Pumpkin Puree: The Essence of Fall! Smooth, rich, and ready to enhance your favorite recipes - from warm breads and comforting soups to classic pies, and delightful cakes. Add a spoonful of autumn with this kitchen must-have!
Wash the pumpkin and dry it with a kitchen towel. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy parts. (Tip: Save the seeds to make a crunchy snack.)
Place the halved pumpkin, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking tray.
To Bake Pumpkin
Roast the pumpkin in a preheated oven at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until it's fork-tender.
To make Puree
Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let it cool until you can handle it comfortably.
Scoop out the pumpkin flesh into a bowl.
Use an immersion blender or food processor to blend the pumpkin until it becomes a smooth puree.
To Use
Your smooth and soft Pumpkin Puree is now ready for use in various recipes, like pumpkin bread, muffins, or pumpkin spice lattes.
Notes
Preparing the Pumpkin:
Choosing Your Pumpkin: Select pie or sugar pumpkins, preferably smaller ones (about 3-4 lbs) for easy handling.
Cutting Safely: Position the pumpkin stem side up. Firmly grip the pumpkin, then carefully insert a sharp knife and cut in half, rotating the pumpkin as you go.
Prepping for Roast: Remove seeds and strings (save the seeds for roasting, it is a treasure). Optionally, oil the skin and pierce lightly with a knife.
Roasting the Pumpkin:
Position for Roasting: Place pumpkin halves cut side up or down on the baking sheet, it doesn’t matter.
Oven Temperature and Time: Roast at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the flesh. Adjust time as needed for different sizes.
Processing the Pumpkin:
Cooling: Allow the pumpkin to cool before handling.
Pureeing: For blending, use an immersion blender for one-step processing, or a food processor, working in batches to achieve a smooth texture.