Fall means all things pumpkins. Pumpkin pies. Pumpkin breads. Pumpkin cheesecake. Pumpkin Lattes. The list could go on and on. And almost all of those recipes will call for canned pumpkin (or pumpkin puree) in their list of ingredients. But canned pumpkin is well…canned.
Canned foods, while not near as low on the list of bad for you foods as processed foods and frankinfoods, they can be cause for alarm. The main problem with them is the can itself. It’s made of aluminum which has been suspect in things from cancer to alzheimer’s. This is especially true of acidic foods that can eat into the can causing the aluminum to leech into the food.
Most cans are lined inside to stop some of this, but the lining can often contain BPA which is a whole other topic for another day. Many canned foods are high in sodium also. And then there are sulfites. Yes, those aren’t just in processed meats. They can even be found in canned foods.
I think you get the idea. And I’m not trying to tell you to chunk all your canned goods. You will find a few in my pantry, but we do try to use other options instead. Of course fresh foods are great, but let’s be honest. Not everyone has access to good quality fresh produce and they aren’t available year round. Frozen food are a great option though. Usually picked when ripe and frozen quickly these make a great alternative to canned goods.
Home preserving is another option. Home preserved foods don’t have all the additives and problems listed above so they make a great option, especially if you have your own garden or a local farmer’s market. And while most people think of water baths and pressure canners when they think of home preserving, let’s not forget about freezer canning. This method is so simple and the method of choice for pumpkins.
It’s so much fun to pick out some small pie pumpkins (or let the kiddos pick some), cook them and store them for all your fall pumpkin recipes. And while the whole process wasn’t hard to begin with, enter the Instant Pot and homemade pumpkin puree has never been easier.
The best thing about using your Instant Pot is the silky smoothness of the finished pumpkin puree. Pumpkins can tend to be stringy leaving the ending result not very smooth unless you blend it. Who has time for that? Not me. I’ve got pumpkin bread and other treats to make! The Instant Pot eliminates this and leaves the pumpkin super easy to mix up with only a fork or spoon. It also makes the skin peel right off, so no scooping out the flesh. It literally falls right out!
Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree
Break off stem and slice pumpkin in half.
Scoop out the seeds and connective tissue from center. Don’t throw away those seeds! Dry them, roast them and add them to recipes, smoothies, or eat as a snack. Another perk of making your own pumpkin puree.
Place in Instant Pot with water and cook.
In just a few minutes, the pumpkin will be cooked, the skin will fall off and the remaining pumpkin will be soft and smooth.
Look at that smooth, yummy pumpkin puree. And believe me, it tastes as good as it looks.
Here’s the complete recipe.
- Remove stems and slice pumpkins in half.
- Scoop out the seeds and set aside to dry or roast.
- Place the trivet inside Instant Pot and add 1 cup water.
- Place all four halves of pumpkins inside Instant Pot.
- Close lid, press manual and adjust time to 15 minutes (high pressure).
- Allow a 5 minute natural pressure release, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Turn Instant Pot off and remove lid to allow pumpkins to cool.
- Remove pumpkins from pot and peel skin off flesh.
- Use a fork to mash the pumpkin then place in container to freeze.
There you have it. Super quick and easy Instant Pot pumpkin puree.
Now that you have your pumpkin puree go make all those healthy, scrumptious pumpkin treats but come back and let us know what your favorite recipes are. Share the pumpkin love!
Don’t have an Instant Pot yet? Check out this post on why you might REALLY need one.
Also try your hand at making sour cream in your Instant Pot.
I love our instant post but have not utilized it that much in the 8 months we have had it but after seeing this post I am so ready for pumpkin season! My kids love pumpkin pies and bread and in the past I have always made my puree in the over but this is really going to speed up my process. Thanks for sharing.
It took me a while to really start getting all I could out of my IP, but now I have two and use them both constantly! Just start slow, use the slow cooker setting, and soon you’ll be using it all the time. 🙂