• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Low-Carb, So Simple!

  • Home
  • About
  • Meal Plans
    • The Ultimate Weight Loss Kick-Start 7-Day Keto-Paleo Meal Plan
  • Recipes
    • Accompaniments & Side Dishes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfasts
    • Breads
    • Desserts
      • Brownies, Blondies & Bars
      • Candies & Chocolate
      • Cookies
      • Fruits, Berries & Jams
      • Ice Creams & Frozen Treats
      • Icings, Spreads & Fudges
      • Jellies, Custards, Mousses & Puddings
      • Muffins & Cupcakes
      • Pancakes & Waffles
      • Pies, Cobblers & Crumbles
    • Drinks
    • Main courses
    • Salads
    • Sauces & Dressings
    • Snacks & Savory Treats
    • Soups
  • My Pantry
  • My Library
  • Contact

My Way to Roast Pumpkin

September 7, 2013 By elviira 10 Comments

Roasted Pumpkin | Low-Carb, So Simple!

I guess there are as many ways to roast pumpkin as there are people roasting pumpkins. I decided to do my bit and tell you about the method which I have learnt to use.

The main problem for me has always been that the pumpkin I’ve roasted is very watery. I really was fighting to get the consistency like that of canned, solid-pack pumpkin. Finally I found a simple way, and that I would like to share with you. Hope you find it useful as well if you haven’t tried that out yet!

 

 

Pumpkin Half and Slice | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

 

 

My attempts to get perfectly roasted pumpkin

When I roasted pumpkin for the first times I used this method from Elana Amsterdam. I hope you are familiar with her brilliant blog. The method worked otherwise well, but I don’t know what I did wrong since each and every time my roasted pumpkin turned out too watery. I wanted to have as thick pumpkin as the solid-pack pumpkin they sell in a can.

I thought I must develop my own way to get the consistency I want. Last year I made several more or less successful experiments, but unfortunately I didn’t jot them down. Shame on me.

Keeping my eye on the fact that I wanted to do plenty of experiments with roasting the pumpkin and develop many pumpkin recipes, I have grown pumpkins worth at least 175 lbs (approximately 80 kg) this year. A rough estimate. So, it seems that we are going to eat only pumpkin during the winter… Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin custard, cream of pumpkin soup, pumpkin spice latte… Actually, I could imagine much worse things.

I vaguely remember that last year I got the best results when after removing the seeds I cut the pumpkin into approximately 3 × 3 inch (7.5 × 7.5 cm) cubes and roasted those at a relatively mild temperature for quite a long time. Like this.

 

Roasted Pumpkin in Pieces | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

The problem were the burned tops. Roasting at a milder temperature reduced burning, but the tops got easily dry.

This year I tried the same method. I cut one half of 18 lbs (8.2 kg) weighing pumpkin into cubes and roasted the cubes in 350 °F (175 °C) oven for 1.5 hours. Quite okay, but there was some fluid separating. Next I cubed the other half and roasted the pieces for 2 hours in milder, 300 °F (150 °C) oven. Better, but still a bit too much fluid.

The next batch I tried to roast a half an hour longer. Again better, but not perfect. All in all, I prefer milder temperature and longer roasting time to get rid of the excess fluid and to guarantee soft and tender flesh which is not burned.

I thought it wasn’t anyway a good idea to cube the pumpkin. Moreover, it was quite laborious to cut those cubes. I thought pumpkin halves might work better after all.

I roasted one half of a big pumpkin so that the cut surface was facing up. During roasting there was a puddle in the center and it looked kind of funny. I was wondering how to get rid of the fluid. I decided to let the roasted pumpkin cool down completely and then remove the fluid, but after cooling down the fluid had almost totally disappeared! The fluid had somehow soaked into the flesh. As you can guess, the result was watery.

Maybe it was better to roast the pumpkin so that the cut surface would be facing down? The pumpkin didn’t produce any fluid while roasting, but during cooling down and scooping out the seeds it was flooding. I got somewhat desperate and was wondering for the umpteenth time how to get rid of the excess fluid.

I was also thinking of roasting a whole pumpkin but since I have heard of horror stories about pumpkins exploding in the oven no matter how much you have poked or pricked them with a knife. I thought a half of a pumpkin is the largest piece I dare to roast.

I still tried once my method from last year and cubed the pumpkin. After roasting I got really much fluid, so I mean REALLY much. I was desperate. How on earth I could get thick roasted pumpkin instead of that colorless, watery and tasteless stuff?

Eureka! It suddenly hit me that I simply could strain the roasted pumpkin. I could roast a half of a pumpkin, remove the seeds and strain the flesh. Worked like a charm!

 

Pumpkin Pieces | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

 

 

The method

So, let’s take a closer look of the method I currently use.

First I take a nice, big pumpkin, rinse it and pat dry with a towel. The pumpkin below is whatever giant variety, unfortunately I don’t remember exactly which one. I ordered plenty of pumpkin seeds but the small varieties didn’t make it. Well, that’s nothing new since I’m a lousy gardener… To be honest I’m extremely surprised that I could grow that many pumpkins myself.

So, let’s take that cleaned pumpkin. This beauty weighs 17 lbs (7.8 kg).

Pumpkin! | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

I take the biggest knife I own (which is after all not that big-sized compared to the pumpkin…), sharpen it and halve the pumpkin.

Halving the Pumpkin | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

Here are the halves. Actually, at this point you could scoop out the seeds, but I’ve decided to do that after roasting. Somehow I feel that less precious pumpkin is lost then.

Pumpkin Halves | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

I take one half and place it face down on the largest roasting pan I have. This pan I have bought from Ikea. By the way, I don’t use the grill rack here.

Pumpkin Half on Roasting Pan | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

I put the whole thing in the preheated 300 °F (150 °C) oven. I let the pumpkin roast for 2.5 hours. Actually, I think 2 hours would be enough, but I just want to ensure that the flesh is soft and tender. Some say you can overdo the pumpkin but I didn’t have that problem. So far.

Pumpkin in the Oven | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

After that 2.5 hours I take the pumpkin from the oven…

Pumpkin Straight out of the Oven | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

… and let it cool down for a few hours until it reaches room temperature. It gets a bit wrinkled.

Roasted Pumpkin, Cooled Down | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

Then I turn it the other way around…

Roasted Pumpkin, Turned the Other Way Around | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

… and scoop out the seeds with a spoon…

Scooping out the Seeds | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

… or if I want to do it in a quick and dirty way, I simply grab the seeds out by hand. Clean hand.

Grabbing out the Seeds | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

If I’m in a hurry, I just scoop out the flesh and place it in a large bowl. Then I simply pour away the excess fluid.

Pouring away the Excess Fluid | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

That can be a sufficient method to remove the excess fluid especially if you let the pumpkin stand in a bowl for a few hours — or even better, overnight — and then pour away the fluid. But to ensure that all the excess fluid is removed and I reach that thick, canned-pumpkin-like consistency, I line a strainer with cheesecloth and place it on the largest saucepan I own. Then I scoop the flesh in there…

Scooping the Flesh to Strainer | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

… level the surface with a spoon…

Leveling the Surface | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

… cover with the excess cheesecloth and let the fluid drop nicely to the saucepan.

Covered with Excess Cheesecloth | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

Like this!

The Excess Fluid Dropping into Saucepan | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

After some 3 or 4 hours (or on the next day) I take the cheesecloth with the pumpkin inside, turn it upside down and drop the pumpkin into a large saucepan…

Removing the Strained Pumpkin | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

… and purée the pumpkin with immersion blender. Well, this is not really an absolutely necessary step, but to ensure the smooth texture, I often purée the pumpkin. For me it’s important to have smooth-textured pumpkin especially when I make soup, pumpkin spice latte or other drinks from pumpkin.

Puréeing the Pumpkin | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

Actually, if you have a really good blender you don’t have to scoop out the flesh after roasting, you can save time and trouble — at the same time getting more fibers and nutrients — by placing the flesh and the skin in the blender and blend everything until smooth. The color will be more vibrant and the consistency thicker. You just have to get rid of that possible excess fluid somehow… Well, straining is good for that, too.

 

 
Pumpkin! | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

 

 

Conclusion

My main point is to strain the pumpkin flesh after roasting. Either I do it in a strainer covered with cheesecloth, or then I simply place the flesh in a large bowl which I put in the fridge, keep it there overnight and on the next day I simply pour away the fluid which has separated from the flesh. It’s as simple as that. I can easily regulate the thickness of the pumpkin with the straining time. The longer the straining, the thicker the consistency.

This is the roasting method I’ve used this year. Could be that next year I’m going to develop even better method, who knows. I would be delighted to hear from your method how to get perfectly roasted, thick pumpkin what you can use for soups, pies, custards, you name it. All thoughts and ideas are welcome!

This was a bit different type of post this time. As I now have plenty of roasted pumpkin, next week I’m naturally going to publish a pumpkin recipe. Most probably after that as well. Let’s see if I’m going to have a whole month of pumpkin recipes 🙂 On the other hand I fancy something chocolatey as I got my teeth into some mouth-watering peanut butter bar experiments last week…

 

 
The Empty Pumpkin Skin! | Low-Carb, So Simple!

 

 

 

Related posts:

Easy Low-Carb Pumpkin CustardEasy Low-Carb Pumpkin Custard Yogurt With Pumpkin Swirl | Low-Carb, So Simple!Yogurt with Pumpkin Swirl Cream of Pumpkin Soup | Low-Carb, So Simple!Extra Creamy Cream of Pumpkin Soup Crustless Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie | Low-Carb, So Simple!Crustless Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie

Filed Under: How To Tagged With: how to, pumpkin

Previous Post: « Appetizer Soup from Red Bell Pepper, Garlic and Basil
Next Post: Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Latte »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joan McCallum

    July 7, 2015 at 06:06

    thankfully the pumpkins grown in australia are firm bodies and roast well. Even the butternut is firm and called a pumpkin rather than the soft flesh squash butternut available in the Uk.

    Reply
  2. Cathy D

    October 12, 2014 at 00:02

    In two days it will be Thanksgiving here in Canada. I have 4 sugar pie pumpkins to roast and make pie with! Thanks for sharing your method of straining the flesh. That’s what I do too (cheese cloth method) and it makes lovely puree to use for pies, cookies, lattes, muffins, etc. Just found your site because of your crustless pumpkin pie, which is what I’m going to make for my family. Hopefully they won’t be too disappointed with my low carb meal. 🙂 Going now to have a nose about your site. Looks lovely so far!

    Reply
    • elviira

      October 12, 2014 at 07:59

      Hi Cathy and thanks for your comment! Great to hear that you found the method useful. Hope you and your family like also my recipes!

      Reply
  3. Doug

    October 2, 2014 at 19:22

    I just made this…. but it made a lot more pumpkin than I can use right now! Have you ever frozen it? Or do you always use it at once?

    Reply
    • elviira

      October 2, 2014 at 23:10

      Hi Doug, yes, I always freeze the leftovers in freezer storage containers (1-2 pint), usually there is plenty of pumpkin!

      Reply
  4. Dorothy

    October 25, 2013 at 16:55

    going to try this today . so will let you know how i get on by the way is there such a thing as pumpkin jam ? Dotti

    Reply
    • elviira

      October 25, 2013 at 17:05

      Hi Dorothy, great, please tell me how you succeeded! I haven’t heard of pumpkin jam but I wouldn’t wonder if somebody has sometimes made it.

      Reply
  5. Susan

    September 10, 2013 at 17:46

    Thanks for tacklinsg the pumpkin and figuring out the best method to get rid of water. I use pumpkin for so many things, including a savory a potato substitute. But my favorite is what I like to call a “pudding” with brown sugar substitue, butter, cinnamon and a little cream – bake until slightly crusty on top. Your blog is inspiring me to stay true to the low carb lifestyle. Thank you!

    Reply
    • elviira

      September 10, 2013 at 20:26

      Hi Susan! You’re welcome 🙂 Great to hear you like my blog. Hope you find my roasting method useful if you try it out. Btw, that “pudding” sounds absolutely delicious!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The KetoDiet App Blog | Home-made Pumpkin Purée says:
    October 9, 2013 at 11:07

    […] to make pumpkin purée (steaming, boiling, roasting, etc.), I came across a great suggestion from lowcarbsosimple.com – apart from some minor changes, it's the only method I've been using ever […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Awards

Welcome to My Blog!

Elli_henkilökuva_kaulin_neliö

Hi! I’m Elviira, Certified Keto Coach, Certified Nutritional Adviser, and Finland-based blogger. My passion is to help you with innovative gluten-free, sugar-free low-carb and keto recipes that are of high quality, simple, and super-easy to make. Forget the complex recipes with dozens of ingredients; meet the true art of easiness and simplicity!

Keto Coach Badge New

Order My Book:

Get My Weight-Loss Meal Plan:

Image of the Cover of The Ultimate WEIGHT LOSS KICK-START 7-Day Keto-Paleo Meal Plan

Get My Keto-Vegan Meal Plan:

My 7-Day Keto-Vegan Meal Plan

Get My eBooks:

Subscribe to This Blog:

Terms Display
carbs under 5 dessert carnivore fiber-free chocolate dairy-free appetizer berry accompaniment breakfast drink fruit bacon ketovore cheese almond flour ice cream fat bomb chicken egg-free holiday bread frosting dip beef candy cookie finnish cake halloween fish icing coconut flour christmas jam fudge almond butter custard book bar cracker cocktail fathead giveaway how to lamb blood calories guest post brownie

Join over 700,000 Facebook fans for extra recipes, giveaways and other fun!


Follow us – get the free Keto App

Footer

  • Privacy Policy, Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure
All text and images are fully copyrighted. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited and all possible legal actions will be taken if any copyright infringement is noticed. If you wish to use images on this site, contact first to info @ lowcarbsosimple.com and always link back to lowcarbsosimple.com if you refer to any material (e.g. text or images) used in this site.
DMCA.com Protection Status

Copyright © 2025 Low-Carb, So Simple! on the Foodie Pro Theme