Pumpkin purée is a staple I buy year round because I just looove the pumpkin vibes.
But also because it's like reaaaaally really healthy. I wish there would a pumpkin specialty option in college "hi I'm a dietitian specializing in pumpkin purée", I could put PP after my name and be very very distinguished. It's so full of fiber (ps I love fiber, if there is one thing you can do to be healthier right effing now it is to eat more fiber) and vitamins and it couldn't be any more versatile. I put it in everything from oatmeal to pasta sauce just to add a little more good stuff to our day.
I figured it was probably possible to make at home but I had somehow never done it before. Last year, we grew 400 butternut squashes and I roasted them all so I felt fairly comfortable in my abilities.
The "recipe" will require you to buy a sugar pie pumpkin. SUGAR PIE. That's the cutest thing I've ever heard. You don't have to tell me twice. I've also seen them labeled as cheese pumpkins. Not quite as cute and I don't understand it but I'm just the messenger. The guys you are looking for are small and roundish and smoothish and sweeter and less stringy than jack-o-lantern punks.
I roast pumpkin, butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash in the laziest fashion imaginable but one that is also very effective: I put the darn thing in the oven whole (after removing the stem). I once went to a cooking demo where the chef stuck a butcher knife into a butternut squash and then hammered on the knife with a rubber mallet to cut it into chunks. Like wtf! Roast the thing whole with a few fork holes and save yourself a finger or two. And there is no storage space in my kitchen for a rubber mallet.
The Easiest DIY Pumpkin Puree
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Poke a few fork holes into a sugar pie pumpkin and place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips.
3. Bake for about an hour - I like to give it a test squeeze to make sure it's soft (wearing an oven mitt).
4. Slice open and gently scrape out seeds and any stringy pieces. Use a spoon to remove pumpkin from skin.
5. Puree until smooth, adding a little water if needed.
15 Delicious Ways to use Pumpkin Puree This Fall
1. I've made every pumpkin muffin on the planet and this one is my fave.
2. Pumpkin pie oatmeal in a slow cooker.
3. Super quick and simple savory pumpkin soup (I added crispy fried sage leaves 💁🏼).
4. This pumpkin baked ziti with sage and sausage I WANT TO LAY IN THIS.
5. Stir it into plain yogurt with honey and pumpkin pie spice, mix in crumbled Graham crackers.
6. PUT IT IN YOUR CHILI. Or make this super healthy, hearty pumpkin chili from Delish Knowledge.
Photo from Delish Knowledge.
7. Make this completely insane pull apart bread with pumpkin, BOURBON, and candied pecans.
8. Bake some foolproof pumpkin biscuits and impress everyone you've ever met.
9. Make a seasonally appropriate version of hummus.
10. Butternut mac n cheese is a long time fave but How bout dat PUMPKIN MAC N CHEESE?? Saves you the trouble of roasting and pureeing a squarsh if you go canned.
11. P S L At home! with REAL punkin! I looooove the overly sweet drank but I no longer have Starbucks cash flow. Here's a great recipe if you're down to clown.
13. Pumpkin granola (then ADD IT TO PUMPKIN YOGURT AND EXPLODE).
14. Pumpkin nice cream with BONUS pumpkin seeds.
15. And finally, a delicious take on pumpkin pie that I wish was sitting in front of me right now.
