What to cook with pumpkin: the top 7 best recipes

It is in autumn that pumpkin traditionally comes into season. It can be used to prepare a multitude of dishes, desserts, and even beverages, so UNN has compiled a top 7 of delicious and simple recipes using the main vegetable of autumn.

How to choose the right pumpkin

Before cooking, it is worth paying attention to the size and appearance of the fruit. Pumpkins weighing from 3 to 5 kg are considered the tastiest, as they have moderate sweetness. A large, slightly flattened pumpkin with a segmented shape and orange, light, or gray skin has dense flesh and a not-too-sweet taste. It is well suited for side dishes, vegetable caviar, soups, jam, and baking. Round or oval pumpkins with very hard skin are usually orange or greenish in color and are less sweet, so they are recommended for meat dishes and side dishes. Particular attention should be paid to the butternut squash. It has an elongated pear shape, thin skin, and sweet, tender flesh. This type of pumpkin is suitable for porridges, salads, desserts, and fillings for baked goods. A pumpkin’s ripeness can be determined by its stem: it should be dark and dry. If there is no stem, such a pumpkin should not be stored for long.

Pumpkin cream soup

Ingredients:

• pumpkin - 1 kg;
• potatoes - 2;
• onion - 100 g;
• butter - 20 g;
• vegetable or meat broth - 1 l;
• garlic - 1 clove;
• cream - 150 ml;
• cumin - 0.5 tsp.;
• salt - to taste;
• black pepper - to taste;
• parsley - to taste;
• pumpkin seeds - 2 tbsp.

Preparation:

1. Cut the pumpkin into cubes approximately 3–5 cm in size. Cut the onion into pieces half as small.

2. Sauté the onion together with the pumpkin over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Transfer the vegetables into the broth, add the chopped potatoes, and cook over low heat for 20–30 minutes, until the vegetables become soft.

3. Add salt, pepper, chopped garlic, and ground cumin.

4. Blend the contents of the pot with an immersion blender until smooth.

5. Return the soup to the heat, add the cream, and bring to a boil.

6. Before serving, sprinkle the soup with chopped parsley and roasted pumpkin seeds.

The soup can also be served with croutons, cracklings, grated cheese, or shrimp sautéed in garlic sauce.

Pumpkin carbonara

Ingredients: 

• pumpkin - 300 g;
• onion - 1;
• garlic - 1 head;
• olive oil - 3 tbsp.;
• smoked pork belly - 250–300 g;
• 20% cream - 250–300 g;
• Parmesan - 300 g;
• spaghetti - 500 g;
• salt - 1 level tsp.;
• egg yolk - 1.

Preparation:

1. Peel the pumpkin, cut it into medium-sized cubes, and transfer it to a baking dish.

2. Peel half of the head of garlic, crush it, and add it to the pumpkin.

3. Peel the onion, cut it into strips, and place it with the pumpkin.

4. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt. Bake at 200°C for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Finely chop the smoked pork belly.

6. Chop the remaining garlic as well. Sauté it in a frying pan, then add the pork belly and cook for about 7 minutes over medium heat.

7. Boil the spaghetti and rinse it with water.

8. Blend the roasted pumpkin, onion, and garlic. Cool the resulting sauce to room temperature.

9. In a separate bowl, combine the cream, egg yolk, and Parmesan.

10. Add the pumpkin sauce to the cream mixture and mix well.

11. Transfer the spaghetti to the frying pan with the pork belly and sauté for 5 minutes.

12. Pour the sauce over the pasta and simmer for another 5 minutes.

13. Before serving, place on a plate and garnish with herbs.

Cottage cheese and pumpkin casserole

Ingredients:

• for the pumpkin batter: roasted pumpkin - 600 g, eggs - 2, flour - 3 tbsp., sugar - 60 g;

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• for the cottage cheese batter: cottage cheese - 400 g, eggs - 2, sugar - 80 g, vanilla sugar - to taste, flour - 4 tbsp.

Preparation:

1. Roast the pumpkin. It can first be cut into small cubes and cooked in the microwave for 7–10 minutes, depending on the variety.

2. Separately, blend all the ingredients for the pumpkin batter and the cottage cheese batter.

3. Place both mixtures into the baking dish alternately.

4. Using a toothpick, create a flower-shaped pattern by drawing from the edge of the dish upward through the batter.

5. Bake at 170°C for approximately 40 minutes.

Pumpkin Stew

Ingredients:

• pumpkin - 0.5 kg;
• smoked chicken fillet - 200 g;
• Adyghe cheese - 200 g;
• red onion - 1;
• parsley - to taste;
• salt - to taste;
• pepper - to taste;
• spices - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Cut the pumpkin, chicken, cheese, and onion into cubes of approximately the same size.

2. Add salt, pepper, and spices, then mix.

3. Add a little olive oil and place in the oven for approximately 40 minutes.

4. Cook until the pumpkin becomes soft.

5. Sprinkle the finished dish with chopped parsley.

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Pumpkin Latte

Ingredients:

• pumpkin purée - 200 g;
• or pumpkin syrup - 100 ml;
• freshly brewed coffee - 300 ml;
• milk - 100 ml;
• sugar - to taste;
• cinnamon - to taste;
• nutmeg - to taste;
• vanilla sugar - to taste;
• cocoa - for decoration.

Preparation:

1. To make the purée, bake the pumpkin and blend it. If desired, pass it through a sieve.

2. Add sugar and spices to the pumpkin purée. Place over heat, bring to a boil, and cook for 5-7 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly.

4. Brew the coffee.

5. Pour the hot coffee into cups and add the pumpkin purée or syrup with spices.

6. Heat the milk and add it to the coffee. If desired, froth the milk until thick foam forms.

7. Garnish the drink with cocoa, cinnamon, or grated chocolate.

Pumpkin Waffles

Ingredients:

• baked or stewed pumpkin - 300 g;
• eggs - 3;
• quark - 150 g;
• vanilla sugar - 1 packet;
• salt - a pinch;
• baking powder - 1 tsp.;
• stevia or honey - 2 tbsp.;
• flour - 7-8 tbsp.;
• refined oil - 50 g;
• yogurt - 180 g.

Preparation:

1. Mash the stewed pumpkin with a fork.

2. Add the eggs, stevia or honey, salt, baking powder, yogurt, and vanilla sugar.

3. Add the quark and flour, then mix the batter with a spoon.

4. Bake the waffles until golden brown.

Burrata with Pumpkin-Tomato Cream

Ingredients:

small pumpkin - 1;

tomatoes - 200 g;

garlic - 2 cloves;

olive oil - 1-2 tbsp.;

nutmeg - a pinch;

salt - to taste;

burrata - 1 (125 g);

pumpkin seeds - 2 tbsp.;

balsamic cream - for serving;

herbs - for serving.

Preparation:

1. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and remove the seeds.

2. Place the chopped tomatoes and peeled garlic inside. Add a little salt and olive oil.

3. Bake the pumpkin at 180-190°C for 40-45 minutes, until the flesh becomes soft.

4. Remove the baked flesh together with the tomatoes and garlic, and blend until creamy.

5. Add olive oil, a pinch of nutmeg, and a little more salt if needed.

6. Place the pumpkin purée on a plate and put the burrata in the center.

7. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds, garnish with herbs, and drizzle with balsamic cream.