Pumpkin Purée for Winter
Pumpkin purée is a very healthy and tasty make-ahead staple! In autumn you can always buy pumpkin. But when you need pumpkin for baking, desserts, or drinks at other times, ready pumpkin purée comes to the rescue - frozen or in jars.
Updated : 10 February, 2026
Easy
About 1 hour.
Ingredients
2.5 kilograms
Pumpkin
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you prepare pumpkin purée for winter? You only need one ingredient - the pumpkin itself. Choose any variety and size.
Step 2
Wash the pumpkin well, peel it, and remove the seeds with the stringy pulp. Don’t throw the seeds away - you can dry and eat them; they’re very nutritious. Cut the pumpkin into medium, irregular pieces.
Step 3
You can cook the pumpkin by steaming or baking. Since I had a large amount of pumpkin and a steamer with a small bowl, I baked it. Transfer the pumpkin to a deep baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C / 392°F until soft. Cooking time varies by variety. After 30 minutes, carefully lift the edge of the foil (avoid steam burns) and pierce a larger piece with a fork. If it goes in easily, it’s done.
Step 4
While the pumpkin bakes, prepare the jars. I used jars with a total capacity of 1 liter (about 1 quart / 4 cups). Wash and sterilize them well. I pour boiling water in a thin stream onto the bottom of the jar, about 1/4 full. To prevent the jar from cracking, don’t let the water hit the sides. Cover with a lid and leave for 10 minutes. Then pour the water out - the jar is ready. I boiled small jars with lids for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Drain off the liquid released during baking and transfer the pumpkin to a container that’s convenient for puréeing.
Step 6
Purée the pumpkin to a smooth consistency using any method: a blender, a potato masher, or a sieve. I used an immersion blender. The purée turned out smooth, uniform, and airy.
Step 7
Spoon the hot purée into jars, sterilize for 10 minutes, and seal. Turn the jars upside down, wrap them up, and leave at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in the refrigerator.
Step 8
For freezing, use disposable plastic containers, ice cube trays, or silicone baking molds. Wash the containers and wipe them dry. Portion the purée into the molds and put the mold in a bag or wrap with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer and use the quick-freeze setting. I set -23°C / -9°F. After a few hours, I transfer the frozen portions to a bag and set a steady storage temperature of -19°C / -2°F.
Author note
Share the recipe
