How to Roast Pumpkin
Halloween has come and gone, Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and we have pumpkins. Not sure how we ended up with quite so many…but at least they are all good for cooking! I have a bad habit of forcing my husband and son into mostly buying the pumpkins that are good to eat. Not quite as much fun, but, in the end I think the appreciate the sacrifice!
Someone asked me a few weeks back how to use their cooking pumpkins, so, I thought it might be useful for the current time of year to share what I like to do.
I used a cinderella pumpkin as well as a cheese wheel pumpkin. The cinderella has a more traditional pumpkin flavor. The cheese wheel was a bit more fruity and floral!
Cooking pumpkins ( there are lots of variety when it comes to cooking pumpkins, so, if you are not using your Halloween leftovers like us, check out your options! )
Olive oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil
Sheet pan or roasting pan with at least a 1 inch edge. ( Pumpkins let off lots of liquid, so, no lip, and you will have a pumpkin flood.)
Grapefruit, or serrated spoon ( In my opinion this is by far the best way to clean out a pumpkin!)
Parchment if you have it and like to use it. No problem if you don’t!
Heat oven to 350 F.
Wash the pumpkins. Cut pumpkins in half right down the middle, right through the middle of the stem. This is easier then it may sound. Cooking pumpkins have softer flesh then their carving relatives!
Scoop out the seeds and guts with the serrated spoon. I like to clean the seeds and roast them for snacking, but, if I don’t have time, out they go.
Rub the inside of the pumpkin with your choice of oil. You don’t have to be meticulous, but, do try to get the edges where the meat will sit on your pan.
Line your pan with parchment should you choose to use it. It is not necessary, but, I think it makes for an easier clean up. Place your pumpkins cut side down in pan.
Roast for 30-50 min, maybe longer depending on the size of your pumpkin. The flesh with turn golden and brown in spots, you will be able to pierce through all the flesh with a fork when it is ready.
Remove from oven, let cool a bit. Scrape meat from peel with a spoon, place in a blender, dump in all the juice from the pumpkin. Blend until smooth!
They look a bit deflated after roasting.
I like to freeze my extra pumpkin in freezer bags for later use. Measure 1 3/4 to 2 cups of pumpkin into each bag. This gives the the equivalent of a can of store-bought!
Great for both sweet and savory dishes alike! Come back next week for a savory pumpkin recipe.
Finished product!
