Homemade Pumpkin Puree (Oven or Instant Pot)
Homemade Pumpkin Puree, a simple make-ahead recipe to stock up on pumpkin puree for fall. A great recipe to make in the pressure cooker or in the oven, then freeze and eat throughout winter in pies and other sweets.
Ingredients
- 1 medium pumpkin see notes for varietal
- 2 cups water if using pressure cooker
Instructions
Pumpkin Puree in Oven
- Prep oven: Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Bake pumpkin: Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place them face down on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and can be speared easily with a fork and when it starts to separate from the skin.
- Remove pumpkin: Remove and let pumpkin cool, then remove the skin and pulse the flesh in a food processor, blender, or with a handheld immersion blender.
- Drain excess water: If the puree has a thick, watery consistency that means the pumpkin is still holding a lot of water. Drain by pressing into a cheesecloth lined strainer and then let sit for up to 60 minutes.
Pumpkin Puree in Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
- Prep pumpkin in pressure cooker: Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place inside pressure cooker on the wire rack to allow water beneath the pumpkin to steam and to make sure pumpkin skin does not burn. Add 2 cups of water to pot.
- Cook on high pressure: Cook on high pressure for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how hard your pumpkin flesh is (longer for harder flesh). When pressure cooker is done and pressure is released, use a fork to test the softness of pumpkin. If it’s still touch and fork does not easily spear through, cook for five minutes more on high pressure.
- Remove pumpkin + drain water: When the pumpkin is done, let cool and then scrape flesh from the skin. The flesh will hold a lot of water, drain by pressing into a cheesecloth lined strainer and then let sit for up to 60 minutes.
Notes
- Tools needed: baking sheet (oven method); Instant Pot or Crock Pot (pressure cooker method): cheesecloth and large mesh strainer
- Pumpkin varietal recommendations: pie pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, cheese pumpkins, jarrahdale pumpkins
- Recipe notes: If you do not have a cheesecloth and strainer, let puree sit in bowl for up to two hours to let water evaporate.
- Leftovers + storage: Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week, or freezer for up to one month.
- Nutrition notes: Pumpkins are a good source of potassium, vitamin E, and thiamin and are an excellent source of vitamin A. They are rich in carotenoids alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, phytonutrients that play a role in cell health and may reduce risk of heart disease.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 59kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 771mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 19296IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg
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