Pumpkin Puree Recipe Instant Pot Oven Spice Cravings

You know Fall is here when you start seeing cute little sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins in your grocery stores!

My kids love carving and decorating these pumpkins for Halloween and putting them around the house with tea lights. But did you know these cute, little pumpkins can be cooked and pureed for all your Fall baking adventures? In today’s recipe, we’re using sugar pumpkins aka Pie Pumpkins to make homemade pumpkin puree. These are a smaller, sweeter variety of pumpkins. They are less fibrous than regular pumpkins, making them a great choice for cooking. Get ready to stock up on homemade pumpkin puree. It’s a treat you and your family will love. Let’s get started!

Why We Love This Recipe

You need to make Instapot pumpkin puree just one time and you will never buy canned pumpkin again! Here are some reasons we love this recipe:

It’s a fast, easy recipe that’s virtually hands-off and results in creamy, naturally sweet, fresh pumpkin flesh every time. Fresh pumpkin puree has a pleasant aroma and is lighter in texture as compared to the canned version. This translates to whatever you end up making with it.

Ingredients - Notes & Availability

All it takes is two ingredients for homemade pumpkin puree in the Instant Pot that outshines any canned variety. You need:

Pumpkin: Pick a sugar pumpkin, around 2 pounds in weight. The skin should be bright orange and should not have brown spots. Look for the pumpkins labeled sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin. Water: We need water for steaming the pumpkin if using the Instant Pot method, and a little for blending later.

How To Make Pumpkin Puree in Instant Pot

Here are the step-by-step Instructions for cooking pumpkin in the Instant Pot. Please note: Instant Pot can fit only one sugar pumpkin.

Alternate Method: Oven Roasted Pumpkin Puree (for 2 or more pumpkins)

My Preferred Cooking Method - Oven vs. Instant Pot

My preferred method changes based on the quantity I’m cooking. If I’m cooking just one pumpkin, the Instant Pot is the clear winner. It cuts down the cooking time by a third. If I’m cooking 2 or more pumpkins, I use the oven method. You can easily fit 2 sugar pumpkins, around 2 pounds each, on one baking sheet. So after the height adjustments, you can roast up to 4 pumpkins at the same time. Just remember to switch the top and bottom layer half-way through for even cooking.

Uses - What Can I Make with a Cup of Pumpkin Puree?

Here are my three favorite ways to use pumpkin puree:

How To Store & Freeze

Refrigerate: The pureed pumpkin flesh will stay stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. When going to incorporate it into any recipe, just make sure to remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes beforehand. This is to bring it to room temperature so it blends well. Freeze: You can also freeze this puree. Pour the pumpkin puree into large ice-cube trays (¼ cup size cubes) and freeze for up to 3 months. Alternatively, place about 1 cup portion (the equivalent of ½ can) into Ziplock freezer bags. Push out all the air and seal tight. Label, date, and freeze flat in your freezer. Thaw the desired quantity to room temperature right overnight in the fridge.

Recipe Tips & Notes

Sugar or pie pumpkin. For best results, pick one of these smaller pumpkins since they are smaller, sweeter, and less fibrous than the large carving pumpkins. For medium size pumpkins (3-4 pounds), adjust the Instant Pot cooking time to 15 minutes, high pressure. Let the pressure naturally release. The pumpkin flesh should be fork-tender. If it’s still hard, cook for an additional 5 minutes followed by natural pressure release. If the pumpkin is too big to safely fit in your Instant Pot, remove the stem, cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds and strings. Cut into quarters and place on the trivet. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release. Don’t fret about the seeds and strings. Scooping out the seeds and stringy core will take a little muscle power, but it’s okay if some strings remain. This will not affect the taste or texture of your puree. Puree in a blender or a food processor. I get a silky-smooth puree with a blender or food processor. Add water, if necessary. The moisture content in each little pumpkin will vary. If your pumpkin is dry or not blending, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time until a smooth consistency is reached. But if you find your pumpkin puree to be too watery, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to rid of extra moisture.