I’m baking a whole lot of pumpkin goodies this month (no connection with Halloween); and this means I’m going to need a lot of pumpkin puree. And while the quicker and cheaper store-bought option exists, I’m going to make it at home. Why? Let’s just say that once you’ve used homemade puree in your baked goods, there is absolutely no going back to store-bought. Read on to be inspired by irrefutable reasons to give making pumpkin puree at home a fair chance.
Apart from the fact that you’re using fresh ingredients (always better), the process is simple. You could easily do it while cooking; undemanding and no-fuss.
Once you’ve opened a store-bought can, you are obliged to use it in a certain period. Making it at home has the advantage of not being very time consuming and you can just make as much you need. However, if you’re the kind who likes to make the effort once and store it away, you have that option too. Put the puree in a well-sealed airtight container and you can keep it in the freezer for a month.
Now, onto the recipe: The only part that takes real effort in this is cutting the pumpkin. You need to ensure you cut them into more or less the same size so when you’re baking, all of them get done at the same time.
You could pick any size pumpkin you like. For this recipe, I’m picking an 80 oz pumpkin.
- 80oz pumpkin
- Oil (for brushing the pumpkin shells)
- Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C.
- Wash, clean, dry and half your pumpkin into two. If you like you could keep the seeds, roast them and use them as you please. [You do not want the seeds, fibers, et al. while making the puree]
- Further cut it down into smaller but equal pieces so that the baking process is even.
- Lightly coat the pumpkin shells with a little oil and place upside down in a large roasting pan. Add a little water so that the tips and edges do not start caramelizing.
- Bake it for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven or until the pumpkin is tender. (Just poke with a knife and you’ll know once you feel the tenderness)
- Let it cool for 10 minutes of so and scoop out flesh. It should easily fall off if it has been baked properly and evenly.
- Put in into a processor and beat into a paste. Now if you like it to be thick and creamy like your canned puree then sieve it either through a strainer or a cheesecloth until you get the desired consistency.
Happy Baking!
An,
I love that first photo with the shadows. We make and use our own pumpkin puree all the time too and you are right, there is no going back except in dire ‘must make pumpkin pancakes for the kids’ emergencies. I do tend to sieve mine for pie and cheesecake making but for soups and muffins and breads the texture is just fine.
This is Ogi’s fave right now:))))
I loove fresh pumpkin puree. For the longest time I was getting cans, but then my CSA shares included lots of pumpkins and I’ve been faithfully roasting every weekend :)
great idea !
Great post! I have been too lazy to make my own puree, but I really need to try this…I’ve heard raves about baked goods make with fresh pumpkin. Thanks for the tutorial :)
Love how you photographed your beautiful looking puree. I’ve never made pumpkin puree but if I do at some point it’s good to know that it will last up to month. That’s for letting us know that. Happy baking!
Nothing beats homemade pumpkin puree. So fresh and vibrant tasting.
This is wonderful….
Homemade puree is the best… yours looks so fresh and full of flavor…
I need to make mine.
It really is so much better! Unfortunately sometimes I run out and am too lazy to make it myself.
Love this post. I put up a similar one back in ’09 about using your Halloween pumpkins to make your own pumpkin puree, with a few sweet and savory recipes. While I agree that using fresh anything is better than canned – I did a test, making fresh and canned pumpkin pies, exact same recipe for both,and no one knew which was which! Said they tasted the same. I was so bummed!!
I’ve tried it several more times on a lot of different people, with the same results. SO, as long as the ingredients on the can are pumpkin (or butternut squash) and nothing else..I use it. If I have leftover Halloween pumpkins, I’ll use those, which I plan to do tomorrow :)
Great idea!
Can you use any pumpkin? I heard for baking and cooking you should use the smaller ones like Baby Pam. I’m not sure what kind we got.. but it is rather small!
I have made butternut squash puree but never pumpkin. It looks easy enough and I am sure there is something to the homemade being better than canned in more than one way. Thanks for the inspiring post-your puree does look delicious.
I have always wanted to try making my own puree. This post have given me the confidence to try it.
Wow…this home made puree is looking so fresh and appetizing. Will surely try this recipe of yours….!
This is a great idea–if only my leftover Halloween pumpkin weren’t frozen solid, I would haul it inside and give it a try!
I’ve never made FRESH pumpkin puree, but the color is amazing. Do you need to adjust your baking recipes at all when using fresh versus canned pumpkin? I’m curious ;)
Hey B! You absolutely have to make the effort once and then there’s no going back. As far as the recipes go, there is absolutely no need to change any measurement. :)
Always good to have on hand, especially during the holidays.
Nothing like homemade, great photos!
Sometimes you just can’t find canned pumpkin either. Some stores only carry it seasonally, so you either stock up or make some homemade and throw it in the freezer!
I have always wanted to try this. I bet it is so much better than the canned stuff!
Fantastic! As we discussed last night (via twitter – such a nice time, thank you!) I plan on doing the exact same thing to my pumpkin! thanks for posting!
I’m so happy you posted this recipe today. :-) Aussies eat a lot of pumpkin and I’ve been trying to think of different ways to use it. This sounds perfect! :-)
Nothing beats homemade pumpkin puree and this is such a helpful tutorial.
Yum!!!!! I adore making fresh pumpkin puree, something special about it! This year I have been a bit lazy, or maybe just too busy, LOL….keeping it simple this year;-) Love your pics, so delicious! Hugs, Terra
Pumpkin my fave… baked, soup or cooked in rice would super yummy. n I love butternut the most :)
Love the fresh and vibrant looking pumpkin puree!
YUM! Looks delicious. I also made my own. I have never seen canned pumpkin puree before. xx
There is nothing better than homemade pumpkin puree! I have a stash in my refrigerator and my freezer. Can’t have enough this time of year!
I’ve never done this before – what a great, great idea! I’m on it!
Great post..very helpful :)
I love making my own pumpkin puree. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a pumpkin bread budding made with puree in the oven right now! Thanks for sharing!
Haven’t seen a better looking pumpkin puree than this one An.! Looking forward to see what dishes you come up with.
its the most wonderful time of the year and pumpkin puree is a must have in our home yours is done to perfection love it!
wow..sounds utterly delicious..
first time here..amazing space you have..
very interesting posts with excellent presentation..
happy following you..
do stop by mine sometime.
Tasty Appetite
Great post! In Israel canned pumpkin is nearly impossible to come by so we have to make our own! Although I did have a friend bring some cans back for me recently… I actually enjoy both canned and homemade pumpkin puree for different purposes (it’s the only canned veg product I can say that about!). But it’s so simple to make your own and most people don’t realize! Thanks for sharing :-D
There’s nothing like homemade pumpkin puree. It’s so easy and delicious in spreads, soups, bread etc. I love a spoon or two in my morning oats.. So yum!!!
That’s such a great idea. I have never seen pumpkin pure in Italy… and I am not sure they sell it here in Sydney (but they probably do). So whenever I saw a recipe that called for “pumpink pure” I never made it…… now I can! Thank you so much for sharing this! Very useful!
I am also pumpkinized this month… and to think that i never liked pumpkin or squash before. i can’t wait for your pumpkin treats … looking forward. i promise an to join you in muffin monday soon.
malou
Gee, when a dear friend [you] shows another [me] how to make pumpkin puree, it is a shame if I will still go for the canned variety, right [being a gardener to boot]?
Thanks, An for sharing.
I like homemade pumpkin puree….and always make my own. Thank you for sharing it.
So great to have a staple recipe like this! I love having homemade butternut squash puree on hand to add to mac & cheese, pasta dishes, sauces, etc but I need to expand to pumpkin :)
Thank you for sharing making homemade pumpkin puree. Last year at this time I promised myself to give it a try this year. Now here we are in November and I still haven’t gotten around to it and I must! Beautiful image – love the shadows :)
that first picture is so beautiful. thanks for this post.. I was hoping to make my own puree this month and was going ot look it up.. now i dont need to!. such a perfectly smooth and beautiful color.! Have a great weekend!
Lovely and the photo’s are beautiful!
I love homemade puree, its easy and so much better than the canned variety!
I’ve never made my own pumpking puree. I have to try that!
That’s a smart recipe! I never thought about that, but a pumpkin puree sounds really good and of course, appetizing to eat one! It reminded me of a lotus seed puree, used in Chinese baos, which was pretty good. What a nice recipe, I hope to make that someday, maybe on Thanksgiving! But not this time, since I’m in Malaysia until Christmas.
Love, Rika
Vegan Miam
I love the idea of doing this yourself. I always used canned pumpkin, but making it your own seems pretty easy. I’d love to try this.
I just roasted my first pumpkin! It was too hard to cut through, so I just roasted it whole at 350F for about an hour and a half. I probably didn’t need to roast it that long, but got busy doing other things and lost track of the time. The skin just fell away from it, and it was easy to remove the seeds and stringy part. It’s all pureed now and I have a bazillion ideas of ways to use it!! Thanks for the motivation to do this!!
I just love your pictures …
I still have yet to bake a pumpkin… I can imagine this tastes heavenly!!
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Yum… I love fresh pumpkin puree. I used to only use it. Except this year I’ve been a lazy bum! But you’re right…It’s WAY better and yours looks scrumptous!
Thanks for linking up!
Thanks so much for linking up with the Pumpkin Patch Blog Hop! I love your post and pinned it to my Pumpkin Board on Pinterest :)
I made this last week and couldn’t believe how good it tasted! I was eating it by its self with a spoon! HA! The canned stuff doesn’t taste so good solo. I’ll be doing this from now on. Thanks for sharing!
YAY! That’s great Jillian! I always always use freshly made homemade puree, it adds a lovely freshness to the finished product :)