It’s fall, and delicious looking pumpkin recipes are popping up everywhere. They’ll soon be appearing here too. We all love pumpkin.
Most of these recipes call for canned pumpkin puree. Did you know that while a can is convenient, preparing your own pumpkin puree is actually quite simple? Not only is it easy to do, it tastes amazing – there’s none of that canned taste (which I don’t know if I could adequately describe, but is a common underlying taste that I can pick out from anything that comes out of a can).
Beyond the taste, which honestly is reason enough to make your own pumpkin puree, there’s the added benefit of avoiding whatever may leach into your food from the can itself. Most people have now heard of BPA (used in the can’s liner), and there’s a growing understanding of the negative impacts BPA can have on your health, but I can’t say I fully trust whatever companies are now using in place of BPA to be any more healthful. They’re still using a chemical of some sort to make that ultra-thin plastic film that lines the can, and my guess is that it may not be any better, only less researched. (You can read more on BPA and The Problem with Plastics HERE.)
All of that to say, homemade pumpkin puree is not only easy to make, but it both tastes better and is potentially healthier than the canned alternative. Why not give it try yourself? Though I have to say, in my book: canned pumpkin is better than no pumpkin at all. Yum!
Here’s how I make mine:
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Notes
Links available below. Also, you may find that your fresh pumpkin puree has a slightly higher water content than the canned variety, which may make a difference in some recipes. I generally find that I need to cook whatever I’m making just a few minutes longer, but other than that I haven’t found any issues.
Ingredients
- 1 Pumpkin
- 1 Baking Dish (I use one like THIS)
- Water
- Food Processor or Blender (I used a food processor like THIS; a blender like THIS would also work)
Instructions
- Follow the step by step instructions detailing How to Roast a Squash.
- Once the squash is roasted and is cool enough to touch, scrape out all of the flesh and place it in your food processor or blender.
- Run until your pumpkin puree is completely smooth. You will likely need to stop a few times and use a spatula to scrape down the edges.
- Once the puree is smooth, you can use it in place of canned pumpkin in any recipe you encounter.
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
1 Pumpkin
1 Baking Dish
Water
Food Processor or Blender
Follow the step by step instructions detailing How to Roast a Squash (recipe HERE).
Once the squash is roasted and is cool enough to touch, scrape out all of the flesh and place it in your food processor or blender.
Run until your pumpkin puree is completely smooth. You will likely need to stop a few times and use a spatula to scrape down the edges.
Once the puree is smooth, you can use it in place of canned pumpkin in any recipe you encounter.
NOTE: You may find that your fresh pumpkin puree has a slightly higher water content than the canned variety, which may make a difference in some recipes. I generally find that I need to cook whatever I’m making just a few minutes longer, but other than that I haven’t found any issues.
I’m ready to talk pumpkin! Do you ever use Fresh Pumpkin in your recipes? Do you prepare your Pumpkin Puree in this same manner? What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe?
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