🎃How to Cook a Whole Pumpkin (and make pumpkin purée) recipe

white canister with pumpkin puree in it, as well as spoon and whole pumpkin in background

5 from 1 vote

🎃How to Cook a Whole Pumpkin (and make pumpkin purée) recipe

Easy to follow directions for cooking a whole pumpkin, that you can make into pumpkin purée. Cooking a whole pumpkin is easier than you may think (using a regular carving pumpkin.) And freezing it for future use is just as easy. Homemade pumpkin puree is ideal for desserts, pies, soups and more!

Course ingredient, sauce

Cuisine American, Canadian, North American

Keyword pumpkin, puree, whole

Special Diet Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings cups

Calories 44kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Ingredients

1 whole pumpkin
4 cups water (approximately) *for a large (20 lb/ 9 k roaster)

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Instructions

Fill a large roasting pan with about 1-2 inches of water. I use about 4 cups for a 20 lb/ 9 k roaster.
Cut the pumpkin into about 3-6 wedges, depending on the size of your pumpkin, and place flesh side down, .
If I have a very large, pumpkin, I do this in batches, or in two different roasting pans.
Roast pumpkin wedges in roaster (with lid on) 325 degrees f (or 162 degrees c) for about 50 minutes to an hour. *Roasting time will depend on the size of your pumpkin.
When done, you should be able to easily remove the skin by using a fork or butter knife to get under it and gently peeling it back. And a fork should easily go into it (be careful, as it will be hot)! I use an oven mitt and wash it afterwards.
Remove all the skin and discard.
Place the "meat" or flesh of the pumpkin in the food processor and puree until smooth.
You'll want to do this in batches
*You need to make sure that it's perfectly smooth
Pour it into a bowl, and double check to make sure there are no little pieces of skin, seed or stringy bits.
Pour through a sieve.
Drain off excess fluid. Cool completely.
Scoop 2 cups into each Ziplock freezer bag and be sure to record amount and date on the bag
Place in freezer flat (you can stack them)

Notes

Expert Recipe Tips:

Cut the pumpkin from top to bottom for safer handling. This reduces pressure on the knife and helps prevent slipping.
Use a serrated knife if your pumpkin is especially tough. A bread knife can saw through thick pumpkin skin more easily than a chef’s knife.
Don’t overcrowd the roasting pan. Leaving space between the wedges helps them cook evenly.
Let the roasted pumpkin rest before handling. Allowing it to cool slightly makes the skin easier to peel and safer to handle.
Puree longer than you think. Extra blending ensures you eliminate any fibrous strands that could affect baking.
Strain the puree in a shallow layer. Spreading it thinly helps it drain more efficiently.
Measure the puree after draining, not before. Excess moisture removal can significantly change the final volume.
Freeze puree as flat as possible. It thaws quickly and stacks neatly in the freezer.

Nutrition