Pumpkin puree: preparation methods - how to make pumpkin puree at home

Vegetable selection

To prepare pumpkin puree, any type of pumpkin can be used, with the exception of decorative ones, of course. For sweet desserts, it is more appropriate to use a nutmeg vegetable. The flesh of butternut squash is bright orange and very sweet.

Selection rules:

• First and foremost: the pumpkin must be ripe. Ripeness indicator – ripe, thick seeds.
• Preference should be given to medium-sized specimens weighing up to 4 kilograms.
• Particular attention should be paid to the tail. It must be dry.
• In stores and markets, you should purchase a whole vegetable, not a cut part.
• The pumpkin skin should be intact and, preferably, even. A natural waxy coating may be present.

How to prepare pumpkin for puree

In the oven

The vegetable skin is washed under running water and wiped with a cloth. Using a sharp knife, cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.This can be done with a tablespoon or just with your hands. There is no need to throw away the seeds. They are washed to remove fibers, dried and eaten.

You can bake the pumpkin in halves immediately or divide each part into several more parts. There is no need to cut off the peel.

So that the baking sheet does not have to be washed for a long time after pumpkin, it is lined with foil or baking parchment.

The vegetables are placed in an oven preheated to 180 degrees and baked for 40–50 minutes. Many housewives recommend baking the pumpkin covered with foil. In this case, the pumpkin will definitely not be fried, and the amount of vitamins will remain at the maximum level.

Check readiness with a knife or fork by piercing the pieces.

The finished pumpkin is removed from the oven, and the pulp is separated from the peel using any cutlery or by hand.

The “AllrecipesRU” channel in its video will tell you in detail how to make delicious pumpkin puree in the oven

On the stove

This method is much more labor-intensive than the previous one, since you will have to remove the hard skin from the pumpkin before cooking. The pumpkin, cleared of seeds, is cut, for convenience, into smaller slices, each of which is subsequently peeled.

The completely peeled vegetable is chopped into small cubes or thin plates, filled with water, and simmered for 15 - 20 minutes until completely softened.

Watch the video from the Life Mom channel - Pumpkin puree on the stove

Pumpkin puree recipes

Natural pumpkin puree for children

For babies, purees are prepared without adding various spices and sugar. As a last resort, the puree can be salted with a few grains of salt or sweetened with fructose.

Pumpkin boiled until soft is pureed using a blender. Since children under one year old prefer more liquid food, the puree should be liquid.You can dilute the mixture with boiled water or breast milk. This puree cannot be stored. But a natural product, without additives, can sit under the lid in the main compartment of the refrigerator for 2–3 days.

Pumpkin puree can be stored for longer in the freezer. To do this, the cooled mass is laid out in small containers and sent to the chamber for storage. Silicone muffin tins, airtight freezer bags, and disposable plastic cups can serve as containers for freezing.

Pumpkin puree with juice for the winter

• pumpkin – 3.5 kilograms;
• granulated sugar – 1 kilogram;
• homemade or store-bought pomegranate juice – 200 milliliters.

Place the peeled and chopped pumpkin in a container of a suitable size, add sugar and pour in the juice. Boil the pumpkin in sweet syrup for about half an hour until soft, and then puree it in a blender. The crushed sweet mass is put back on the fire and boiled over low heat for 10 minutes. When hot, the puree is placed into jars and sealed with sterile lids.

Puree with citric acid

• pumpkin – 2 kilograms;
• granulated sugar – 500 grams;
• Citric acid powder – 1 teaspoon.

The pumpkin is baked in the oven and then chopped in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and heat on the stove for 10 minutes. The hot puree is placed in sterile containers and sealed for the winter.

Pumpkin and cranberry puree

• pumpkin – 2 kilograms;
• fresh or frozen cranberries – 250 grams;
• water – 900 milliliters;
• sugar – 300 grams;
• cloves – 1 bud (optional).

A syrup is prepared from water and sugar, and the pumpkin is boiled in it until tender. If the cranberries were frozen, then they must first be thawed. The juice is squeezed out of the berries, which is also added to the boiled pumpkin.All ingredients are pureed and then boiled for 15 - 20 minutes.

The “Visiting Elena” channel presents to your attention a recipe for pumpkin and applesauce