Follow these directions to make puree for the filling of my creamy vegan pumpkin pie recipe.
Why, oh why can we not buy pumpkin puree in a tin at the grocery store?
Although it would be very convenient, I feel like this is a very first-world-problem, so I am going to show you how to make your own pumpkin puree from beautiful, whole pumpkins.
It makes sense to do it in a big batch and freeze it, so you can just defrost to have some on-hand whenever you need it.
- Start off by cutting your pumpkin, deseeding it, and peeling.
- Cut it into even cubes and place in a microwaveable container ( I used a microwave steamer). You could also just use a regular steamer instead of a microwave.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft and cooked through.
- Place a cheesecloth, very fine cloth, or nut milk bag over a sieve, and place over a large bowl.
- Once the cooked pumpkin is cool enough to handle, place it in batches into the cheesecloth, twist the top closed and squeeze a good amount of the water out.
- It does not need to be very dry, just get most of the water out. I found my pumpkin had a very large amount of water in it, which would have made my pumpkin pie filling runny had I not squeezed out the water.
- Place in a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Store in a container in the fridge for a few days, or freeze and thaw when needed.
I’m not 100% sure of how it will be once thawed, as I have not frozen pumpkin puree myself, only pumpkin chunks. You may need to drain some water off the thawed pumpkin before use, if it seems like it has absorbed water.
Use this puree to make my creamy vegan pumpkin pie recipe for a winter treat, or for a Halloween celebration!