If you are looking into ways on how to make pumpkin puree without oven, this recipe will teach you everything you need to know.
In just 2 simple ways, you get to transform fresh pumpkins into smooth and velvety homemade puree in under 30 minutes and you will never go back to canned version again!
This easy homemade pumpkin puree works great as a seasonal flavor in a variety of desserts and treats like these pumpkin spice pound cake, chocolate pumpkin cupcakes and salted caramel pumpkin cupcakes. It is also great in pies, cheesecakes and just about any recipe that requires pumpkin puree, both sweet and savory.
While homemade pumpkin puree is typically made by roasting fresh pumpkins in the oven, there are 2 other quicker ways you can make you own pumpkin puree at home, and that is by steaming them or boiling them in water, over the stove. All you need is pumpkin, water and a stove for a perfect batch of natural, homemade pumpkin puree.
If you like this recipe, you will also like my easy apple compote recipe, ube jam (ube halaya) recipe, lemon curd and easy homemade salted caramel recipe.
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❤️Why you will love this recipe
- You get to learn how to make your own homemade pumpkin puree with a very easy recipe and equally simple steps.
- You don't need an oven. Plus roasting takes a longer time, while steaming and boiling requires much lesser time.
- The recipe makes homemade pureed pumpkin with a lovely smooth texture, similar to the canned version.
- You can make fresh pumpkin puree anytime you want.
- The recipe makes pure pumpkin puree without any additional preservatives. It also tastes better (more flavorful) than the canned stuff.
- You can use this puree in place of canned puree in all your favorite fall recipes (both sweet and savory).
- It is a great way to use up pumpkins during pumpkin season and preserve them for future use. You can make it is advance and keep it refrigerated or frozen for later use.
📋Ingredients
- Pumpkins - the best pumpkins to make puree are sugar pumpkins and pie pumpkins. Other alternatives include butternut squash.
- Water - used to steam the pumpkin (for the steaming method) and to boil the pumpkin in (for the boiling method).
*Refer to the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and exact quantities. For best results, use a digital kitchen scale where applicable*
👩🍳How to Make
Method 1: Steaming Method
Step 1: Wash the pumpkin well and pat it dry.
Step 2: Place it on a chopping board and cut into into half or quarters (depending on the size of your pumpkin and your steamer pot).
Step 3: Remove the pumpkin seeds and the fibrous strands. You can do this with your hands or a spoon (image 1).
Step 4: Place the pumpkin on a steamer basket on a pot filled with water (about half full), with the flesh part facing up (image 2).
Step 5: Cover the pot (image 3) and turn on the heat. Let the pumpkin cook until it becomes soft. Use medium heat for about 20 minutes. To check if the pumpkin is cooked, test by poking a fork through the skin or as close as possible to the skin. If it goes in smoothly, the pumpkin is cooked (image 4).
Note: the cooking time will depend on the size of your pumpkin. Start with about 15 minutes and check if they have softened by poking through the skin with a fork. If the fork goes through easily, the pumpkin is cooked. Be careful when opening the lid of the steamer to avoid the hot steam from hitting your face.
Step 6: Turn off the heat, and let the pumpkin cool slightly until it is easier to handle.
Step 7: Use a spoon to scoop the flesh of the pumpkin into a clean bowl. Avoid scrapping the skin (image 5).
Step 8: Place the cooked pumpkin into a food processor or use a hand blender to process it until smooth (image 6). It it is too thick, add some water, but do it in small increments of a few tablespoons each time to avoid adding too much water.
The puree is ready for use immediately. If you wish to store it, keep it covered in a clean container. Keep the puree refrigerated.
Method 2: Boiling Method
Similar to the steps above, but this time you will need to cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces so that they cook through uniformly.
Step 1: Wash and pat the pumpkin dry.
Step 2: Place the pumpkin on a chopping board and cut it into half (image 1).
Step 3: Remove the seeds and the fibrous strands (with a spoon or your hands).
Step 4: Chop the pumpkin into smaller pieces (image 2).
Note: When boiling, it is best to cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces so that the pumpkin cooks thoroughly and uniformly.
Step 5: Place the chopped pumpkin pieces into a small pot and fill it with water until the pumpkin pieces are all well submerged in water (image 3).
Step 6: Cook the pumpkin on medium heat for approximately 15 minutes. Check if they are cooked by poking the skin with a fork (image 4), similar to the steaming method above. If the fork pokes through easily, the pieces are well cooked and can be removed from heat.
Step 7: Turn off the heat and drain the pumpkins (image 5).
Note: Be careful when handling hot water to avoid burns.
Step 8: Let the pieces cool down slightly (so that you can touch them with your hands). Use a spoon to scoop away the flesh from the skin. Avoid the skin (image 6).
Step 9: Place the flesh in a clean bowl and puree it with a hand held blender (immersion blender) or in a food processor until it is completely smooth (image 7). If you find the pumpkin too thick, you can add a little water but do not add too much. The consistency of the puree should not be runny.
If not using immediately, store the puree in a clean container (airtight) in the refrigerator.
🍽️Storage
- The puree is ready for use immediately after making. It can also be stored for later use, however, it must be refrigerated at all times.
- It should last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep it covered in a clean, airtight container.
- If you wish to keep the puree longer, you can also freeze it. Again, fill it into airtight containers or zip lock bags and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, let the puree thaw in the refrigerator overnight before taking it out to room temperature.
💡Expert Tips
- Round pumpkins may be difficult to be held in place when cutting. Placing them on a small towel helps. Slicing off a thin layer at the bottom also helps keep it in place. Use a chopping board (to protect your kitchen counter top) and a sharp knife to cut the pumpkin.
- The skin is way easier to remove after cooking than before. You can however, choose to cut it off with a small sharp knife before cooking if you prefer, though this may take a longer time compared to scooping the flesh from the skin after cooking.
- For best results, the cooked pumpkin should be pureed until smooth. This is best achieved with a food processor or an immersion blender. You can also run the pureed through a fine sieve for a perfectly smooth puree. Use a large spoon or spatula to push the puree through.
- Other methods you can use to puree a pumpkin include mashing it with a fork or a potato masher, however, this may not give you a perfectly smooth puree. Run the puree through a fine sieve for best results.
- If the puree is too runny, strain it in a large sieve lined with cheesecloth. Simply pour the puree into the sieve and let it rest for a few hours or overnight to allow excess water to drip off. If leaving it overnight, keep it in the refrigerator.
- If you find the cooked pumpkin too dry (this can happen depending on the type of pumpkin you use), you can add a little water when pureeing the cooked flesh. Add a little at a time to avoid the puree from becoming too watery.
🥣Other ways to make homemade pumpkin puree without an oven
- Roasting an air fryer - this is similar to roasting in an oven. Cut the pumpkin into half or smaller pieces if it cannot fit. Place it in the fryer basket and air fry for about 15 to 20 minutes between 190 to 200 degrees Celsius (between 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit). When scooping out the cooked flesh, avoid the crisp layers and the skin, especially if you are going to use it to make sweet dishes.
- Cooking in a microwave - This is a fairly quick way to make pumpkin puree. Cut the pumpkin into half (if can fit your microwave safe dish) or smaller pieces. Leave the skin intact. Pour about half a cup of water into the dish and cover loosely with a lid. Microwave in increments of 5 minutes. Each time, test the pumpkin by poking the skin with a fork. If it pierces through easily, the pumpkin is cooked and can be removed.
- Cooking in an instant pot - This is also a fairly quick method of making pumpkin puree. You cook the pumpkin on high pressure hence it takes much lesser time. If your pumpkin is small enough to fit the pot, you can simply wash it and place the whole pumpkin into the pot without cutting. For larger pumpkins, cut it into half or smaller slices and place on the wire insert. Add about one cup of water and cook the pumpkin (with the valve sealed) for 15 minutes on high. Turn off the heat and let the steam release naturally for about 5 minutes and then quick release. Test the pumpkin by poking it with a fork, if it is hard, cook again for another 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how hard the flesh it.
❓What can you use the pumpkin puree for?
You can use this pumpkin puree in any of your favorite pumpkin recipes that requires canned pumpkin puree (not canned pumpkin pie filling).
- For baking - you can use the puree to make a variety of cakes like pumpkin pound cake, cupcakes like this salted caramel pumpkin cupcakes and chocolate pumpkin cupcakes, pies, cheesecakes, breads, bars, muffins and cookies.
- For other desserts - you can use it to make ice cream, lattes, smoothies, milkshakes, and much more.
💭FAQs
This is the most common method of making homemade pumpkin puree but it takes much longer than boiling and steaming method and you need an oven for it.
You will need to clean, cut and remove the insides of the pumpkin (no need to remove the skin) and place it on a baking sheet (with the cut side facing down). Roast the pumpkin between 190 to 200 degrees Celsius (between 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 40 to 60 minutes until the pumpkin is soft and you are able to easily pierce the skin with a knife or fork.
For every 500g of pumpkin (with the stem, seeds and fibrous strands removed), you get 365g of puree.
They are the same. Canned pumpkin is pumpkin puree in a can.
No, it is not. Pumpkin puree is pumpkin flesh that is cooked and processed into a smooth paste. There are no sweeteners or spices or other ingredients added to it. Pumpkin pie filling, on the other hand, is pumpkin puree that has been sweetened and flavored with spices.
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📖Recipe
How to Make Pumpkin Puree without Oven
For best results, use the metrics measurements. US customary measurements have not been tested and are only meant for guide.
Ingredients
- 500 g pumpkin (stem and seeds removed)
- Water
Instructions
Steaming Method (Method 1)
- Wash the pumpkin well and pat it dry. Place it on a chopping board and cut into into half or quarters (depending on the size of your pumpkin).
- Remove the pumpkin seeds and the fibrous strands. You can do this with your hands or a spoon.
- Place the pumpkin on a steamer basket on a pot filled with water (about half full), with the flesh part facing up. The pumpkin need not be touching the water.
- Cover the pot and turn on the heat to medium and let the pumpkin cook until it becomes soft (for approximately 20 minutes). To check if the pumpkin is cooked, test by poking a fork through the skin or as close as possible to the skin. If it goes in smoothly, the pumpkin is cooked (see Note 1).
- Turn off the heat, and let the pumpkin cool slightly until it is easier to handle.
- Use a spoon to scoop the flesh of the pumpkin into a clean bowl. Avoid scrapping the skin.
- Puree the cooked pumpkin in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add some water (in small increments of a few tablespoons each time) if the pumpkin is too thick, but not too much that it becomes runny.
- Keep the puree refrigerated if not using immediately.
Boiling Method (Method 2)
- Wash and pat the pumpkin dry.
- Place it on a chopping board and cut it into half. Remove the seeds and the fibrous strands.
- Chop the pumpkin into smaller pieces (see Note 2).
- Place the chopped pumpkin pieces into a small pot and fill it with water until the pumpkin pieces are submerged in water.
- Cover and cook on medium heat for approximately 15 minutes. Check if they are cooked by poking the skin with a fork, similar to the steaming method above. If the fork pokes through easily, the pieces are well cooked and can be removed from heat.
- Turn off the heat and drain the pumpkins in a colander.
- Let the pieces cool down slightly (so that you can touch them with your hands). Use a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin. Avoid the skin.
- Place the flesh in a clean bowl and puree it with a hand held blender (immersion blender) or in a food processor until it is completely smooth. If you find the pumpkin too thick, you can add a little water but do not add too much. The consistency of the puree should not be runny.
- If not using immediately, store the puree covered in a clean airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- The cooking time will depend on the size of your pumpkin. Start with about 15 minutes and check if they have softened by poking through the skin with a fork. If the fork goes through easily, the pumpkin is cooked.
- When boiling, it is best to cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces so that the pumpkin cooks thoroughly and uniformly.
- The puree is ready for use immediately after making. It can also be stored for later use, however, it must be refrigerated (in a covered container) at all times. It can last in the fridge for up to 5 days (in an airtight container) and in the freezer for up to 3 months. . To use, let the puree thaw in the refrigerator overnight before taking it out to room temperature.
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