How To Cook A Whole Small Pumpkin

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Wondering how to roast a whole pumpkin? It's easy, in one case you choose the right pumpkin and follow a few elementary tips. Here's how to practice it and make homemade pumpkin puree.

how to roast a whole pumpkin on a baking sheet

Why this recipe works

Pumpkin puree is a super-flexible ingredient in both sweetness and savory dishes. Using this method, y'all'll:

Start past choosing a medium-sized (2- to three-pound) sugar pumpkin, also called a pie or sweetness pumpkin. This variety is bred for eating, unlike the larger pumpkins meant for carving.
Cull whether to roast whole or cut in half. Both methods work great. Halving results in more caramelization.
Coax out the natural sweetness of the squash while retaining most of its moisture content, making information technology perfect for puree.

What yous'll need

Hither'southward a glance at the ingredients y'all'll need to make this recipe.

A medium-sizedcarbohydrate pumpkin (2 to 3 pounds), likewise called a pie pumpkin or sweetness pumpkin, is smaller, sweeter, and less fibrous than the kind you'd carve. You can roast the seeds from a carving pumpkin, but the flesh volition not result in a skilful puree. Y'all can as well apply this method with other winter squash that take dense orange flesh, including kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) and red kuri. Acquire more near pumpkin varieties here if y'all like.
If you'll exist halving the pumpkin, yous'll need a little bit of either olive oil or a neutral-tasting oil such as safflower. Come across below to learn more.

How to brand it

Here's an overview of how to roast a whole pumpkin and make pumpkin puree. You lot can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and become all the details in the recipe carte du jour below.

The near important step is choosing the right pumpkin — a two- to 3-pound sugar pumpkin. Y'all tin can choose whether to cut information technology in one-half or roast it intact.
If cutting in one-half, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits before roasting. (If non, do it later.)
If cut, rub a flake of olive oil onto the cut sides and suit halves cutting-sides downwards on a rimmed baking canvass.
Roast at 400°F for thirty-60 minutes, until tender. (A paring pocketknife should slide through the peel easily.) Once cool enough to handle, scoop mankind out of pare and place into a food processor fitted with the blade. Process until perfectly smooth. That's it!

Expert tips and FAQs

How long does pumpkin puree final?

In an airtight container in a dainty cold refrigerator, pumpkin puree will stay expert for a week. For longer-term storage, freeze information technology for up to a year.

Tin can you lot freeze pumpkin puree?

Aye, pumpkin puree (whether homemade or canned) freezes beautifully. Place it into an airtight container and freeze for up to a twelvemonth.

Can I utilize this technique with other winter squash?

You sure can. Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), acorn squash, ruby kuri, butternut, and most other winter squash will behave almost identically when roasted and pureed. Some have denser mankind and some have a higher h2o content, so go along that in mind when subbing various types of squash puree into recipes. Roasting times will vary depending on the size of the squash.

How to store pumpkin puree

One time completely cool, place puree into an closed container. Information technology will keep well in the refrigerator for a week, or freeze for up to a year.

My typical vibe is to keep a diverseness of wintertime squash purees in the freezer for use throughout the year. Labeling them would be a keen idea, but I mostly don't, and they work pretty well interchangeably.

How to make pumpkin puree without an oven

You can cook a whole sugar pumpkin for puree quickly and easily in the Instant Pot if you like.

For a ii- to 3-pound pumpkin, place the entire matter into the pot and add i cup of water. Position the lid and set the vent to sealing. Melt on manual, high pressure for 15 minutes and so let the pressure release naturally. When cooled somewhat, advisedly cutting in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Mankind is ready to employ. You tin can roast the seeds another fourth dimension if you similar.

How to use pumpkin puree

Hither are a few of our favorite ways to use pumpkin puree:

Soup
Mini whoopie pies
Smoothie
Risotto
Vegan muffins
Pumpkin bread
Cheesecake

More fruit and vegetable prep skills

Here's how to:

Prep and cutting butternut squash
Cut a peach for any recipe
Freeze rhubarb

roasted pumpkin on a baking sheet with a spoon

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hr v minutes

Ingredients

1 medium sugar pumpkin (2 to 3 pounds / 907 to 1360 grams)
1 tablespoon (fifteen ml) olive or safflower oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.
If you similar, carve up pumpkin in half. Or roast whole.
If halving, remove seeds and stringy flesh with a large spoon.
If halving, brush pumpkin on cut surfaces with oil and place on a rimmed baking canvass, cutting-sides down. If roasting whole, use a dent pocketknife to cutting several small, deep slits effectually the pumpkin to allow steam to escape.
Roast until completely tender and a pocketknife inserted through the skin meets petty to no resistance, xxx minutes to i 60 minutes. Remove from oven and permit to absurd.
When cool enough to handle: If whole, cut open and scoop out seeds and stringy $.25. Scoop out tender flesh and discard skin.
To puree, place pumpkin mankind into a food processor fitted with the bract and process until completely smooth. Pumpkin puree is gear up to use or store.

Notes

Once completely cool, place puree into an closed container. It will continue well in the refrigerator for a calendar week, or freeze for up to a year.

How to make pumpkin puree without an oven

You can cook a whole saccharide pumpkin for puree speedily and easily in the Instant Pot if you like.

For a 2- to 3-pound pumpkin, place the entire matter into the pot and add one cup of water. Position the lid and set the vent to sealing. Cook on transmission, loftier pressure for 15 minutes and and so allow the pressure release naturally. When cooled somewhat, carefully cut in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Mankind is ready to use. You tin can roast the seeds another time if you similar.

Nutrition Data:

Yield:

Serving Size:

i
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 23 Full Fat: 2g Saturated Fatty: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 0mg Carbohydrates: 2g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 1g Poly peptide: 0g

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