We do love a Halloween tradition, and there’s nothing more classic than a carved pumpkin shining out into the night. Especially in these strange times, it’s quite comforting to see those spooky faces grinning (or scowling, depending on your vibe) from windows in the run up to 31st October.
So, we all love a carved pumpkin. But what about the bits left behind? When you scoop out the middle, don’t just throw it away. There are lots of tasty things you can make with the flesh, the seeds can be toasted and after Halloween, the hollowed out pumpkin can be used for compost or animal feed. We’re going for a zero-waste spooky season! Here are our fave pumpkin recipes for you to try…
Pumpkin Hummus
Ingredients
1 small pumpkin
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves
½ lemon, juiced
2 tbsp tahini paste
400g can chickpeas, drained
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
Breadsticks and pitta, to serve
Method
- Cut the top off your pumpkin. Remove the seeds and scoop the flesh from the bottom and lid.
- Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6. Chop the pumpkin flesh into pieces and put in a roasting tin with the garlic and a glug of olive oil. Season and bake for 45 mins until soft. Leave to cool.
- Put the pumpkin into a blender with juices from the roasting tin and the garlic cloves. Add the lemon juice, tahini paste and chickpeas. Season and blend into a paste, adding oil if it’s too thick.
- Scoop back into the pumpkin and serve with peppers, breadsticks and pitta.
Vegan Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
1 medium pumpkin
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
½ tsp ground allspice
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp chopped ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 litre vegan stock
1 tbsp vegan white miso
3 tbsp soya cream or coconut yogurt
For the relish
3 tbsp coconut flakes
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 red chilli, finley chopped
½ bunch coriander, chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
Method
- Heat the oven to 200c/180c/gas 6. Deseed the pumpkin and scoop out of the flesh, chopping into 3cm chunks. Set the seeds aside for later. Pop the pumpkin on a baking tray, drizzle over half the oil, sprinkle on allspice and toss till well covered. Season and roast for 30 mins until soft.
- Toast the coconut flakes in a dry frying pan on a low heat until lightly golden. Remove from pan and leave to cool, then mix in the pumpkin seeds, chilli, coriander and lime zest.
- Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry the onion until tender. Add the ginger and garlic, tip in the stock and miso, add the pumpkin and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Return to the heat, season and stir in the lime juice.
- Pour into bowls and serve with a swirl of soya cream or coconut yogurt and a sprinkle of the relish.
Pumpkin Pancakes with Salted Pecan Butterscotch
Ingredients
250g pumpkin, deseeded and chopped into chunks
2 eggs
3 tbsp light brown soft sugar
25g butter, melted
125ml buttermilk
200g plain flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Drizzle of sunflower oil
Yogurt or crème fraiche to serve
For the butterscotch
50g pecans, roughly chopped
50g butter
50g light brown soft sugar
1 tsp sea salt
100ml double cream
Method
- Put the pumpkin in a large bowl, add 1 tbsp water, cover with cling flim and microwave for 5-8 mins until very soft. Drain well and cool.
- Add the pumpkin and remaining pancake ingredients to a food processor along with a pinch of salt. Blend until combined and pour into a jug.
- Toast the pecans for 1-2 mins until darkened, then set aside. Add the butter, sugar, salt and cream to the pan, bring to a simmer and bubble gently for a few minutes. Stir in the pecans and leave to cool.
- Heat butter and a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan. When the butter is foaming, swirl it around the pan and pour tennis-ball-sized amounts of batter in. Cook over a low heat and flip over when bubbles appear on the surface. Transfer each cooked pancake to a baking tray and keep warm in the oven.
- Pile the pancakes onto a plate, top with yogurt or crème fraiche and pour over the butterscotch sauce.
Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
175ml sunflower oil
175g light muscovado sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g pumpkin flesh
100g sultanas
2 tsp ground cinnamon
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the frosting
200g cream cheese
85g icing sugar
Method
- Heat oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Pour the oil into a bowl and add the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together then add the pumpkin, sultanas and orange zest.
- Mix in the cinnamon, flour and bicarbonate of soda. Spoon into the cases and bake for 25 mins until firm and springy. Cool completely.
- For the frosting, mix the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and spread on the cupcakes.
