Instant Pot Pumpkin (Whole or Cut Pumpkin)

Two glass jars of pumpkin purée in front of an Instant Pot on a grey surface

Instant Pot Pumpkin (Whole or Cut Pumpkin)

This Instant Pot pumpkin method makes it easy to cook a whole pumpkin or cut pumpkin pieces with almost no prep. The pressure cooker softens the pumpkin in minutes, making it perfect for making smooth, homemade pumpkin purée for fall baking, soups, and more. It’s a simple, hands-off technique you’ll use all autumn long.

Course Preserves

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Instant Pot Pumpkin, Pumpkin Purée

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1 8

Pressuring / Venting 15

Total Time 1 28

Servings batch

Calories 354kcal

Author Katie Trant

Ingredients

1 medium pumpkin
1.5 cups water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot Pumpkin

Start by placing the trivet into your Instant Pot insert.
Pour 1.5 cups of water into the Instant Pot, and then place your whole pumpkin or pumpkin pieces onto the trivet.
1.5 cups water, 1 medium pumpkin
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the vent is set to "sealing."
For a whole pumpkin set on Manual / High Pressure for 20 minutes. For pumpkin halves or quarters, set on Manual / High Pressure for 8 minutes.
When the cooking cycle is done, flip the vent to "venting" and quick-release the pressure.

Puréeing Pumpkin

Once your pumpkin has cooled sufficiently so that you can handle it, peel the skin off of the flesh. The skin should come off quite easily.
Transfer the roasted pumpkin flesh into a food processor and puree until smooth. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pumpkin.

Notes

Note! The amount of pumpkin purée you get will depend on how big your pumpkin is to begin with. I cooked a medium-sized pumpkin here and got 5 cups purée in the end.

Note! In order for your roasted pumpkin purée to have the same consistency as canned pumpkin would, you need to let it drain for a few hours.

Line a colander with cheesecloth, set it over a large bowl, and let it drain for 2-3 hours.

Storing pumpkin purée

Fresh pumpkin purée will last about 5-7 days in the fridge. If you're not planning to use it immediately, I recommend you freeze it.

Once drained, portion your pumpkin purée into 1 or 2-cup servings and stash in the freezer for baking, smoothies, soups, or anything else you'd normally used canned pumpkin for.

Nutrition