Name: Fresh Pumpkin Puree - How to Make this Fall Staple
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 pie pumpkin

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Here is one of my latest cooking tips for the holidays – make your own homemade pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin puree is a staple in Halloween and Thanksgiving cooking. From oatmeal to smoothies, to fudge and energy bites, making fresh pumpkin adds an earthy flavor to many of your fall recipes.

You can buy it at the supermarket, of course, but it is super easy to make and much less expensive.

Keep reading to learn how to make fresh pumpkin puree at home.

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Since pumpkins are one of the five symbols of Thanksgiving, using fresh pumpkin purée in recipes makes great sense!

Pumpkins are readily available this time of the year. You can either grow your own if you love gardening, or purchase them from the grocer or your local farmer’s market.

What you’ll need to make fresh pumpkin puree

This recipe has the shortest list of ingredients there is:

1 pie pumpkin

You’ll also need a spoon, a food processor, some cheesecloth, and a piece of parchment paper.

Note: All types of pumpkins will work for this recipe, but the smaller pie pumpkins and heirloom pumpkins will give your pumpkin puree the best flavor. The larger Jack O Lantern pumpkins give a more bland taste to the puree.

How to make pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins

Start by preheating the oven to 350° F (180° C).

Use a large spoon to clean the pumpkin. The very inside of the pumpkin has seeds and is quite stringy, and you will want to remove both of those.

After the seeds are removed, clean off the excess pumpkin flesh, wash the seeds, and set them aside to dry.

You can save the seeds. Pumpkin seeds can be roasted in many different ways and make a super healthy snack.

Roasting the fresh pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin into large slices and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You can leave the skin on the slices.

Roast the slices in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until the pumpkin is soft and tender. Let the pumpkin cool.

Roasting the pumpkin pieces brings out their natural sweetness. This is what gives the homemade pumpkin puree such a fabulous flavor.

Remove the skin from the roasted pumpkin. It will be quite soft and should peel right off. Use a knife to scrape off any remaining skin.

Cut the pumpkin into smaller chunks.

Making the pumpkin puree

Place the pieces of pumpkin in a food processor.

Pulse until it has the consistency of canned pumpkin puree.

Pumpkins will end up either dry or wet, depending on the type you choose. If the puree is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and pulse for about 20 more seconds.

If the puree is too wet, place the mixture in a sieve lined with cheesecloth and strain it until you get a good consistency.

The taste of homemade pumpkin puree from roasted pumpkin is so much more flavorful than store-bought.

It’s also cheaper since one pumpkin gives you as much as 6-10 cups of puree, and pumpkins are often on sale this time of the year.

This fresh pumpkin puree is gluten-free, Paleo, and also fits into the Whole30 Diet plan.

Storing fresh pumpkin puree

Place the pumpkin puree in zip-lock bags. It will keep for about 3 days in the fridge.

The puree can also be frozen for up to three months.

What to do with pumpkin puree

There are lots of ways to use pumpkin puree. Here are some of my favorite ideas:

Spoon some of it into your morning oatmeal for a fall-fresh taste and creamy texture. This adds lots of vitamins to a protein-rich breakfast.
Add fresh pumpkin puree to plain applesauce. You’ll add a lovely earthy taste and creaminess to a simple taste.
Use it in drinks. The warm, soothing taste of pumpkin puree lends itself to being used in creamy drinks. This pumpkin pie martini is one option.
Add it to a morning smoothie. It’s a smooth and healthy way to enjoy after a workout or as a breakfast on the go.
Add it to a chili recipe. You can add a few cups to give the dish a new, earthy taste that is amazing.
Spread it on a bagel. Forget the cream cheese. Try a spoonful of pumpkin puree on an onion bagel for a whole new take on a morning bagel!
Add it to pancake batter. Using it in waffles is another idea for breakfast.
It’s curry time! Pumpkin puree adds a lovely rustic flavor to any curry recipe.
Top a Shepherd’s Pie. This turns the ordinary dinner recipe into a Paleo creation.
Use pumpkin puree to make a dip to start your fall party.
And of course, use it to make all sorts of yummy desserts, from pumpkin pie to truffles.

Fresh pumpkin puree dessert recipes

If you enjoyed making homemade pumpkin puree, be sure to try one of these dessert recipes for fresh pumpkin puree:

Pumpkin cake with toasted coconut frosting
Salted pumpkin fudge (paleo and vegan!)
Pumpkin spice mummy truffles
No-bake pumpkin spice cookies

Share this recipe for making pumpkin puree on Twitter

If you enjoyed learning how to make fresh pumpkin puree, be sure to share this recipe with a friend. Here is a tweet to get you started:

Take your fall recipes to a new level with homemade pumpkin puree! 🍂🎃 Learn how to make it from scratch in my latest blog post. Say no to canned pumpkin this season! #PumpkinPuree #Homemade #FallFlavors #DIY #FreshPumpkin… Share on X

Pin this recipe for homemade pumpkin puree

Would you like a reminder of this post for making fresh pumpkin puree? Just pin this image to one of your cooking boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.

You can also watch our fresh pumpkin puree slideshow video on YouTube!

Admin note: This post for making homemade pumpkin puree first appeared on the blog in September 2017. I have updated the post to add tips for using the puree as well as nutritional information and a video for your enjoyment.

Yield: 6 cups of homemade pumpkin puree

Fresh Pumpkin Puree - How to Make this Fall Staple

Fresh pumpkin puree is simple to make and tastes so much better than the canned type.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 pie pumpkin

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 º F 180 º C).
Scoop out the seeds of your pumpkin and set them aside to use later in other recipes.
Cut the pumpkin into big pieces and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Roast for 45 minutes and let the pumpkin slices cool.
Remove the skin of the pumpkin. It should be pretty soft, and most of it will almost pull right off. Use a knife to scrape off the rest of the skins.
Cut the pumpkin into smaller chunks and place them in a food processor.
Pulse until the pumpkin has the typical puree consistency.
If the pumpkin puree is too wet, put it into some cheesecloth and strain it. If it is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and pulse till smooth.
Use the puree in all your favorite recipes.
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 days, or freeze for up to three months.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree – How to Make Fresh Pumpkin Puree

What you’ll need to make fresh pumpkin puree