How to Cook a Pumpkin in the Slow Cooker
Ever wonder about the best way to cook a pumpkin? Toss it in the slow cooker! This post will explain all the details of cooking your pumpkin perfectly.
Servings: 3 (1 pumpkin makes about 1 1/2 cups)
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 sugar pumpkins 3 to 5 pounds each
Instructions
- Wash the outside of the pumpkin with warm water taking care to scrub off any dirt if necessary. Remove the stem and cut the pumpkin in half. Remove the seeds (you can save them to roast) and the stringy parts of the inside of the pumpkin with a spoon or an ice cream scoop.
- Place the pumpkin halves skin side up in your slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until a fork pierces through the skin of the pumpkin easily. Allow the pumpkin to cool enough to handle and then scrape the flesh from the shell with a spoon.
- Use the fresh pumpkin as you would canned pumpkin. Mash the insides with a fork to remove lumps or you may choose to puree it in a food processor or blender before using to get a very smooth texture.
- Store pumpkin flesh in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Video
Notes
- If the pumpkin isn't fitting well in your slow cooker, feel free to cut it into a few more pieces.
- Use sugar pumpkins (pie pumpkins) for the best texture and flavor.
- That being said, you can still cook the pumpkins you normally buy to carve!
- Puree the pumpkin if you prefer a smoother texture for baking.
- Save the seeds to roast as a tasty snack.
- You can use fresh pumpkin puree in any recipe calling for pumpkin, though the color will be a little different than using canned pumpkin.
- Homemade pumpkin puree freezes like a dream. Freezing it in one cup proportions is the best option for long-term storage.
- Most you-pick pumpkin patches will have a section of edible pumpkins/squash so be sure to ask if you go.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/3 of one sugar pumpkin | Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 1541mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 38592IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 4mg
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
