Seasonality
Fall/Winter
Quick Tips
Cooking
Roasting pumpkins is the easiest way to prepare pumpkin. Cut in half, deseed, quarter or wedge, and roast at 350°F until fork tender, about 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size of your pumpkin pieces. Or you can peel, cube and boil your pumpkin for 30 to 40 minute depending on the size of the cubes.
Buying
Look for smaller pumpkins that have a smooth skin without punctures or deep gashes.
Storing
Fresh pumpkins can store up to three months in a cool, dry area (such as a pantry or root cellar).
Varieties
Look for edible pie pumpkin varieties. Baby pam or sugar pumpkins are most common. Also available are baby bear, Cinderella, and kakai pumpkins.
About
Growing up, I had no idea that you could eat pumpkins. For years I went about carving pumpkins, tossing the seeds, and never thinking twice that the flesh was edible. Of course, as it turns out, pumpkins are one of the great treasures of fall. Edible pumpkins are often the small pumpkins (such as “pie pumpkins”) but the large pumpkins you carve also serve an important purpose: pumpkin seeds! Once you start making your own pumpkin puree, it’s hard to go back to the canned. Plus, it’s a fairly straightforward process to make your own!
If you have a lot of pumpkins, making puree and freezing it is an excellent way to preserve your pumpkin throughout the winter. Then you can have pumpkin whenever you need it for pies, breads, and muffins! Fresh picked pumpkins will also last up to 3 months when stored properly in a cool, dry area.
All Vegetarian Pumpkin Recipes
Baked Pumpkin French Toast
Curried Pumpkin Soup with Coconut
Mini Pumpkin Tarts (with homemade pumpkin puree)
Pumpkin Bread with Oats
Pumpkin Pancakes with Brown Butter and Pecans
Pumpkin Paneer Curry
Pumpkin Pie Millet Porridge
Pumpkin Ricotta Crostini with Arugula
Pumpkin Shakshuka with Feta and Pepitas
Roasted Five-Spice Pumpkin Soup
Roasted Pumpkin and Pecan Pancakes
Roasted Pumpkin and Smoked Blue Cheese Lasagna
Roasted Pumpkin Frittata with Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad
Roasted Pumpkin Polenta with Pinto Beans
Vegetarian Pumpkin Mac and Cheese