Roasted Pumpkin Purée

5 from 3 votes

This fall, skip the canned pumpkin! Instead, make homemade roasted pumpkin purée with a sugar pumpkin! (Make ahead and freeze for later!)

Prep Time5

Cook Time55

Total Time1

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 105kcal

Author: Sarah Trenalone

Equipment

Ingredients

1 sugar pumpkin (2-3 lbs) Sometimes labeled "pie pumpkin"
1 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Optional Ingredients for Savory Pumpkin Recipes:

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon red chili flakes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut the pumpkin in half, and remove the seeds and membrane.
Drizzle olive oil and salt over the pumpkin. Optionally, add smoked paprika and chili flakes.
Set pumpkin cut-side down on a baking sheet, and roast 40-50 minutes or until tender.
Remove pumpkin from the oven, scoop the pumpkin out, and discard the skin.
Tip: If a little bit of skin ends up in the purée, it's okay. It's edible.
Skip the Blender (Option 1):
If you're eating the pumpkin as a side dish, adding it to a dish that will be puréed after adding the pumpkin, or adding it to a dish where it doesn't matter if the pumpkin is silky smooth, you can stop here.
Blend the Pumpkin (Option 2):
For extra-smooth pumpkin purée, add the pumpkin to a blender or food processor. If your blender struggles, add a splash of water while blending, but you shouldn't need to!
Serve immediately as a side dish, or add to a recipe.
Make Ahead:
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to two months. Do not can.

Notes

Yields approximately 15oz pumpkin purée, or about 1 ¾ cups (the same as one small can of pumpkin). Nutrition information estimates 3.75 ounces per person.

Nutrition