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Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree

Name: Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3 cups
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 to 4 lb sugar or pie pumpkin; 1 cup water

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 1/2 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 puree with Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree.

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.

You will cut the stem off and scoop out the pumpkin strings and seeds. Or you can skip this part and clean out the inside of the pumpkin after it has cooked in the Instant Pot.

I decided to clean my pie pumpkin out before cooking it.

Put the cleaned out pie pumpkin into the Instant Pot pressure cooker and add the water.

Put the lid on the Instant Pot and adjust the valve to the correct position. Cook the Instant Pot pumpkin and check for doneness with a fork.

Remove the pumpkin from the Instant Pot to a cutting board or bowl to cool enough so you can handle it.

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 pie 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.

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 meat 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 1/2 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