle the halves then scoop out the soft flesh into a food processor — depending on how large the pumpkin is, you may need to do this in two batches. Process until very smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Make-ahead: Store homemade pumpkin puree in food-safe containers in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Before cutting in half, if the pumpkin doesn’t sit steady, slice a small bit away from the bottom so that it does.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Nutrition Per Serving: Serving Size 1 cup / Calories 49 / Protein 2 g / Carbohydrate 12 g / Dietary Fiber 3 g / Total Sugars 2 g / Total Fat 0 g / Saturated Fat 0 g / Cholesterol 0 mg
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I’ve used a Hubbard squash to make my “pumpkin” pie and it worked great.
Can you use coconut yogurt instead of milk yogurt?
Hi Elia, Unfortunately, we have never tried coconut yogurt in this recipe.
When I make pumpkin bread, I save the seeds and the inside of the pumpkin and shread pumpkin and put a wet paper towel on it. After making the pumpkin bread recipe, I add shredded pumpkin the seeds and stringy stuff inside. This gives extra flavor and the seeds are yummy, plus added moisture to the gluten free recipe. I add nuts or raisins sometimes for variety.
Wonderful and easy. I saved the pumpkin seeds to see what I can do with them and may save a couple to raise my own sugar pumpkin
Loved this recipe! Best one Ive ever tried!
My question is when you puree fresh pumpkin what do you do if you don’t have a food processor?
Hi Sarah, A blender will work. Or if you don’t have that, either, try mashing it with a potato masher.
I have been using this recipe for three years now, and I simply can’t express how much I love it in words. Making a pumpkin pie from scratch has always seemed so daunting, but this recipe lets me make my puree so quickly, and it always turns out tasting divine! Thank you for this recipe, it’s going to stay with me for the rest of my life, as I’ve turned making pies into a yearly tradition 🙂
How many ounces of puree does a 5 pound pumpkin give?
We don’t get pumpkin canned purée or even actual pumpkins here in Colombia, but we do have squash all year around, so I used this recipe to make squash purée in order to bake flourless brownies with peanut butter and cocoa powder. It worked really well. Thank you!
So how do you store your pumpkin puree?
Storing tips are in the recipe. Store homemade pumpkin puree in food-safe containers in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Thanks for this. I have a QUESTION. 🙂 To make pumpkin puree, can the pumpkin only be roasted? Cannot it be boiled or steamed? Thanks!
Hi Helena, You can steam or boil the pumpkin, but roasting does a great job of drying the pumpkin out a bit. It also adds a bit more flavor. It is up to you, though!
Hello! Cooking the pumpkin went really well but then, when I put it in my ninja, it was too dense to process (I used a pie pumpkin) so I had to add almost a full of water. Is that a common “issue”? Will my puree not be dense enough to make pumpkin pie? Thank you 🙂
It is best to leave the water out. Next time, try blending smaller amounts of the roasted pumpkin (and make sure that it is nice and soft). For the batch with added water, you might want to consider simmering the puree down a bit on the stove so that it reduces.
What if the pumpkin is already peeled and chopped into pieces? Can it still be roasted, or does it need to have the skin on it?
You can still roast it!
Zucca marina di chioggia is delicious Italian pumpkin.
Second time I’m using these instructions because they are perfect. I put the puréed pumpkin in ice cube trays and give one each day to my 11 lb dog. They keep frozen for a good 6 mo. She loves pumpkin and it’s great for digestion. I also use your recipe for the seeds(for me). yum! Thank you!