Pumpkin Recipes for the Fall

by Delilah Harvey

While there is a lot of uncertainty and abnormality in the world right now, there is one phenomenon we can always count on: the pumpkin craze that ensues every Fall. 

Come Fall, pumpkin flavored goods take over coffee shops, bakeries...and every aisle of Trader Joes. Pumpkins are delicious, nutritious, and incredibly versatile, with typical uses in everything from breads, to lattes, soups, granolas, and more. While you can buy canned pumpkin purée, making your own from scratch is easy, fresh, and a lower waste option. With pumpkins and most winter squash, nearly the entire vegetable can be used and repurposed, making it a great low waste option. 

Homemade Pumpkin Purée

The big pumpkins used for pumpkin carving are not edible. Look instead for small pumpkins of the sugar pie, red Kuri, cheese, or blue Hokkaido varieties. 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375° F. 

Step 2: Cut the pumpkin in half. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut on either half of the pumpkin from the stem down (rather than cutting from above through the stem). Carefully pry the pumpkin apart when both sides have been cut.

Step 3: Scoop out the seeds and stringy “guts” of the pumpkin. Rinse the seeds and save them for a later recipe. 

Step 4: Set the pumpkin halves face down on a lightly oiled baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the preheated oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour based on the size of the pumpkin. Remove the pumpkin when it is easy enough to pierce through the skin with a fork. 

Step 5: Allow the pumpkin to cool. Scoop out the flesh and quickly blitz in your blender to reach your desired purée consistency. Throw the pumpkin skin away or compost it for a true zero waste approach. Pumpkin purée can last up to six months if stored in a freezer-safe container. 

Knowing how to store veggies to retain maximum freshness helps with repurposing them into other recipes. 

Vegan and GF Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp ground flax OR ground chia seeds + 5 tbsp filtered water

• 2 ¼ cup quick or rolled oats, blended into a fine flour 

• 2 tsp baking soda (not powder)*

• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon 

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 cup homemade or store bought pumpkin purée + more if you want a stronger pumpkin flavor

• 2/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar

• 1/4 cup almond or peanut butter 

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

*Quick Note: Using oat flour will yield a slightly denser texture than a loaf made with wheat flour.

Instructions: Preheat your oven to 350F. In a small bowl, combine the Ground Flax or Ground Chia seeds with 5 tbsp water to form an “egg.” Stir and set aside for 5-10 minutes. While the egg is forming, add the Oat Flour, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Baking Soda, and Salt to a Medium Bowl. Mix well and set aside. Next, mix the remaining ingredients together in a separate larger bowl, along with the thickened flax egg. Slowly incorporate the dry flour mixture into the wet mixture, stirring well and until all clumps have dissolved (the batter will be quite thick). Spread the batter into a parchment paper-lined or greased 8”x4” bread pan, smoothing the top off with a spatula. Bake at 350F for 60-65 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick or knife comes out cleanly or with minimal crumbs. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing and store any leftovers in a container at room temperature for up to one week.                                                                                                                                      

Recipe adapted from From My Bowl.

Vegan Pumpkin Chili 

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup chopped carrot

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 1-2 red bell pepper, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chili powder mix 

• 2 teaspoons cumin + more to taste

• 2 teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1 28 oz. can diced or chopped tomatoes + 1 15 oz. can tomatoes

• 2-3 15 oz. cans any beans (kidney, black, and pinto are great options), drained and rinsed

• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin purée OR ~1 ¾ cup homemade purée 

• Optional: Vegan ground meat crumbles

• Serve with: avocado, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, chili flakes, vegan sour cream

Instructions:

In a large pot, sauté the onions, garlic and carrot until softened. Add in the chopped celery and bell pepper and sauté a few minutes more until soft and cooked through. Add in the canned chopped tomatoes and then the spices--from the chili powder to the black pepper--and stir. Next, stir in the pumpkin purée and water to desired consistency (less additional liquid will make it thicker and more will make it runnier), bring to a boil, and then simmer for 10-20 minutes. Add the beans around the 10 minute mark. Towards the end of the cooking process, taste and add more salt and spices to your liking. Serve on its own or jazz it up with crushed tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, chili flakes, and vegan sour cream. It would also be FABULOUS with some vegan pumpkin cornbread on the side. 

Recipe adapted from The Conscientious Eater.

Vegan Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Roasting pumpkin seeds is a great way to use as much of the pumpkin as possible, while also being super tasty and nutritious. They are a perfect Fall snack and also a great source of protein and healthy fat. You can go so many different routes with seasoning to make them sweet or savory! 

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Tablespoons oil or vegan butter

• 2 Cups pumpkin seeds (cleaned and towel-dried)

• Seasonings of choice (example: brown sugar and cinnamon for a sweet option, or salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder for a savory option)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Mix together seasoning of choice in a small bowl. Toss the clean and towel-dried pumpkin seeds with the oil or butter. Then add in the seasoning mixture and toss to make sure each pumpkin seed is well-coated. Spread pumpkin seeds onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are in one even layer. Roast in your preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or until the pumpkin seeds are golden brown (leave in longer if you prefer them crispier). Remove from heat and let them cool completely (pumpkin seeds will crisp up as they cool).

All of our favorite pumpkin recipes can be easily vegan-ized, repurposed, and utilized in accordance with low and zero waste lifestyles. Have fun with these vegan pumpkin-themed recipes and be sure to tag @sustainthemag on Instagram if you try any of them out!