12 Fresh Pumpkin Recipes for Fall, Including Soup, Stew, Pasta, and Pie
Though you may wait until mid-October to put out your jack-o'-lantern, you don't have to wait as long to put pumpkin to work in your kitchen—the fruit actually begins to ripen in September. Local farmers will continue to offer succulent, fleshy pumpkins throughout autumn, and since they hold up so well, you can often find them at local markets well into winter.
The best pumpkins for cooking are very different from those you would choose to decorate. The ubiquitous field pumpkin—which is the most common variety used in carving—has watery, stringy flesh and isn't recommended for eating. Whether you're choosing to bake a classic pumpkin pie or simmer a large pot of pumpkin soup, you'll want to ask for sugar pumpkins or cheese pumpkins at the market. They're just as widely available, but they're much better suited to cooking and baking thanks to their dense, sweet flesh.
In their original form, pumpkins can keep for up to a month in a cool spot in your kitchen. If you want to continue cooking and baking fresh pumpkin dishes closer to the holidays, keep the pumpkin whole and store it in a cool cellar. That way it can retain its freshness for up to three months. Once you've cut into them a pumpkin, however, the pieces should be wrapped tightly and refrigerated; you have up to five days to use both the flesh and seeds.
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Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage
Sweet, tender sugar pumpkin is roasted with olive oil, sage, and shallots for an easy side dish on its own or tossed with rice, couscous, or pasta. In place of sage, you could use another robust herb, such as thyme, rosemary, or oregano.
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Mashed Potatoes with Pumpkin and Greens
Give mashed potatoes a colorful, healthy upgrade by adding pumpkin and chard to the mix.
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Pumpkin and Pecorino Gratin
Sugar-pumpkin purée is seasoned simply with salt and pepper, then baked under a crown of crunchy breadcrumbs and Romano cheese. This casserole makes a magnificent side dish with roast chicken or pork or a fabulous vegetarian entrée.
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Sugar Pumpkin Pasta with Garlic and Walnuts
So very fall! This whole-wheat pasta dish is hearty, not heavy, and full of flavor thanks to cubes of roasted sugar pumpkin, plenty of garlic, toasted walnuts, and a touch of umami from anchovies. Sure, you can skip the anchovies if you must, but we think you'll find they add so much flavor to the finished dish.
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Pumpkin Pie
We're sneaking a pie in to this collection of fresh pumpkin recipes because it's made with fresh—not canned—pumpkin and it's just so good. This pie has more delicious depth of flavor thanks to the roasted fresh pumpkin and just the right amount of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Make extra purée and freeze it so you can enjoy pumpkin desserts throughout the season.
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Beef, Pumpkin, and Shiitake Soup
Starring sugar pie pumpkin or calabaza, this slowly simmered soupy stew is easy to make. It takes just 15 minutes of prep. When the beef chuck or neck bones are fork-tender, you add the vegetables that won't need long to cook. Fresh basil and a splash of fish sauce are not to be skipped for serving—the latter adds an exceptional hint of umami flavor.
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Roasted Pumpkin
Our recipe for basic roasted pumpkin is simple and very versatile. You can eat the sweet, fibrous flesh straight out of the shell with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, or you can get creative and use the roasted pumpkin flesh for purée or scope out the flesh and use it for Mashed Pumpkin with Cumin and Maple.
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Roasted Squash, Apple, and Cipollini Onion Salad
Though the recipe title says "squash," this recipe can and should be made with sugar pumpkin. It's a hearty winter salad with mellow roasted vegetables and apples contrasting with the peppery watercress.
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Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Fresh pumpkin is roasted with onion and shiitake mushrooms, then puréed to make a creamy (but cream-free!) soup. An immersion blender makes quick work of this simple, hearty meal.
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Coconut, Fish, and Pumpkin Stew
This lively one-pot dinner features coconut milk, cod, pumpkin (or calabaza), baby spinach, and a touch of chile for a hearty and healthy meal.
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White Bean and Sausage Stew in Pumpkin Bowls
All dressed up for a fabulous fall dinner party, this hearty stew is baked in sugar pumpkins. A combination of navy beans, turkey sausage, mushrooms, carrots, leeks, potatoes, and peas makes a delicious, hearty meal.
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Rigatoni with Roasted Pumpkin and Goat Cheese
This easy, satisfying pasta dish is full of tender roast pumpkin and tangy goat cheese. For an even quicker dinner, roast the pumpkin ahead of time and heat it up just before tossing with the rigatoni.
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