Pumpkin works wonderfully in a range of savoury and sweet dishes – so it's handy to have around, whether you're planning on making a satisfying soup or a batch of healthy muffins. Wondering what to do with a glut of gourds from the garden, or looking to put a tin of pumpkin chunks or purée to good use? Our recipe roundup has all the inspiration you could possibly need. If you can't get fresh pumpkin, try swapping it for a different type of squash; the results will be just as delicious.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover our favourite pumpkin recipes – counting down to the most mouthwatering of all.
You can buy canned pumpkin purée, but being able to make your own is a useful skill – especially if you already have a fresh pumpkin you want to use up. Fortunately, it’s easy to do. Simply peel, seed and cube your pumpkin, pop it into a steamer or colander over a pan of boiling water for 10-15 minutes, then mash it up. Alternatively, cut your pumpkin in half, seed it, cook it in the microwave for 20 minutes, scoop out the flesh, then mash.
Pumpkin fries might not be as crispy as their potato counterparts, but they're incredibly tasty – and very easy to make. Just peel the skin from a pumpkin, cut the flesh into batons, then bake the batons in a hot oven, seasoned and drizzled with a little oil. If you like to do things the old-school way, you could deep fry your pumpkin batons, too. Just add your favourite dip or condiment to serve.
You can purée fresh pumpkin or use a can of ready-made pumpkin purée to make this easy recipe. With just a few spices, some apple juice and a touch of vanilla bean paste, the purée will become a spreadable delight that works equally as well on pancakes as it does on toast. You can even try baking it into cakes or pies, if you like.
It might sound a little strange, but the sweetness of pumpkin works wonderfully well in a smoothie. Try it for yourself by blending either shop-bought or homemade pumpkin purée with banana, Greek yogurt, maple syrup and milk. You can try experimenting with different ingredients too, from pumpkin spice mix to chocolate.
These light and delicious muffins are a great way of turning the leftover seeds from your pumpkin into a delicious gluten-free snack. They’re vegan too, making use of almond milk and apple or banana purée (in place of dairy and eggs) to create a tasty treat everyone can enjoy.
Get the recipe for apricot, chia and pumpkin seed muffins here
This sweet loaf cake marries sweet pumpkin with plump raisins – and the results are delectable. By including ground almonds, the recipe ensures a slightly dense, moist texture that really brings out the flavours of the pumpkin and spices, as well as the caramel notes of the muscovado sugar. It’s the perfect cake to have with a cup of tea (if you can wait for the kettle to boil, that is).
This soul-nourishing salad is robust enough to provide a satisfying lunch, while still being packed with a slew of healthy ingredients. Crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds add texture to a base of seasonal vegetables and sharp cheese – and the whole thing is elevated by a hint of chilli heat.
Get the recipe for Cheddar, kale, red onion, pumpkin and quinoa salad here
This hearty broth is just the ticket for those who like their soups chunky. It's made with pumpkin, courgette and butter beans – ingredients that soak up the broth's garlicky flavour in the most delicious way. With a hunk of crusty bread on the side, there’s no need to sideline this soup as a starter or light lunch; it'd make a perfectly filling dinner.
This recipe for squash and harissa dip works just as well with pumpkin. The harissa gives it a fiery kick, while a swirl of yogurt cools things down a notch. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds for a final flourish, then serve it up with crackers, vegetable batons or crisps for a crowd-pleasing starter or snack.
Roasted chestnuts lend a sweet and earthy flavour to this warming soup, which comes together in under an hour. If you can’t find Crown Prince pumpkins, you can try using other varieties, although they might not be as sweet. A final scattering of chopped chestnuts and roasted pumpkin seeds adds texture and ensures nothing goes to waste.
The brilliant green of this pumpkin curry comes from pandan, a fragrant plant used in many Asian dishes. It’s not just pretty to look at, though; the dish features the flavours of fenugreek, black mustard seeds, curry leaves, chilli and coconut, making it deliciously creamy and aromatic. Serve it with rice, and use a roti flatbread to mop up the sauce.
The flavour of spiced pumpkin works perfectly with the light texture of cupcakes. You'll only need a little pumpkin for this recipe – just grate up a small amount and add it to the cake batter (just as you'd add grated carrot to a carrot cake). When it’s time to decorate, why not go all-out and sprinkle your cakes with edible glitter?
A small pumpkin or butternut squash, roasted whole, is the start of something beautiful in this salad recipe. To make your own labneh yogurt, you’ll need to get started a couple of days in advance, leaving enough time to strain the whey out of a tub of natural yogurt for the desired thickness and texture. The pumpkin can be prepared in advance, too – and you can even mix the dressing an hour before serving.
This gnocchi recipe transforms roasted pumpkin (or butternut squash) into wonderfully tender dumplings. The vegan dish is given a cheesy taste, thanks to the addition of nutritional yeast – and the nuttiness of the almond and sage pesto balances out the richness of the sun-dried tomatoes perfectly.
Deliciously spicy, this pumpkin dish – cooked with cracked coriander and cumin seeds in a spicy dry masala – is tongue-tinglingly tasty. The warming flavours are layered but simple, with surprisingly few ingredients required for a big impact. If you have a well-stocked spice cupboard, all you’ll need to buy is a pumpkin.
This simple side dish also makes a great meat-free main – and happily, it requires barely any effort at all. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6, then chop up about 10oz (300g) pumpkin, a red onion, an aubergine and 1 1/2oz (40g) mixed nuts. Mix everything together in a roasting tray with a tin of butter beans (drained and rinsed), 12oz (350g) tomato and chilli sauce and 1 3/4oz (50ml) water. Bake for 25-30 minutes until tender, then sprinkle with chopped chives before serving.
To make healthy pumpkin pancakes that are naturally sweet, combine 7oz (200g) plain flour with 1/2 tsp baking powder. In a jug, mix 7fl oz (200ml) milk with 3 1/2oz (100g) cooked and mashed pumpkin, plus an egg yolk (keep the white). Make a well in the flour and gradually mix in the liquid, or whiz the dry and wet ingredients in a blender. Whisk the egg white until stiff, then carefully fold it into the batter. Heat a non-stick pan and cook each pancake for a couple of minutes on each side. Finish with your favourite toppings.
Creamy and rich, pumpkin cannelloni is the ultimate comfort food to dig into after a long day. Here, lasagne sheets are filled with ricotta, pumpkin, thyme and chilli to create a pasta dish that’s cheesy, herby and a little spicy, too. It can be assembled in just half an hour, but it'll take a while to cook in the oven – however, your patience will pay off handsomely!
These delicious little pumpkin and ricotta tarts would make sensational canapés. The recipe sees honey infused with fresh ginger, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and juniper, but you can vary the spices according to your personal taste. They're sure to go down a treat at a dinner party or family gathering.
Get the recipe for mini pumpkin and ricotta tarts with spiced honey recipe here
Think pumpkin is just for rich, heavy dishes? Think again. This warm mixed bean salad, featuring pumpkin, cherry tomatoes and spices, would make a lovely light meal – and you can make it in your slow cooker. Not only that, but you can adjust the spice level to your taste; a spoonful of sour cream or yogurt will help to cool things down.
This spiced soup is perfect for clearing out your vegetable drawer, making use of bits and pieces you have left over from other recipes. You can even include peel from onions and carrots to cut down on food waste – making this not only a thrifty dish, but also one that’s great for the environment, too. Sweet and salty pumpkin seeds add a glorious crunch.
For this tasty tart, you can use ready-made pizza dough or make your own. It doesn’t require much hands-on time, but you'll need to remember to leave time for proving if you decide to make your pizza dough from scratch. When it's ready, serve it with a salad for lunch, or transform it into a hearty dinner by adding vegetables and new potatoes on the side.
Get the recipe for pumpkin, ricotta and caramelised onion tart here
Pressed for time? You can cheat and use canned pumpkin and a shop-bought pie shell to make this easy take on a classic dessert. The filling – made with soft brown sugar, evaporated milk and classic seasonal spices – will be just as delicious, whether you use fresh pumpkin to make it or not. Serve your pie with cold cream or hot custard; the choice is yours!
Pumpkin is particularly good for jams and marmalades, as it absorbs sugar beautifully. In this recipe, the gourd comes together with oranges, lemons, fresh ginger and pumpkin to create an exceedingly tasty toast-topper. You can adjust the ingredients or add spices as you wish; like any marmalade, it's very versatile. It'd make a fantastic gift, too.
Affordable, nutritious and filling, this pumpkin risotto combines creamy rice with crunchy walnuts and gooey cheese. Pay attention to the rice as you cook – you want it to have a slight bite and a nutty texture, rather than being completely soft. Serve your risotto with a scattering of roasted walnuts, shredded chicory and gorgonzola for a scrumptious garnish.
As easy as it is flavourful, this Burmese curry works well with either pumpkin or squash. Turmeric, coriander, cumin, paprika and curry leaves all build flavour and spice, while shrimp paste and fish sauce give the dish a pleasant saltiness and notes of umami. Want to make it vegetarian? Simply switch out the seafood ingredients for miso.
This meaty chilli is made with chunks of diced beef that are cooked slowly in the oven – with meltingly tender results. The flavours of pumpkin, tomato, kidney beans and spices are amped up by the addition of dark chocolate, an authentic Mexican ingredient that also helps to make the chilli silky and rich. Serve your chilli with rice, or turn it into a hearty dip for tortilla chips by adding sour cream and cheese.
This spiced pumpkin cake is crowned with a citrussy icing and sweet-and-savoury pistachios. You have two options here: make your own pumpkin purée, or take a shortcut with a can (a trick that'll save you a good half an hour or more). Whichever you choose, the result will be a moist, warmly spiced treat that'll fill your home with delightful aromas as it bakes.
Get the recipe for spiced pumpkin, olive oil and orange cake here
Made with pumpkin purée and whole milk for a soft bake that’s full of flavour, these pumpkin-shaped rolls couldn’t be cuter. They’re shaped using string, which is tied around each roll before baking to form the distinctive ridges of a pumpkin. Give your rolls tiny stalks using walnut pieces to complete the look.
You can make soup with fresh pumpkin – but why would you, when you can make this extra-tasty version with pumpkin that's been roasted in the oven? Once the pumpkin is cooked, this dish will only take a few more minutes to come together. Follow our recipe for a soup that really packs a punch, with blue cheese toast croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.
Get the recipe for roast pumpkin soup with blue cheese here
Now discover the most incredible meals you can make with canned foods