Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree is so easy to make! Making homemade pumpkin puree in the instant pot is a foolproof way to make fresh pumpkin puree that can be used for all of your favorite pumpkin recipes.
Fresh homemade pumpkin puree has a fresh pumpkin flavor without that weird canned pumpkin flavor.
This fall Instant Pot recipe is going to become your favorite way to cook fresh pumpkin.
How Long To Cook Pumpkin in the Instant Pot?
That depends on the size of your pumpkin. A 3 to 4 lb sweet pie pumpkin will cook in 15 minutes in the Instant Pot or a pressure cooker.
Don't have an Instant Pot yet? You can make homemade pumpkin puree in a crock pot also.
How many cups of pumpkin puree does a sugar or pie pumpkin make?
A 3 to 4 lb pie pumpkin will yield about one cup of pumpkin puree per pound of pumpkin.
A 3 lb pumpkin will make about 2 ½ to 3 cups of cooked homemade pumpkin puree.
It depends on the variety of pie pumpkin you start with. Some pumpkin varieties have more water content than other pumpkin varieties.
A watery variety of pumpkin will yield less cooked pumpkin meat because the water will evaporate as it cooks leaving less pumpkin meat after the cooking process.
What pumpkin recipes can you make with Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree?
You can make any pumpkin recipe that calls for pumpkin or squash puree using this recipe.
You can make Pumpkin Spice Rumchatta Lattes, Pumpkin Black Bean Chili, Pumpkin Smoothies, Pumpkin Spice Pancakes.
Homemade Pumpkin Puree verses canned Pumpkin Puree
Homemade Pumpkin Puree is so much better than canned pumpkin puree.
As with most recipes homemade is always better because you are using fresh pumpkins with no additives to make this Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree recipe.
Ever noticed that weird metallic smell when you open a can of pumpkin puree?
When you make homemade pumpkin puree you never have to worry about the metallic odor or metallic flavor of canned pumpkin puree showing up and ruining your favorite pumpkin recipes.
Can you cook a large Halloween pumpkin?
You can cook any variety of fresh pumpkin you buy or grow but those huge oversized pumpkins you buy to carve for Halloween are a variety of pumpkin that is grown for the large size it will produce.
Halloween carving pumpkins are not grown for the flavor of the pumpkin meat it will produce. Skip cooking a Halloween carving pumpkin and grow or buy a pie pumpkin variety that is grown for the excellent flavor of the pumpkin flesh and is better suited for pumpkin eating.
The flavor of a jack o lantern pumpkin will be bland and not have as much pumpkin flavor as a small pie pumpkin or sweet pumpkin as they are sometimes called.
What you can eat from a large carving pumpkin are the seeds. You can read my easy How To Clean and Roast Pumpkin Seeds post and find out my secret way to getting all those pumpkin strings off the pumpkin seeds so you can make salted roasted pumpkins seeds.
Step by Step photos and instructions on how to make Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree
Making Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree is very easy and you only have a couple of steps to do before you can enjoy your freshly made homemade pumpkin puree.
You'll need a clean sweet or pie pumpkin which you can buy at most grocery stores this time of the year.
Step 1: Cut around the stem with a knife and open the top of the pumpkin. Scoop out the pumpkin strings and seeds. Or you can skip this part and clean out the inside of the pumpkin after it has been cooked.
Step 2: Place the metal rack into the pressure cooker and put the pumpkin into the pressure cooker. Pour the water in.
Step 3: Twist the lid on and adjust the valve to the sealing position. Press the manual button and set the timer for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Once the timer goes off allow the steam to naturally release for 10 minutes. Flip the valve to release any pressure and carefully open the lid away from your face. Check for doneness with a fork. The fork should easily slid into the pumpkin.
Step 5: Remove the pumpkin from the Instant Pot to a cutting board or bowl to cool enough so you can handle it.
Step 6: Once the pumpkin has cooled remove the pumpkin peel. Or scoop the pumpkin meat from the pumpkin peel and place the cooked pumpkin in a bowl.
How To Get a Perfect Homemade Pumpkin Puree Consistency
Once you have cooked your pumpkin you will need to think about what types of recipes you will make with the homemade pumpkin puree. Some pumpkin recipes will need a thicker pumpkin puree than others.
The pumpkin recipes you are planning will determine how you will process the cooked pumpkin meat.
Homemade pumpkin pie will require a thicker constancy than a pumpkin soup recipe or a pumpkin smoothie recipe.
Recipe Expert Tips
- How to make pumpkin pie consistency pumpkin puree: Place the peeled and cooked Instant Pot pumpkin in a fine mesh strainer and allow to drain for about an hour. Mash the pumpkin flesh with a fork or process in a food processor or blender. Store the homemade pumpkin puree in the refrigerator in a covered container until ready to use.
- Pumpkin Soup or Smoothie Consistency: Peel the cooked and cooled Instant Pot pumpkin. Place the undrained cooked pumpkin into a blender and cover.
- Begin by pulsing the blender a few times. Slowly begin adding a tiny bit of water to the blender. Start with 1 tablespoon of water increasing the water up to 1 ½ tablespoons if needed until the pumpkin puree begins to blend smoothly.
- Continue to pulse the blender until the pumpkin pulp begins to spin and becomes smooth and creamy. Process the cooked homemade pumpkin pulp or flesh for about 40 seconds or until smooth. Store the thinned pumpkin puree in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Print the Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree directions below
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Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lb sugar or pie pumpkin
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Carefully cut the stem out of the top of the pumpkin using a paring knife. (You can skip this step and cook the whole pumpkin in the Instant Pot without removing the seeds if you want as long as the pie pumpkin fits in the Instant Pot)
- Using a metal spoon scrape and scoop the pumpkin strings and seeds out and discard. Or make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.
- Place the rack in the bottom of the Instant Pot metal insert and add one cup of water to the bottom.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and make sure the valve is turned to the sealing position.
- Press the manual button and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Once the timer has gone off notifying you that the pressure cooking time has completed allow the steam to naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Carefully move the valve to the venting position. Allow any steam to escape before unlocking the Instant Pot lid and opening it away from your face so any steam escapes away from you.
- Lift the rack up by its handles using pot holders and place the cooked pumpkin on a cutting board to cool.
- Once cool enough to handle cut the pumpkin in half. If you cooked the pumpkin with the seeds and strings inside use a spoon to scrape the inside of the pumpkin clean. Discard the pumpkin insides or clean and roast the pumpkin seeds.
- Remove the skin or pumpkin rind from the flesh of the pumpkin meat. You can store the cooked pumpkin flesh as is to use in pumpkin recipes that require firm pumpkin.
- To make pumpkin puree place the cooked pumpkin meat into a strong blender and pulse until smooth, adding a small amount of water if needed. (See notes below on homemade pumpkin puree consistencies.)
Notes
- How to make pumpkin pie consistency pumpkin puree: Place the peeled and cooked Instant Pot pumpkin in a fine mesh strainer and allow to drain for about an hour. Mash the pumpkin flesh with a fork or process in a food processor or blender. Store the homemade pumpkin puree in the refrigerator in a covered container until ready to use.
- Pumpkin Soup or Smoothie Consistency: Peel the cooked and cooled Instant Pot pumpkin. Place the undrained cooked pumpkin into a blender and cover.
Begin by pulsing the blender a few times. Slowly begin adding a tiny bit of water to the blender. Start with 1 tablespoon of water increasing the water up to 1 ½ tablespoons if needed until the pumpkin puree begins to blend smoothly.
Continue to pulse the blender until the pumpkin pulp begins to spin and becomes smooth and creamy. Process the cooked homemade pumpkin pulp or flesh for about 40 seconds or until smooth. Store the thinned pumpkin puree in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Nutrition
For more easy Instant Pot recipes check out the Flour On My Face Instant Pot recipe page!
Shirley Wood
Homemade is always better and you make it seem so easy. My daughter has an Instant Pot, I will pass this along to her. Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday. Hope to see you next week. We love your easy recipes.