How To Make Pumpkin Puree Without Oven – 5 Ways 

Make your own homemade pumpkin puree without an oven – 5 easy ways!

Homemade pumpkin puree is easy to make and can be used in so many ways! Your favorite pumpkin recipes include pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin dinner rolls, scones, brownies, bars, and soups.

Making your own pumpkin puree is super simple and cheap to do. Especially if you grow your own pumpkins! Once fall comes around its pumpkin season and they are in abundance in the store or at your local pumpkin patch.

You can make a big batch of this easy homemade pumpkin puree and freeze it for future uses!

What pumpkins to use for pumpkin puree

The type of pumpkin used in puree makes a big difference in texture and flavor. There is a variety of pumpkin or hard winter squashes you can use for puree and the best varieties have a flesh that becomes smooth and sweet when cooked. They may be labeled sugar pumpkins or baking pie pumpkins.

The more decorative pumpkins used as Halloween props (like the Jack-o-lantern pumpkins) can be quite bland, stringy, and watery. Here are some good varieties that can be used for your own homemade pumpkin puree.

• Jarrahdale
• Cinderella
• Autumn Gold
• Golden Nugget
• Queensland blue
• New England Pie Pumpkin
• Cinderella
• Sugarpie
• Crown
• Musque de Provence
• Kabocha squash
• Acorn squash
• Butternut squash

Here are five easy methods to make pumpkin puree: In the air fryer, in the instant pot, boiled pumpkin, steamed pumpkin, and in the microwave.

Pumpkin puree in the air fryer

An air fryer works like a convection oven but it’s easier and there is no need to preheat it. If your pumpkin is small you can cook the whole pumpkin in the air fryer. This can also be with pieces of pumpkin if you only have a large pumpkin. The flavor of air fryer pumpkin is most similar to roasted pumpkin which makes it great for savory dishes.

There is no need to peel the pumpkin prior to cooking. The skin and seeds will be removed after cooking.

Place a whole small pumpkin (around 2-3lb) in the basket of your air fryer and cut off the pumpkin stem if it’s too tall to fit. If your pumpkin is larger than this, cut it up into even-sized pieces and place them in the air fryer basket.

Air fry the pumpkin for around 15 minutes at 400°F/200°C, then flip the pumpkin upside down and cook for a further 15-18 minutes until tender.

Test that the pumpkin is soft by inserting a knife into it. It should slide through easily. If it still feels firm, cook it for a little longer. On average a 2lb/1kg pumpkin needs around 30 minutes total cooking time at 400°F/200°C. Smaller pieces will need less time.

Once the pumpkin has cooked, let the pumpkin cool down to room temperature. Once cooled cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. Scrape out the stringy pumpkin inners.

Remove the peels with a knife or use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin flesh away from the peel. Puree in a blender until smooth.

Air fryer pumpkin note

The air fryer crisps the skin and outer layer of the pumpkin quite a lot and this flavor can impart onto the puree if you don’t remove enough of the outer skin layer.

This is fine for pumpkin soup, but if using the pumpkin puree for sweet dishes, take care to only use the orange pumpkin flesh and not the pumpkin that has been too browned by the air fryer.

Pumpkin puree in the instant pot

Pumpkin puree in the instant pot or pressure cooker is easy, especially when using a 3-4lb (1.3-1.8kg) whole pumpkin.

First, cut a circle off the top of the pumpkin. Use a spoon to scoop out the pumpkin seeds (throw them in the garden and pumpkin plants will pop up in spring!)

Place the pumpkin cut side up on the steaming rack or trivet that comes with your pressure cooker. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the bottom of the pot.

Place the pumpkin on the trivet and close the lid. Turn the knob on the instant pot to ‘sealing’.

Press the ‘pressure cook’ setting on high pressure. Set the timer for 20 minutes and press start.

After 20 minutes, manually release the pressure for 5 minutes, and carefully remove the lid. Test that the pumpkin is soft by inserting a knife into it. It should slide through easily. If it is still hard, you can cook it for another 5 minutes and repeat the manual pressure release step.

Once the pumpkin has cooked, let it cool down completely before peeling. Scrape out any of the stringy pumpkin inners. Puree in a blender until smooth.

Pumpkin puree on the stove

For this method, there is no need to peel the pumpkin before boiling but it does need to be chopped. Chop the pumpkin into even-sized pieces and remove the seeds. The smaller they are chopped the faster they will cook.

Place the pieces in a pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the pumpkin until it’s fork-tender. Drain the pumpkin well and allow it to cool.

If there is excess water, return the pumpkin to the pot without the water, and place it on the stove for a minute (stirring regularly) to steam off the extra moisture.

Once cooled, remove the peels with a knife or use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin flesh away from the skin of the pumpkin and scrape away the stringy inners of the pumpkin.

Puree in a blender until smooth.

Steamed pumpkin puree

Chop the pumpkin into even-sized pieces of the pumpkin and remove the seeds. The smaller they are chopped the faster they will cook. Add the pumpkin pieces to a steamer basket placed inside a pot of water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer until the pumpkin is very tender.

Drain the pumpkin well and allow it to cool. Once cooled, remove the peels with a knife or use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin flesh away from the peel and scrape away the stringy inners of the pumpkin. Puree in a blender until smooth.

Pumpkin in the microwave

Cut a circle off the top of the pumpkin and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut the pumpkin in half, then chop each half into 4 pieces.

Place the pumpkin pieces in a microwave-safe dish and add a little water. Cover the dish with another dish or lid and microwave for 6-9 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.

Leave the pumpkin to cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, remove the peels with a knife or use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin flesh away from the skin of the pumpkin and scrape away the stringy inners of the pumpkin.

Puree in a blender until smooth.

Pureeing and straining the pumpkin flesh

Once your pumpkin has been cooked and peeled, it’s time to puree it into fresh pumpkin puree.

Use a food processor, immersion blender, or another high-speed blender to get it really smooth with a creamy texture.

Extra smooth pumpkin puree

Sometimes pumpkin puree can be a little grainy if it either hasn’t been cooked correctly or the pumpkin wasn’t completely ripe. You can make your pureed pumpkin extra luscious and smooth by pushing it through a sieve.

Scoop the puree in stages into a sieve balanced over a large bowl and use a spatula to push it through.

How much puree does a pumpkin make?

On average, a 2lb/1kg pumpkin makes approximately 425g-450g (between 1 3/4 – 2 cups) of pumpkin puree which is the equivalent of one 15oz/425g can of pumpkin puree.

This is the perfect amount for this easy pumpkin pie recipe, or use one cup for this pumpkin bread.

Storing pumpkin puree

Pumpkin puree can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can pumpkin puree be frozen? Yes! Pumpkin puree can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.

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