How To: Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

Given my laziness to clean up after holidays, I've had about 5 whole pumpkins just sitting around the living room. Thankfully that same laziness is what left the pumpkins in their un-carved form...perfect for pulverizing into pumpkin puree!

I usually just buy canned puree for all my pumpkin needs but lately the price of Libby's seems to be soaring. So I was really excited to find out that making your own is super simple...

Set your oven to 325.

Take a whole pumpkin (any variety will do), and cut it in half width wise.

Remove all the seeds and pulp. If you would like to roast the seeds too, toss the pumpkin innards into a bowl of water. The seeds will float to the top and you can easily scoop them out. Rise the seeds in a strainer.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the the pumpkin halfs on it, surrounded by the cleaned seeds.

Bake for 25-30 minutes (keep an eye on the seeds so they don't burn). Remove the seeds and the parchment paper and continue baking the pumpkin for the remainder of an hour.

Carefully unwrap the pumpkin halfs and scoop the flesh out, and into a blender. Puree the pumpkin.

My little pumpkin made about 5 cups of puree. Considering it cost $2, that's way more bang for your buck than one measly 15 oz can.

And with homemade puree, you can tell everyone your Thanksgiving pie was made entirely from scratch. Now that's impressive!

Or use it in a smoothie, like my favorite The Pumpkin Pie Monster.


You'll also have the seeds to snack on. I brought mine (1/2 cup= 140 calories) when I went to see a sneak preview of Blue Valentine. FYI: If you go see this, bring Kleenex too!