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Learn all the tips and tricks for freezing pumpkin to extend the harvest. Learning how to freeze pumpkin in cubes or puree is a great way to preserve this wonderful ingredient.
If you snag a great deal on fresh pie pumpkins (often labeled as “sugar pumpkins” or “small sugar pie”), it is so simple to prep and freeze them for fantastic sweet and savory recipes.
As long as you can cut a pumpkin and have a freezer, it is a cinch. Let’s do this!
I do have a recipe and tutorial for canning pumpkin if you have a pressure canner and a bit more time to preserve your pumpkin.
HOW To USE Frozen PUMPKIN
I use frozen pumpkin in pumpkin butter, muffins, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin spice cookies. In a pinch, you could use it in place of butternut squash in spicy butternut squash soup.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Freeze the pumpkin in portions you plan to use upon defrosting. Quart freezer bags or quart canning jars will replace a 15 oz can of puree from the store.
- If freezing in canning jars, only use wide-mouth jars and leave 1 inch of space between the top of the puree and the top of the jar. This allows for expansion inside the jar as the pumpkin freezes, and reduces the risk that the jars will crack.
- You can defrost frozen jars of puree in a bowl of lukewarm water, at room temperature for a few hours, or overnight in the fridge. Do NOT submerge a frozen jar in hot or boiling water.
- Freeze in ice cube trays or small Souper Cubes and then remove once frozen and place in freezer bags. These are our favorite reusable bags.
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Freezing Pumpkin {How to Freeze Pumpkin}
Ingredients
- 1 pie pumpkin
- ice {optional}
Instructions
Freezing Pumpkin Cubes
- Fill a medium bowl 2/3 full with water and ice.ice
- Wash the outside of the pumpkin. Cut your pumpkin in half, slightly on one side of the stem.1 pie pumpkin
- Remove the innards using a spoon. Set the seeds aside. It's ok to not get all the strings out of it; we'll deal with it later.
- Lay one half of the pumpkin, cavity side down, and slice it like you're slicing a melon. Repeat with the other half.
- Place the slices onto a plate and microwave for 1 minute. This will soften the pumpkin to make the next step easier.
- Take one of the slices, and cut the rind off of the chunk. Trim any strings. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Repeat with the rest of the pumpkin. Set pumpkin cubes aside in a bowl of water.
- Boil a pot of water and add the pumpkin cubes in batches for 2 minutes.
- Once the time is up, strain the cubes through a colander or scoop pieces out of the water with a slotted spoon and immediately add to the ice water for two minutes.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.
- Strain the cooled cubes and add them to the baking sheet without crowding the tray and place the tray in the freezer.
- Freeze for three hours.
- Break apart any clumps that have formed on the baking sheet and transfer to freezer-proof storage.
Freezing Pumpkin Puree
- Wash the outside of the pumpkin and cut the pumpkin into quarters.
- Remove the innards using a spoon. Set the seeds aside.
- Place quarters cavity-side up in a pan with an inch of water.
- Bake at 300˚F for 1 hour, or until the pumpkin can easily be pierced with a knife.
- Remove the flesh and either mash with a fork or potato masher, or process in a food processor with a bit of water.
- Allow puree to cool and place in ice cube trays, freezer bags, or wide-mouth canning jars with 1-inch of space between the top of the puree and the top of the jar.
- Freeze for 4-5 hours.
Notes
- Cubes and puree will keep in the freezer for 6-12 months.
- You can defrost frozen jars of puree in a bowl of lukewarm water, at room temperature for a few hours, or overnight in the fridge. Do NOT submerge a frozen jar in hot or boiling water.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you at one time have a recipe for making the pumpkin puree in the instant pot? Or at least cooking the pumpkin parts in the IP? Am I dreaming again??
Nope, but my friend Katie does over at Hey Nutrition Lady! Easy to confuse us; we’re both pretty snarky. 🙂
Here is here recipe: https://www.heynutritionlady.com/instant-pot-pumpkin/
Can the cube method work with just cold water instead of ice water?
Technically yes. The ice water is meant to halt the cooking process almost immediately. Cold water will work but will take a bit longer for the pumpkin to fully cool. You run the risk of the cubes being a bit softer, but the safety of it is the same.
What do we do with the seeds? Thanks!
It’s up to you! Roast them, plant them, toss them, etc.
The recipe is great-really like different options. It says you’ll get to the string/seeds later but I don’t see it…did I miss it?
Thank you 😊
Step 5 in the recipe card: Take one of the slices, and cut the rind off of the chunk. Trim any strings. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Repeat with the rest of the pumpkin.
You’re basically cutting them off with a knife.