Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree

Make homemade Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree from a sugar pumpkin in less than an hour with this easy pressure cooker recipe. Perfect for pies, bread, cookies, soup or in any recipe that calls for cooked pumpkin.

If you can't find canned pumpkin in the store, it's super quick and easy to make your own homemade pumpkin puree in your Instant Pot! No peeling necessary -- just cook the pumpkin whole, and it's done in about 15 minutes!

Fall is all about pumpkin recipes at my house! So when I couldn't find canned pumpkin in the store, I was just a little bit worried.

Until I remembered that I could pressure cook a whole pumpkin. You guys, this is definitely one of my favorite Instant Pot recipes right about now! Homemade cooked pumpkin tastes amazing!

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree in the Instant Pot

My grandma always made homemade pumpkin pie filling from my Halloween jack o' lantern by baking it in the oven. But, smaller sugar pumpkins are what you need here.

Sometimes, they're called pie pumpkins. I try to get ones that are in the 2 to 3 pound range.

First, rinse your pumpkin. Then, cut off the stem and a small area around the top of the pumpkin. You can cut it like you would for a jack o'lantern or slice it straight across.

Don't scoop out the seeds. It's way easier to do this after pressure cooking! Then, add water to the Instant Pot, and place the trivet inside.

Place the pumpkin cut side up on the trivet. Then, pressure cook it for 15 minutes, and do a quick release.

It's a blooming pumpkin! Don't you just love how the skin just comes right off?! Don't be alarmed by the white spots -- just sugars coming through. By the way, not all pumpkins will peel themselves.

Now, just let it cool down a bit. Cut it open, remove the seeds and any tough pulp, and place the cooked pumpkin in a large bowl. By the way -- don't toss out the seeds -- make roasted pumpkin seeds next!

You can use an immersion blender to puree the pumpkin. Or, you can do this in a blender or food processor -- whatever is easier! I like to leave some liquid in the pumpkin while I puree it since it's easier to blend.

However, if your pumpkin has a lot of extra liquid, strain it before blending. You can use cheesecloth, a mesh strainer or just squeeze it out using your hands.

And, here's the finished cooked pumpkin puree in all of its smooth, golden, shining glory! You can use this to make Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup, Savory Pumpkin Soup on the stove, Best Easy Pumpkin Muffins, Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake or in any recipe that calls for pumpkin puree.

How to Store It

Small pumpkins usually yield about 1 ½ to 2 cups of puree -- maybe a little more. If you're using it right away, you can keep it in the fridge for a couple of days.

For longer storage, place 1 cup at a time in freezer bags, flatten the puree out, and freeze until ready to use. You can also freeze smaller portions in ice cube trays or silicone baking cups.

Tips

• Try to use a pumpkin around 2 to 3 pounds for best results
• If pumpkin isn't fork tender after cooking, cook for an additional 5 minutes or until tender.
• Save the seeds for roasting