Has anyone else been eyeing all the beautiful pumpkins that are out right now?! I certainly have, and I decided to figure out how to roast a pumpkin for homemade pumpkin puree, because, why not!
The first thing to consider is the variety of pumpkin you buy. Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins are watery and don’t have much flavor. Small sugar pumpkins are best for pies, and not necessarily for savory applications.
I choose a Jarrahdale pumpkin because they are are low water, high flavor pumpkins. They have a blueish green skin and bright orange flesh.
You don’t need to be an expert on pumpkin varieties to find one that will work for you. I shop at my local farmers market, and the farmers selling their produce are very knowledgeable about the different varieties and can help you pick out the best type for you!
How to Roast a Pumpkin for Homemade Pumpkin Puree:
- Know the weight. This will determine the necessary roasting time. On average pumpkins are 6-10 pounds, requiring 45-60 minutes to roast. My pumpkin was 12 pounds, requiring 1 hr and 30 minutes to roast!
- Try saving the seeds to roast for homemade pumpkin seeds! I roasted mine and coated with cracked black pepper and sea salt, delicious!
- Don’t be temped to open the oven! This lets out all the heat and can increase the roasting time necessary. If necessary, use an oven light instead to peek inside without opening the door.
- Puree the flesh in a food processor. You can add a little water if necessary to get a smooth finished product. I did not find it necessary for my pumpkin.
- To save the extra puree for later, freeze excess in muffin tins, then pop out into a gallon size freezer bag.
- Ways to use your homemade pumpkin puree: Chipotle Pumpkin Black Bean Enchiladas, Greek Yogurt Spelt Flour Pumpkin Bread, Spiced Pumpkin Lentil Soup
- 1 large roasting pumpkin (I choose a Jarrahdale)
- Olive oil, to coat
- Large baking sheet
- Food processor
- Start by weighing your pumpkin. You can do this with a scale at home, or at the store. The weight will determine the baking time.
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Cut the top stem out of the pumpkin. Then cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds, and reserve them for roasting later.
- Once your pumpkin is cleaned out, cut the halves in half again to make quarters. These smaller pieces will decrease cooking time.
- Coat the flesh with a splash of olive oil and place on a large baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes if your pumpkin is 6-8 pounds, or 60-75 minutes for 8-10 pound pumpkins. Mine was 12 lbs, and took 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Let the cooked pumpkin cool until you can handle it, at least 30 minutes. You can also refrigerate the cooled pumpkin quarters and puree at another time.
- Use a large spoon to scrape the flesh off the skin. If you try to scrape the skin off the flesh, it is a lot messier.
- Place the flesh into a food processor in batches. Process until smooth, adding a splash of water if necessary.
- Place leftover puree into muffin tins and freeze. When frozen, pop them out into freezer bags for storage. Each portion is about ½ cup.
- My 12 lb pumpkin made about 10 cups of puree.
