Pumpkin Recipes Beyond Pie: 8 Ways to Use a Fall Pumpkin That Are Not Dessert

Pumpkin has been pigeonholed in American cooking as a pie filling and a spiced-latte syrup, which is unfortunate because the squash itself is one of the most versatile autumn vegetables. Italian, French, Japanese, Thai, Indian, and Caribbean cooking all treat pumpkin as a savory ingredient first and a dessert ingredient second, if at all. The flavor is mildly sweet, deeply earthy, faintly chestnut-like, and it pairs as easily with sage and brown butter as it does with cinnamon and brown sugar. The eight recipes below cover the range, from a classic Italian pumpkin risotto to a Thai red curry that probably will not appear on any Thanksgiving table but should be in regular rotation through October and November.

The base: roasted pumpkin puree

The starting point for nearly every savory pumpkin dish is roasted puree. Made at home, it is dramatically better than canned. The roasting concentrates the natural sugars and develops the deeper, slightly nutty flavor that canned pumpkin lacks.

The method: halve a 3 to 4 pound sugar pumpkin top to bottom. Scoop out seeds and strings (reserve seeds for roasting). Brush the cut surfaces with olive oil and a small amount of salt. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast at 400 F for 45 to 60 minutes until the flesh yields to a fork.

Cool until safe to handle, then scoop the flesh from the skin with a spoon. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve if the texture matters (essential for refined soups, optional for rustic dishes). A 3-pound pumpkin yields about 3 cups of puree.

Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze in 1-cup portions for up to 6 months.

Recipe 1: Pumpkin and sage risotto

The classic Italian autumn dish. Toast 1.5 cups of arborio or carnaroli rice in 3 tablespoons of butter with a finely diced shallot until the grains turn translucent at the edges, about 3 minutes. Deglaze with half cup of dry white wine. Add hot chicken or vegetable stock half a cup at a time, stirring continuously, allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next.

After 15 minutes of stirring, stir in 1 cup of pumpkin puree. Continue adding stock until the rice is al dente, another 5 to 8 minutes. Finish with 2 tablespoons of butter, half cup of grated Parmesan, 6 to 8 chopped sage leaves crisped in butter, and a generous grind of black pepper.

Serves 4 as a main course. Total time about 35 minutes once the stock is hot.

Recipe 2: Pumpkin soup with brown butter and crispy sage

Sweat 1 diced onion and 2 garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons of butter until soft. Add 3 cups of pumpkin puree, 1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock, half teaspoon of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes.

Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in half cup of heavy cream. Adjust seasoning.

For the topping: brown 3 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet until the milk solids turn golden and the butter smells nutty. Add 10 to 12 sage leaves and crisp them for 30 seconds. Spoon the brown butter and crispy sage over each bowl of soup.

Serves 6 as a starter. Total time about 25 minutes.

Recipe 3: Thai pumpkin and coconut curry

In a deep pan, cook 2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 1 can (14 ounces) of coconut milk, stir to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of pumpkin puree (or 3 cups of 1-inch cubed fresh pumpkin), 1 cup of stock, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and 1 cup of bamboo shoots or canned baby corn. Simmer 15 minutes for puree version, 25 minutes for cubed version until the pumpkin is tender.

Stir in 2 cups of cooked chicken (or 1 block of firm tofu cubed) and a handful of Thai basil. Serve over jasmine rice with lime wedges and chopped peanuts.

Serves 4. Total time about 30 minutes.

Recipe 4: Pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter

Mix 1.5 cups of pumpkin puree (well-drained, almost dry) with 1 large egg, 1 cup of ricotta, half cup of grated Parmesan, salt, pepper, and pinch of nutmeg. Add 1.5 to 2 cups of flour, starting with the lower amount, until a soft dough forms.

Roll into thin ropes on a floured surface and cut into 1-inch pieces. Press each piece against a fork to form ridges.

Boil in salted water for 3 to 4 minutes until they float. Drain.

In a separate pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter with 8 sage leaves until the butter browns. Add the gnocchi and toss to coat. Finish with grated Parmesan and pepper.

Serves 4. Total time about 50 minutes, mostly forming the gnocchi.

Recipe 5: Savory pumpkin bread

Whisk together 1.75 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, half teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, half teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary.

In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, half cup of olive oil, half cup of Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar.

Combine wet and dry. Pour into a buttered 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Top with another quarter cup of grated cheddar and a few rosemary needles. Bake at 350 F for 50 to 60 minutes until a tester comes out clean.

Cool 20 minutes before slicing. Excellent with soup or as a side bread for any autumn dinner.

Recipe 6: Pumpkin pasta with brown butter, walnuts, and crispy pancetta

Cook 1 pound of pasta (rigatoni or pappardelle work well). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

In a large skillet, render 4 ounces of diced pancetta until crispy. Remove and set aside. In the same fat, brown 4 tablespoons of butter with 1 cup of chopped walnuts. Toast 2 minutes.

Add 1.5 cups of pumpkin puree to the pan, half cup of grated Parmesan, half cup of heavy cream, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Loosen with pasta water as needed.

Add the drained pasta. Toss to coat. Top with the crispy pancetta, more Parmesan, and chopped fresh parsley.

Serves 6. Total time 25 minutes.

Recipe 7: Indian-style pumpkin sabzi

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, half teaspoon mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, and 1 dried red chili. When the seeds pop, add 1 minced garlic clove and 1 teaspoon grated ginger.

Add 3 cups of 1-inch cubed pumpkin, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, half teaspoon garam masala, salt, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar (the sugar balances the dish in the traditional Bengali style).

Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is tender. Finish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.

Serves 4 with rice or roti. Total time 30 minutes.

Recipe 8: Pumpkin and goat cheese tart

Roll a sheet of puff pastry into a 9 by 13 inch rectangle. Score a half-inch border. Spread 1 cup of pumpkin puree across the inside of the border. Crumble 4 ounces of goat cheese over the top. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of honey, scatter 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, and grind black pepper.

Bake at 400 F for 22 to 28 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden and puffed.

Slice into 8 pieces. Excellent as an appetizer with a glass of dry rose or off-dry Riesling.

Pumpkin is not a one-dish ingredient. The savory range is wider than the dessert range, and once you have a few cups of homemade puree in the freezer, the autumn cooking starts to write itself.

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