If you want to know how to prepare a pumpkin, then you’re in the right place. It’s really much easier than you can imagine (at least easier than I had imagined)!
Originally published November 14, 2015
Sometimes we do things without really thinking.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I used to buy pumpkins for decoration, then after Thanksgiving, I always felt bad throwing them away, but they weren’t pumpkins for cooking, so there really wasn’t much else that I could have done with them.
Use your pumpkin to make these healthy pumpkin carrot cupcakes!
However, last year, I actually used my head and bought an edible pumpkin! This way, I could use it as decoration, and then use it for cooking or baking, instead of dumping it in the green can to be composted! Genius, right? I mean, who doesn’t love pumpkin bread? I’ve done the same thing this year and just look at how lovely my simple centerpiece is.
If you’ve ever wondered ~
How do you cut a pumpkin for roasting?
It couldn’t be more simple: just use a large knife on a well stabilized cutting surface (place a damp paper towel underneath your board) and slice it in half from the top to the bottom, so you end up with matching halves.
How do you know a pumpkin is cooked?
Testing a pumpkin to know when it’s cooked is easy, too: just press on the skin (use a piece of foil for protection if you are afraid to burn your finger) and press on the skin. If it’s soft, or “fork tender”, it’s ready.
How do you bake a whole pumpkin?
It’s super simple, and I’ll show you how in just THREE easy steps!
Let me show you how simple it is to bake a pumpkin which I bought at Trader Joe’s. Just make sure the one you buy is labeled as edible and preferably organic. They’re often referred to as sugar pumpkins.
Note: you can use this method on most winter squash, too, such as butternut squash and acorn squash.
How to Prepare a Pumpkin
Ingredients
- an edible pumpkin
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
- Cut the pumpkin in half, from top to bottom (not side to side), then remove the seeds (save the seeds and see the recipe at the bottom) and stringy bits (keep the seeds to toast, if desired). I used a pumpkin scraper which makes the job much easier, but it’s not necessary.
2.Next, place both halves cut side down on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and place in a preheated oven for about an hour or until soft. You can press on the pumpkin to test it. Remove from oven when ready.
3. When cool, use the same pumpkin scraper or some other similar tool to scoop the flesh from the skin of the pumpkin. The pumpkin separated from the skin on its own with this pumpkin! 
Place in a bowl and keep refrigerated (or freeze) until ready to use in recipes, such as pies, muffins or desserts. 
If you want pumpkin purée, just blend it up in a food processor, so easy! If you want to put some in the freezer, just make sure there’s no air in the containers or bags.
Edited November 2, 2020: I had a volunteer pumpkin plant grow from the compost under my avocado tree, and ended up with 7 of these little pumpkins this year. I feel guilty saying I grew them as I hardly did anything! Give pumpkin growing a try if you have space for a pumpkin plant!
Can I freeze pumpkin after it’s cooked/baked?
Absolutely yes! You can freeze it at the end of the baking process outlined below, or puree it and then freeze it, too. Keep it in freezer bags or airtight containers.
🍽 🍽 🍽
Need a light and festive Thanksgiving dessert? Try this lovely cranberry cake with orange glaze!
Let me show you how simple it is to bake a pumpkin which I bought at Trader Joe’s. Just make sure the one you buy is labeled as edible and preferably organic. They’re often referred to as sugar pumpkins.
Other Recipes that use Pumpkin
Here are some ideas for using your pumpkin (in addition to the pumpkin muffin recipe above).
Potato Pumpkin Gnocchi with Butter Sage Sauce
Mini Pumpkin and Orange Doughnuts
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Mousse covered in Chocolate Ganache
And if you love pumpkin seeds as much as I do, here’s how to roast the seeds, from my pal, Camilla, from Fab Food 4 All.
No more wasted decorative pumpkins. We can have our pretty pumpkins and eat them, too!
Don’t miss another recipe or travel post; sign up for my free subscription below!
How to Prepare a Pumpkin (How to Cook, Bake or Roast a Pumpkin)
Simple directions on how to cook a pumpkin.
Ingredients
- an edible pumpkin
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
- Remove the stem if desired. Cut the pumpkin in half, from top to bottom (not side to side), then remove the seeds and stringy bits (keep the seeds to toast, if desired). I used an OXO scraper which makes the job much easier, but it's not necessary.
- Next, place both halves cut side down on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and place in preheated oven for about an hour or until soft. Press on the pumpkin to check. Remove from oven when ready.
- When cool, use the same OXO tool or some other scraper to scoop the flesh from the skin of the pumpkin. If you want puree, just put it in a food processor, so easy! Place in a bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to use in recipes, such as pie, muffins or cakes. Freezes well, too.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 91Total Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 5g
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
I microwave my smaller squashes or pumpkins whole. Pierce a few holes first. They cook quicker and cut and scrape out easier after cooking first.
I have one question. The instructions say to place the cut halves of the pumpkin”cut side down” on the baking pan, yet the photos below shows the cut sides up and with some charring, indicating that they were cooked cut side up. Which is the proper way to place them?
Hi Johnny, they were not cooked cut side up, in fact you can see the mark from them being cut side down on the foil. I turned them over to scoop out the flesh after roasting them. The directions are correct, cut side down. :)
Thanks for clarifying!
It browns even when placed cut side down.
Thanks, Tammy.
I used to use canned pumpkin to make pumpkin pie. No more! baking the pumpkin and pureeing it makes a wonderful pie!!
I agree, Jeanne! Homemade is always better! THank you! (could you leave a 5 star rating above the PRINT button in the recipe card?) THanks again!!
I loved this article! and I will totally be using it later, i am new to baking and pumpkins and all, so this was super helpful. I did just want to correct you on one thing though, all pumpkins are edible, some just aren’t meant for cooking or baking because they aren’t as sweet. ALSO, with regular pumpkins (or if you get a pumpkin with more seeds then it will) you can sprinkle some seasonings on it, either sweet or savory, and roast them in the oven, so its not all being put to waste.
Hi Kourtney, glad the post is helpful to you. Maybe “edible” is the wrong word. What I want to convey is that the larger decorative pumpkins are not grown to be eaten, but carved into jack-o-lanterns (here in the US) so I’m guessing they use lots of chemicals and maybe pesticides so they grow large and perfect, probably not the best to be eating. The smaller organic ones are much safer. I actually have a link to a pumpkin seed recipe on this post :) Thanks so much!
The size of the pumpkin has nothing to do with pesticides, chemicals etc., it has to do with the type of pumpkin; much like a cherry tomato vs a beefsteak or Roma. They are just different varieties. As Kourtney Allee shared all pumpkins are edible the smaller “pie pumpkins” are sweeter like a yellow or red bell pepper might be over a green bell pepper. I’ve learned that the larger “jack-o-lantern” type pumpkins require more sweetening but otherwise work the same and are incredibly cheaper than the smaller “pie pumpkins”. I especially like the larger ones to make dog treats.
Hi Shelley, I completely understand about the difference in variety of pumpkins between the “pie pumpkins” and “jack-o-lantern” pumpkins, but the small ones are specifically made for cooking and I buy organic. I have never seen organic large pumpkins and they are not grown specifically for cooking, but for carving.
When I was growing up in Maibe, my mom would cook a whole pumpkin in the oben that she had taken the seeds out of, and filled the inside w ground beef and chopped veggies, topped w mashed potatoes and baked for an hour. So good.
That’s so cool! Great idea, Anita. Do you still make that?
I’m glad you said that. I got a free decorative pumpkin to process, but don’t want to poison my family, so what a relief that is.
[…] pumpkins, including pumpkin soups, pastas, cheesecake, scones, pies, pancakes and so much more. On Christina Cucina’s website, you can learn how to cook a whole pumpkin whether you want to cook, roast, or bake it. If you are […]
Once, I tried a pumpkin cake, but that was a simple one, the recipe you shared in the article is new to me. I will try this for my son on his birthday as he loves chocolate and pumpkin both. Thanks for sharing 😊
Such a good guide to cooking pumpkin. I used the roasting/baking method and it worked so well. It’s really simple to do and is now my go-to method.
Great to hear! Thanks, Janice!
I just did this. Omg. So easy. Why was I so scared
Ha ha! I don’t know, Danielle, but it is a bit intimidating to do something you’ve never done before, right? Now you know! Happy Thanksgiving and hope you find more of my recipes to try! CC
Brilliant post Christina. It does annoy me a bit that we waste so many pumpkins. I adore pumpkins and squash, but it’s actually quite hard to find good ones here in the UK. Butternut squash reigns supreme.
Yes, I think the pumpkin craze has originated in the US. Hopefully the smaller edible ones will make more of an appearance for you soon!
[…] How to Cook, Bake or Roast a Pumpkin in 3 Easy Steps […]
[…] How to prepare Pumpkin in 3 Easy Steps – Christina’s Cucina […]
[…] How to prepare a pumpkin – Christina’s Cucina […]
Can the pumpkin be cooked by boling as you would with boiling potatoes? Also, have you tried cooking kershaw pumpkins, also called cushaw squash? They are the large crookneck green and white striped ones. Any hints on those?
I wouldn’t boil the pumpkin as it will just make it even more wet and probably difficult to use for many recipes (unless you eat it boiled, and that’s it). No, I’ve never even heard of those pumpkins! Where are you? Is it a local type?
In the past I boiled my pumpkin. The result was watery pumpkin that I couldn’t use in the recipes I wanted to. Mainly pumpkin pie.
Oh no, it would make it way too watery to use. Hope you give this a try, it’s much better :)
Thank you Christina for your very helpful instructions. We grow our own pumpkins and put them around the house, but I treat them like my plants and take them in when cold weather arrives so they are in perfect condition. I have been wanting to cook them and not throw them in mulch pile. So I thank you so much for your easy solution. . Now I need recipes to store and cook with the pumpkin pulp and spices to make it eatible.
Good for you, Rose! Sorry I missed this comment until now, though!
Thank you for reposting 2018 for Canadian Thanksgiving. I have roasted pumpkins before, but I was never sure what oven temp I should be using.
Not sure what you mean by an OXO scraper, but I use an ice cream scoop, (and OXO makes a good one) and it works well.
You’re welcome, Christel and Happy Thanksgiving to you! The Oxo scraper is the orange tool I’m using in the photo. I don’t think they make it anymore, though, which is why I added the tool set in the Amazon links.
[…] You can also use this recipe to make two round cakes, but make sure to adjust the baking time as it will be longer than 30 minutes. Here’s my post on how to prepare and cook pumpkin. […]
I’ve actually never even thought of roasting a pumpkin before, which is funny since I roast spaghetti squash and butternut all the time! I’ll have to try it next time!
That’s funny, isn’t it?
Happy Thanksgiving Christina,
Have a wonderful time with your family!
Most of my family will be working, in fact both my son and daughter in law will be working until 8:30 for teacher parent interviews.
My husband and I will be babysitting the twins who are 4 and a half. We usually have 2 Thanksgivings. Our Canadian one in October and then the American one. I’m making your chicken fingers for the boys and pasta with our sugo that we made in the summer.
We will also try to watch one of the many football games. My boys cheer for San Francisco 49ers, even though they are not doing very well.
I will definitely make this! We always roast the seeds.
Enjoy your day! Thanks as always for your lovely pictures and straight forward directions!
Luisa from Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.
Oh that’s nice that you celebrate ours, too, Luisa! Sounds like a busy time for everyone, but I’m sure lots of time will be made for the food! :) Thank you to you, and have a happy 2nd thanksgiving! CC
Christina thank you for your lovely posts – Great idea particularly as in Nz I haven’t been able to find canned pumpkin , which features in so many American based recipes. I have been trying to find a scraper like the one you mentioned , is it possible to get more details ?
Hi Myrto, I just added an affiliate link, this one: http://amzn.to/2mYAct5 to the post, maybe you can find one in NZ, too! Good luck! CC
Thanks for the reminder! I used to take the jack-o-lantern the day after Halloween, slice it in half and make a wonderful pumpkin chutney. Sad that so many pumpkins are destined for the landfill.
Oooh, pumpkin chutney sounds good! I agree, Patricia, it is really sad when food goes uneaten. :(
In New Zealand we bake wedges of pumpkin alongside the potatoes when we roast a chicken or leg of lamb. They are placed around the meat an hour before the meat should be cooked. The pumpkin can be peeled or skin left on.
Other ways of using pumpjins are:
Slice a lid off the top of the pumpkin. Scope out the seeds and fibre. Put in a slice of butter and a few crushed cloves of garlic . Season with salt and pepper. Replace lid and bake in moderate oven for an hour or more depending on size of pumpkin. It is cooked when a skewer goes in and pumpkin is soft. Serve in slices.
Slice a lid off the top of the pumpkin. Scope out the seeds and fibre. Fill with chopped apple mixed with raisins or cranberries. Sweeten with a little sugar to taste if desired. Add a few pinches of cinnamon or autumn spices if you wish. Place in pumpkin and replace lid. Cook as above.
Peel pumpkin. Cut into wedges. Place in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in a moderate oven for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of your wedges.
Lots of delicious ideas, Claire! Thanks for sharing!
I am in the states. I really like the filled pumpkin with apples, raisins, cranberries. etc. I like nuts..so pecans, walnuts, almonds or what. ever anyone would like., added be just what I like. Thank you Claire for sharing. I love to find recipes from other countries to try, Specially at Christmas. Thank you again and may you have a Great and safe holiday….
Wow that was super easy and then its ready to be transformed into soup, bread, cookies, you name it!
I had no idea, myself, Andi! Sooo easy!
What a pretty and informative post Christina. I’ll remember to toast the seeds next time – been a bit lazy, ahem.
It was a couple of years ago I was decorating the house with these wee ones called “Jack-be-Little” until a French lady told me I could stick it in the microwave. Ohlala. I thought it was just for decoration too – and they are delicious! I’m going crazy for pumpkin just now!
Oh, I didn’t know about those little ones either. Are they the ones in my pictures? I thought those are just decorative, but maybe I’m wrong again!
This is exactly what I’m going to do with all those sugar pumpkins I decorated my mantle with :)
Yay! I see lots of pumpkin dishes in your future, Sharon!
I didn’t know there was non-edible pumpkins. Where do you find those?
I love how you cook them.
They’re technically edible, Cathy, but the decorative ones are grown for decorative purposes. The ones in the grocery section with the sticker on them (usually) are for cooking. Kind of like sweet corn and field corn. :)
You don’t have to buy the cooking pumpkins. We always eat our jack-o-lantern pumpkin. (We usually scrape the flesh out of the inside before carving.). It is a workout for the wrists, but it tastes perfectly fine in any pumpkin dish!
What I mean by saying to buy cooking pumpkins is that if jack-o-lantern pumpkins are grown for that reason, I can only imagine the pesticides and chemicals that are used to make them bigger, etc. You won’t taste the difference.
Is it OK to boil your pumpkins for your Punkin pies or for any kind of does your empanadas for the Punkin I mean with the pumpkins because that’s how they showed me how to make the pumpkins to ball out to roast them is it OK
I’m so sorry, Helen. I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking? Could you rephrase it, please?
Very informative and helpful!
Thanks, Mary!
Great information Christina! Love your beautiful centerpiece too. Would love to make some pumpkin muffins with fresh pumpkin. Have a beautiful day. xo
Thank you, Allie!
Great tutorial, Christina!
Thank you, David! :)