A pumpkin from the farmers market can become the start of something delicious—a fragrant loaf of pumpkin bread, a silky soup, or a pie for the holiday table. Making your own purée takes little hands-on work: roast the pumpkin until tender, blend until smooth, and drain away any excess moisture. Make a batch while pumpkins are plentiful, then freeze a few portions for baking days ahead.
Choosing a Pumpkin for Baking
Look for pumpkins labeled “pie,” “sugar,” or “cooking.” These generally have sweeter, denser, less stringy flesh than pumpkins grown for carving. Small sugar pumpkins are a dependable choice, but size alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Ask your farmer which varieties they recommend for pies and baking—they may have a favorite you haven’t tried.
Choose a firm pumpkin without soft spots or signs of decay. Yield varies with the variety and how much moisture you drain away, so measure the finished purée before planning your recipes. A 4–5-pound cooking pumpkin may produce roughly 3–4 cups of thick purée.
Homemade Pumpkin Purée
INGREDIENTS:
1 pie or cooking pumpkin, about 4 pounds
Vegetable oil or nonstick spray, for the pan
¼ cup water
METHOD:
Prepare the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse and scrub the pumpkin under running water, then dry it. On a stable cutting board, carefully cut it in half and remove the stem, seeds, and stringy pulp. Save the seeds for roasting, if desired.
Roast until tender. Lightly grease a shallow baking pan. Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down, add the water, and cover with foil. Bake for approximately 60–90 minutes, checking after 45 minutes, until the flesh is very tender when pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary with the pumpkin’s size and thickness.
Scoop and blend. Let the pumpkin cool just until it is comfortable to handle. Scoop the flesh from the rind and process in a food processor until smooth, or pass it through a food mill. Avoid adding water, which can make the purée too thin for baking.
Drain if needed. If the purée looks watery, spoon it into a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a large coffee filter, set over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for about 1–2 hours, or until thick and spoonable, similar to canned pumpkin. Some varieties will need very little draining.
Using Homemade Purée in Recipes
Substitute thick, drained homemade purée for plain canned pumpkin in the amount your recipe specifies. For a recipe calling for a 15-ounce can, use 15 ounces (425 grams) by weight, or approximately 1¾ cups. Homemade purée varies in density, so weighing is the more dependable option.
Keep the purée unseasoned so you can use it in both sweet and savory dishes. Add spices, sweeteners, or salt when preparing the final recipe.
Refrigerating and Freezing
Transfer the purée to shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Use within three days, or freeze for longer storage.
For convenient portions, measure into 1-cup amounts or 1¾-cup portions for recipes calling for a standard 15-ounce can. Pack cooled purée in freezer-safe containers, leaving ½ inch of headspace, or use freezer bags pressed flat with excess air removed. Label with the date and amount.
Freeze for up to one year for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator and drain off any separated liquid before using.
Preserving note: Pumpkin purée should not be home-canned, including in a pressure canner. Safe home-canning directions apply to pumpkin cubes; freeze purée instead.
RECIPE: Pumpkin Pie from scratch!
