Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

I’m going to tell you a secret.

Are you ready? Here goes: Growing up, I didn’t like pumpkin pie. There, I said it.

I always ate some anyway, because I liked the idea of pumpkin pie. I love Thanksgiving, so even though this dish wasn’t exactly my favourite, it had a sense of holiday nostalgia for me even as a kid.

(Pst: You can always jump to the recipe.)

Somewhere along the way, after years of always eating just a little of it, just because it was there… I suddenly started to enjoy it. I think switching to freshly whipped cream may have had something to do with it. It’s possible I just like real whipped cream, and pumpkin pie is – as we would say in my household – a ‘vehicle for’ whipped cream.

My family’s pumpkin pie recipe is simply the pumpkin pie recipe on the E.D. Smith pumpkin puree can (or at least it was; it’s possible the recipe has changed over time!). One year, I sent my husband to get a can of puree. I wrote: “Could you please pick up a can of pumpkin puree? Not pumpkin pie filling, just the plain pumpkin.” The two are always sold next to each other in grocery stores and buying the wrong one is an easy mistake to make (ask me how I know!). 

He texted me from the store. There was no pumpkin puree available. Now what? While I am sure the filling is just fine, I love the opportunity to make my pie fresh. I also always make one regular pie and one vegan pie, so a whole can of puree is necessary. 

That year, one of us picked it up from another store. But if you’re in this kind of a pickle, or if you have just always wanted to make your own pumpkin puree from scratch, well, you’ve come to the right post.

I recently signed up for a produce delivery service, and received two pie pumpkins. I thought it was a perfect time to try making my own puree. It turned out great, and was easy to do, so I’ve included the method below.

It’s super simple, with very few ingredients. I got 2 cups from 2 pumpkins, but one pumpkin may yield more or less than one cup.  As to equipment, beyond the usual kitchen tools, you’ll need a food processor. In a pinch, though, a good blender should do the trick. 

After some experimenting, I found that an ice cream scoop worked best to get the guts out of the pumpkins. I tried a grapefruit spoon and a regular spoon, but the ice cream scoop was the most efficient option. Who knew it had so many uses?!

Fresh pumpkin puree

Ingredients:

• One or more pie pumpkins (each one should yield ~1 cup of puree)
• Kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut a small slice off one side of each pumpkin so you can stand it on its side without it rolling over. 
3. Cut the tops off, then cut the pumpkins in half lengthwise.
4. Scoop out the guts and seeds (I used an ice cream scoop). 
   Note: You may want to reserve the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds later on, so don’t discard them yet!
5. Sprinkle some salt over the flesh, then place the pumpkin halves face down on the baking sheet.
6. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until very soft when pierced with a fork. Softer is better because the pureeing will be over faster.
7. Let the pumpkin cool on a rack until it’s easy to handle, then scoop out the flesh (a regular spoon works fine here) and place it in a food processor.
8. Puree the pumpkin until smooth. I did one pumpkin at a time so my processor didn’t have to work as hard, but you can do whatever works for your machine.
9. Use immediately, or store in the fridge for a few days until ready to use. I imagine it would freeze fine, but I haven’t tested it.

Let me know if you try this, and what you make with your puree!