Baked Pumpkin | Vegetables Recipes | Jamie Oliver Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best pumpkin for baking? ›

For cooking, you'll want to use sugar pumpkins (also called pie or sweet pumpkins), which are small and round. Long Island Cheese pumpkins, which are more oblong and can look like a wheel of cheese, are also good to eat. Field pumpkin types are larger, have watery, stringy flesh, and are best for decorating.

Roast at 350ºF until tender, about 45 minutes. A fork should easily piece through the shell, and it should look visibly darker in color. Let the pumpkin cool until you can handle it, then scoop out the tender insides and puree in a food processor until smooth. Use the puree in your favorite pumpkin recipes!

There are a few ways you can prepare your pumpkin, I recommend either steaming it or oven roasting/baking it. Both of them are great, but I feel like the roasting brings out a little more of the sweetness due to sugar caramelization. Steaming seems to cook faster, however, there's usually a bit more prep involved.

Roast at 180°C for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and soft. Or, next time you've got the oven on, use up the space to cook a whole squash – simply bake it just as it is until you can insert a knife in easily, then use it over the following days for throwing into salads or to turn into pancakes or fritters.

The claim is that these pumpkins have been grown specifically for pumpkin puree in cooking and baking, so the result is a sweeter and creamier product. Interesting. Of course, anything that's been canned will likely taste different than the fresh product.

Sugar pumpkins are also denser and contain allot less water than carving pumpkins, making them better for baking. Just because carving pumpkins are not ideal to roast and make into pies does not mean that they are not edible.

As they cook, vegetables give off moisture, and when arranged too close together it results in a soggy outcome. Follow this tip: To achieve beautiful browning and crisp, roasted perfection, vegetables need some breathing room. Arrange vegetables in a single layer and don't overcrowd the pan.

For a savory recipe, rub the pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper. Place pumpkin flesh side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast at 375 degrees F for 40-50 minutes. Peel off the skin and enjoy!

For even more flavor, you can add spices (like the celebrated pumpkin pie spice!) to the purée during the cooking step. Heating spices “blooms” them, releasing their flavorful, fragrant oils.

Yes, you can eat pumpkin skin. It is not only safe to consume but also nutritious. Pumpkin skin is rich in fibre and contains various vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy addition to your diet. However, it's important to wash the skin thoroughly to remove any dirt or pesticides.

Can you bake with regular pumpkins? ›

Yes! No matter the type of pumpkin, make sure to reserve the seeds. Give them a rinse, toss them with some oil, salt, pepper, and whatever spice strikes your fancy, and toss them in the oven for a snack that will ready before your jack-o-lanterns are lit!

In a large bowl mix the cubed squash, garlic cloves and ginger with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and scatter in a single layer in a roasting tray. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes until tender all the way through.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and drizzle with EVOO. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and fresh nutmeg and roast until just tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Most recipes say to either bake or roast butternut squash—but what's the difference? While both cooking methods will turn the tough, raw gourd into a soft, sweet ingredient, roasting butternut squash is the more common process for achieving browned, crispy edges and a creamy interior.

Choose Your Pumpkin

Large field pumpkins, which are bred for jack-o'-lanterns, are too flavorless and stringy for baking. A medium-sized (4-pound) sugar pumpkin should yield around 1½ cups of mashed pumpkin. This purée can be used in all your recipes calling for canned pumpkin.

Pumpkin Varieties for Cooking

Flesh of carving pumpkins are generally stringy, watery and bland, but can be used for making pies. The best varieties for making pumpkin pies are Baby Bear, Cinderella, Jarrahdale and Fairytale. Here are some varieties available in North America.

Heirlooms are perfect for decorating but they really shine when used in the kitchen they are all edible with very different taste. Description and how to use the pumpkins are listed by each pumpkin. I use many of them in my baking.

You may have heard that the purée in your canned pumpkin isn't the gourd you think it is. No matter, it still makes a delicious Thanksgiving pie. For our latest taste test, we tried nine varieties of canned pumpkin and determined the best for pie to be what America has trusted for years: Libby's.