Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree
Instant Pot pumpkin puree makes homemade pumpkin puree in a fraction of the time as making it in an oven or slow cooker! If you can’t find canned pumpkin in the store, you can make your own puree in just about 40 minutes with this pressure cooker recipe.
Have you ever wanted to make your own pumpkin puree but didn’t because every recipe takes hours of cook time?
Well, no more!
This recipe takes just about 40 minutes and then- bam!- homemade pumpkin puree.
If that’s not Instant Pot magic, I don’t know what is!
Ingredients
To make this you don’t need anything other than:
- Pie pumpkin– You can also use a sugar pumpkin. Do NOT use a carving pumpkin.
- Water– To steam the pumpkin
You’ll also want a knife, an 8 or 10 quart Instant Pot with the steaming rack and a blender.
A serrated spoon may also be helpful to scoop out the seeds.
How to Make
It’s fairly simple to make Instant Pot pumpkin puree.
To do it, slice the pumpkin lengthwise down the middle and scoop the seeds and any of the stringy flesh out of the pumpkin.
Pour the water into the Instant Pot and then place the steaming rack into the bottom of the pot
Put the two pumpkin halves on top of the steaming rack.
Secure the lid on the Pot, making sure the vent valve is set to sealing.
Cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
Once the Pot beeps, let it naturally release for 5 minutes before quick releasing the remaining steam.
Open the Pot and remove the pumpkin.
Let it cool to the point where you can safely handle it.
Scoop the cooked flesh into a paper towel lined sieve and gently press down with a spoon to remove the excess moisture.
Then transfer the strained pumpkin to a high speed blender and blend it until smooth.
Use it in your favorite recipes or save it for later!
What kind of pumpkin should I use?
The key to making good homemade pumpkin puree is choosing the right kind of pumpkin.
You want to choose a pie pumpkin, also called sugar pumpkins, and not the larger, flatter, hollow carving pumpkins.
Look for a pie pumpkin that feels heavy for its size.
Storing
If you are planning to use your puree within a week, then you can store it in the fridge.
To do so, let it cool on the counter before transferring it to an airtight container or jar.
Then refrigerate it for up to a week,
However, if you want to freeze it, you can transfer the cooled pumpkin into ziplocking freezer bags and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Do not can homemade puree.
The low acid content means it doesn’t can well.
Tips and Tricks
- Look for a denser pie pumpkin. These will have less moisture, which is crucial.
- You must strain the excess moisture! Because the pumpkin is steamed in this method, it will be a bit wetter than roasted or slow cooked pumpkin puree. Unstrained pumpkin will be too watery to use in pie.
- Save the seeds and roast them!
Recipes to Use Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree
Use Instant Pot pumpkin puree in your favorite pumpkin recipes this fall and holiday season!
Here are a few favorites:
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Spiced Pumpkin Cider
- Pumpkin Chili
- Pumpkin Pie Crescent Rolls
- Pumpkin Soup With Cinnamon Sugar Croutons
If you’ve tried this INSTANT POT PUMPKIN PUREE or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Homemade Pumpkin Puree (Instant Pot Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 3-4 lb pie pumpkin
Instructions
- Carefully slice the pumpkin lengthwise down the middle. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds1 3-4 lb pie pumpkin
- Pour the water into the instant pot, then place the steaming rack into the bottom of the pot
- Place the two pumpkin halves on top of the steam rack, then twist the lid on.
- Make sure the valve is set to sealing, then cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Allow a 5 minute natural pressure release, then carefully release the remaining steam.
- Remove pumpkin from the pot, then scoop the cooked flesh into a paper towel lined sieve and gently press down with a spoon to remove excess moisture.
- Transfer strained pumpkin to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
Notes
- Look for a denser pie pumpkin. These will have less moisture, which is crucial.
- You must strain the excess moisture! Because the pumpkin is steamed in this method, it will be a bit wetter than roasted or slow cooked pumpkin puree. Unstrained pumpkin will be too watery to use in pie.
- Save the seeds and roast them!
Nutrition
