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5.0 from 12 votes

Fresh Pumpkin Purée

Fresh pumpkin purée makes an incredible pie, and it's something you can do well ahead of time, when you have the oven space. It's so easy, you may never go back to canned pumpkin.

Cook Time
1 hr mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 88 kcal
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 pound) pie pumpkin scrubbed well (see note 1)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds by combing through the fibrous strings with your fingers.
  2. Scrape out and discard fibrous strings. If you want to save and roast the pumpkin seeds, rinse them in cold water and dry on a kitchen towel.
  3. Cut pumpkin into quarters (5 or 6 inches wide each). Place pieces skin-side down on prepared baking sheet and roast uncovered until tender, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
  4. Remove from oven and cool completely. Scrape pumpkin pulp off skin, discarding the skin.
  5. Add the pulp to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Place pumpkin puree into a cheesecloth-lined sieve, and allow to drain for 60 minutes. Discard liquid.

Notes

  • Pie pumpkins: Smaller than a standard carving pumpkin, these cuties are also known as sugar pumpkins. Specific varieties include: Baby Pam, Ghost Rider, Autumn Gold, New England, Cinderella, and Fairy Tale. They're grown specifically for cooking, so the flesh is denser, more plentiful, and less stringy than a jack-o-lantern pumpkin. Don't confuse the pie pumpkins with the tiny gourd pumpkins, though (those can't be turned into purée).
  • Yield: One fresh (3-pound) pumpkin makes about 2 cups of pumpkin puree, as much as one (15-ounce) can from the store.
  • Storage: Store fresh purée in the refrigerator and use within 1 week.
  • Freezer: Scoop into a freezer bag or glass jars (leave 1/2 inch head space for expansion), label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Other squashes: Use this technique on other squash, too: Hubbard, Kabocha, butternut, or acorn. Canned pumpkin is actually made from Dickinson squash because it tastes like pumpkin.
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds: If you saved your seeds for roasting, toss the clean, dry seeds with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Roast on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, stirring often.

Nutrition Information

Serving 0.5cup Calories 88kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 22g (7%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 3mg (0%) Potassium 1157mg (33%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 28961IU (579%) Vitamin C 31mg (34%) Calcium 71mg (7%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 88

% Daily Value*

Serving 0.5cup
Calories 88kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 22g 7%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 3mg 0%
Potassium 1157mg 25%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 28961IU 579%
Vitamin C 31mg 34%
Calcium 71mg 7%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.