You won’t believe how simple it is to make homemade pumpkin puree. Whether you roast pumpkins in the oven or cook them in an Instant Pot, this straightforward method produces silky, earthy puree with concentrated pumpkin flavor.
I always keep canned pumpkin in my pantry for convenience, but when pumpkins are in season I prefer making my own. Homemade puree is inexpensive, creamy, and more flavorful than many canned options.
Which pumpkins are best for pumpkin puree?
For puree, choose baking pumpkins rather than the large carving varieties used for jack-o’-lanterns. Look for pumpkins labeled pie or sugar pumpkins. These smaller, dense varieties have better texture and flavor for cooking and baking.
How to make homemade pumpkin puree
You can prepare pumpkins two main ways: roasting in the oven or pressure cooking in an Instant Pot. Roasting develops the richest, most caramelized flavor as the sugars concentrate, while the Instant Pot is faster and more hands-off. Below are both methods so you can pick what suits your kitchen.
Method one: Roast (baking pumpkins)
Roasting is my go-to. The dry heat concentrates the pumpkin’s natural sugars, giving the puree a deeper, sweeter taste. You can roast several pumpkins together if needed.
- Wash, dry, and trim the top (stem) from a sugar pie pumpkin. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp.
- Place the halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment and roast at 350°F (175°C) for 50–60 minutes, or until very tender.
- Let cool for about 20 minutes, then remove the skin and scoop out the flesh.
- Puree in a blender or food processor until silky smooth.
Method two: Pressure-cook the pumpkins
The Instant Pot method is convenient and hands-off, though you can usually fit only one smaller pie pumpkin (about 3 pounds or less) at a time. You’ll also lose a bit more flesh around the seed cavity when removing seeds.
- Place the trivet in the Instant Pot and add 1½ cups cold water to the inner pot.
- Wash the pumpkin and trim the stem if needed so it fits upright on the trivet.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural pressure release.
- Remove the pumpkin, discard stem and seeds, scoop out the flesh, and puree until smooth.
Yield: how much pumpkin puree you’ll get
Yield varies by pumpkin size. Approximate yields:
- 2½-pound pumpkin: about 1¾ cups puree
- 3½-pound pumpkin: about 2½ cups puree
Strain before measuring: Fresh puree tends to be wetter than canned. For recipes that call for canned pumpkin, drain the puree through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove excess water before measuring.
Conversion: Use approximately 1⅞ cups of strained homemade puree to replace a 15-ounce can of pumpkin.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freeze: Pack into freezer-safe bags, press out excess air, freeze flat, and keep for up to 9 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Recipes using homemade pumpkin puree
Homemade pumpkin puree can be used anywhere you’d use canned pumpkin. Combine it with pumpkin pie spice and an all-butter pie crust for a classic pumpkin pie, or try it in cakes, rolls, muffins, pastas, and lattes. A few favorite uses:
- Pumpkin Cake
- Pumpkin Roll
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Pasta with pumpkin sauce
- Homemade pumpkin spice latte
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 1 sugar pie pumpkin, or another variety of pie pumpkin
Instructions
Oven directions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
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Wash and dry the pumpkin(s). Slice off the top to remove the stem, cut in half from top to bottom, and scoop out seeds and pulp.
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Place each half cut-side down on the prepared sheet and bake 50–60 minutes, until the flesh is fork-tender. Cool 20 minutes on the pan.
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When cool enough to handle, remove the skin or scrape the flesh into a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Process 3–5 minutes until smooth, adding ½ tablespoon water only if needed.
Instant Pot directions
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Wash and dry the pumpkin. Place the trivet in the inner pot and add 1½ cups cold water. Set the pumpkin on the trivet; trim the stem if needed to fit.
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Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release.
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Remove the pumpkin, discard stem and seeds, place the flesh in a food processor, and process 3–5 minutes until smooth, adding ½ tablespoon water only if necessary.
Equipment
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Rimmed baking sheet
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Parchment paper
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Electric pressure cooker (6 or 8 quart), if using
Notes
Yield:
- 2½-pound pie pumpkin = 1¾ cups puree
- 3½-pound pie pumpkin = 2½ cups puree
Using homemade puree instead of canned: Drain the puree in a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth before measuring for recipes.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container up to 1 week in the fridge, or freeze flat in freezer-safe bags for up to 9 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.