Quick and Flavorful Homemade Pumpkin Purée
Delicious homemade pumpkin purée is so easy to make. It’s also a lot more flavorful than the canned variety. Just in time for Thanksgiving desserts, including the essential pumpkin pie!
To tell the truth, I’ve never been a big fan of pumpkin pie. It’s one of those desserts that has to make an appearance at Thanksgiving. However, I never particularly look forward to it. Thus, I usually wind up doing something else with the requisite pumpkin — créme caramel, ice cream, anything really.
So, when we moved to South Africa, I didn’t cry too hard about the lack of tinned pumpkin purée in my local market. I simply made my personal favorites — pecan pie and sweet potato pie — and left the pumpkin behind.
However, when I found a gorgeous little pumpkin at my supermarket the other day, I decided I needed to stop being a curmudgeon and give my readers a couple of pumpkin options for their holiday tables. I also thought it was a perfect excuse to teach you just how easy it is to make your own pumpkin purée. The best thing about making pumpkin purée from scratch — apart from the flavor — is the fact that you also get to make (and eat) toasted pumpkin seeds!
Once you realize how easy it is to make your own pumpkin purée, you will never buy another can. Trust me. The hardest part of the process is cutting the pumpkin! Your oven and your food processor will do the rest of the work for you.
Homemade Pumpkin Purée
Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180° C.
- Meanwhile, cut the pumpkin in 4. Scrape out the membranes and seeds with a spoon. Set these aside for cooking later.
- Place the pumpkin quarters on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the flesh is easily punctured with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Scrape the flesh from the skin and place in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the chopping blade.
- Pulse until thoroughly pureed. Freeze 1 cup portions for future use.
Notes
Select small to medium pumpkins, as they are easier to cut into manageable pieces for roasting.