10 Savory Ways to Use Pumpkin This Fall
There's more to pumpkin than pie and lattes.
Renee Comet
I don't know about you, but every year when fall rolls around I stock up on massive quantities of pumpkin. Canned, or fresh from the farmers market, it doesn't matter. But by the time I'm done making the requisite pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie, I'm sort of pumpkin-ed out with all of the sweet stuff. Going savory with pumpkin should seem obvious, since it's so similar in taste to other winter squashes (I make a mean butternut squash mash) but I almost never remember to use it at dinnertime.
This year I'm making a focused effort to try out pumpkin in every savory way I can think of. Pro tip: For these savory recipes, you're going to want to make sure you've picked up pumpkin puree, rather than pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and spices added in.
Find a few of our favorite savory pumpkin recipes, below. But don't worry, there's always room for a pumpkin spice latte.
Pumpkin Pasta (pictured above)
All you need to make this homemade pasta is flour, pumpkin puree and a pinch of salt. It comes together in the food processor, meaning you can have homemade pasta on the table in just 30 minutes. A pasta machine helps achieve really thin noodles, but you can also use a rolling pin – just know that cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the pasta. In case you're thinking six servings is too much food, know that you can freeze the pasta before you cook and save it for up to a month.
Matt Armendariz, 2015
Hummus gets a fall-inspired makeover that we definitely don't hate. Serve this spicy dip with pita chips and veggies or use it as an all-purpose seasonal spread on sandwiches.
David Malosh
This weeknight-friendly meal hits all of the right spots: rich roasted pumpkin, slightly bitter broccoli rabe, salty pancetta and crunchy pumpkin seeds. Anne uses a cheese pumpkin for this dish – it's an heirloom variety that’s flatter and paler than other varieties (and looks a little bit like a wheel of cheese) – and best of all, perfect for roasting. Go ahead and make extra toasted pumpkin seeds to win at snacking in the days to come.
David Malosh
Pumpkin and cheese win the award for "Most Unlikely to Taste Good," but boy does this dip deliver. We go for a sugar pumpkin here because it's sweeter and less fibrous than other varieties. P.S. We can't be friends anymore if you don't serve this straight in the pumpkin.
Kang Kim
This is officially the easiest and fastest way to use up the last bit of a can of pumpkin puree. Just 20 minutes and you're sitting at the table to a hearty vegetarian meal that screams fall.
Tara Donne
Almost 300 five-star reviews can't be wrong. Rachael totally has this savory pumpkin thing figured out. This soup is delicate enough to be a first course, but hearty enough to fill you up as a meal.
Robert's seasonal take on lasagna includes layers of pumpkin puree and paper-thin slices of zucchini among the more traditional spicy Italian sausage and red wine-tinted tomato sauce. Straining the pumpkin puree ensures that the lasagna won't get waterlogged. We normally use a mandolin to achieve those super-thin slices of zucchini, but you can also use a vegetable peeler for the same effect.
This is a fan-favorite recipe for fall. Rachael doctors up a can of pumpkin puree with white wine, chicken stock and seasonal spices like sage, cinnamon and nutmeg. Don't worry – it's not sweet like pumpkin pie, the spices just add warm undertones that really round out the sauce.
Pork shoulder is one of those things that I only buy every once in a while, because it comes in such a huge piece. I usually end up making pulled pork and turning that into a few different meals, but I'm excited to switch it up next time and spice up a game-day favorite with this seasonally-appropriate chili.
David Malosh
Ree stuffs wonton wrappers for a quick take on homemade pasta. They're elegant enough to serve at a dinner party, but easy enough to make on a weeknight.
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