Fall is the time for delicious recipes. Sweet pumpkin and fragrant autumn spices will give a terrific atmosphere and coziness, even in the rainiest weather. Soup purees, porridge, ravioli, pancakes, muffins, lattes, smoothies….. You can make just about anything with pumpkin! And that’s why I’m sharing my 9 favorite recipes with you!
I made all the dishes with muscat pumpkin, it is delicious and sweet.
1. Creamy Pumpkin Soup (almost a classic recipe)
Average Cooking Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes. Portions: 6
Ingredients:
700 gram pumpkin (regular or muscatel)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion
1 tsp. sugar
3 large garlic cloves
1.5 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
750 ml. vegetable or chicken broth
300 ml. cedar milk (or cream)
salt, ground black pepper
pumpkin seeds for serving
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Spray lightly with olive oil, place on a parchment-lined baking tray, cut side down, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The pumpkin should be quite soft. Cool slightly, peel off the skin and cut into large cubes.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the pumpkin and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes.
- Reduce heat, add garlic and sugar and continue cooking, stirring, until vegetables caramelize, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cinnamon and ginger and stir-fry for 30-60 seconds until the spices have a distinct aroma. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Grind the cooked soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Slowly pour in the cedar milk (or cream) until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the soup into plates and garnish with pumpkin seeds.
2. Baked pumpkin salad with feta and arugula
Average Cooking Time: 20 minutes. Portions: 6-7
Ingredients:
1 kg pumpkin, peel, remove seeds, cut into small cubes
4 garlic cloves, peel, finely chop
45 ml. vegetable oil (1)
20 ml. vegetable oil (2)
juice of 1 lemon
salt, black pepper to taste
100 g. arugula
100 gr. feta cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp. roasted peeled pumpkin seeds
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- In a large bowl, mix together the peeled pumpkin, garlic and vegetable oil (1). Arrange in a single layer on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft and lightly browned. Take the pumpkin out of the oven and let cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, thoroughly mix vegetable oil (2), lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Put the warm pumpkin into a large bowl, add the arugula, pour over the dressing and mix well. Serve warm, sprinkled with crumbled feta and toasted pumpkin seeds.
3. Ravioli with pumpkin and ricotta
Average Cooking Time: 60 minutes. Portions: 3
Ingredients:
For the stuffing:
300 g pumpkin, cut into slices
2 tbsp ricotta pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
pinch of granulated garlic salt to taste
For the test:
300 gr. flour
2 eggs
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
90 ml. water
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Line a baking tray with parchment and place the pumpkin skin side up on the tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-60 minutes or until soft.
- Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the dough and knead into a soft, elastic dough. Wrap in clingfilm and leave at room temperature for 40 minutes.
- Cool roasted pumpkin, mash with a fork and mix with the rest of the ingredients for the filling.
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of 2-3 mm, cut into squares or use a ravioli mold. Spread the filling and shape the ravioli.
- Cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately with butter or olive oil.
- You can serve these ravioli with a flavorful sauce: melt a small piece of butter, add a couple of sprigs of thyme, 2 tbsp. of white table wine and simmer for a couple of minutes.
4. Most delicious pumpkin muffins
Average Cooking Time: 45 minutes. Portions: 16-18 pieces
These muffins are very tender, with a delightful spicy pumpkin flavor. Enjoy one (or two) at breakfast with matcha tea or a cup of coffee, and then grab another to snack on in a cozy chair. These muffins can even be frozen if you make too many! But I wouldn’t get my hopes up on that) Ha.
Ingredients:
250 gr. pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2/3 cup almond or oat milk
1/3 cup olive oil (or any neutral-flavored oil)
1/3 cup maple syrup or sugar
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
A little about the ingredients: Pumpkin, of course! It gives these muffins an amazing moist texture and rich pumpkin flavor. Eggs – they make these muffins tender and fluffy. Butter – I love making this recipe with virgin olive oil! Maple syrup – I sometimes add natural maple syrup to my muffins, but you can also use sugar. However, maple syrup is more nutritious and healthier than regular sugar. Almond milk – adds a delightful moist texture. But oat milk will work too! Apple cider vinegar – helps deflate the cupcakes while baking. Vanilla extract – for a depth of warm flavor. Wheat flour and whole wheat flour – this combination makes the muffins wholesome, but not dense. Leavening agent and baking soda – these two ingredients make the muffins nice and fluffy. Pumpkin pie spice – what would pumpkin muffins be without cozy, warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger? And sea salt – to make all the flavors come out bright!
By the way the seasoning for muffins and many other fall dishes, I use this one: IHerb Simply Organic Pumpkin Spice. It’s a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Preheat the oven to 210°C and lightly grease or spray a 12-muffin muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, almond milk, olive oil, maple syrup, vinegar and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until blended.
- Use a measuring spoon to divide the batter into the muffin molds. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Tips to make the muffins turn out perfect:
- Gluten-free. To make gluten-free pumpkin muffins, substitute 2 whole and 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free baking flour for both flours and bake for 22-26 minutes.
- Vegan. Vegan muffins can be made by substituting eggs – 1/4 cup ground flaxseed mixed with 1/2 cup warm water. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Don’t stir too much! If you make baking recipes often, you know this tip like the back of your hand. Over-mixing the batter will make these muffins thick, so mix only until the wet and dry ingredients are blended.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 15 minutes. It’s tempting to pull these pumpkin muffins out as soon as they come out of the oven, but if you can stand for 15 minutes or so, it’s worth it. They’re pretty tender, so by giving them a chance to cool, they’re less likely to fall off when you take them out of the muffin molds. Once cooled, they will have a more intense pumpkin spice flavor!
- Freeze what’s left over. These pumpkin muffins freeze great! I sometimes save some muffins for the very day when I want a sweet treat but am too lazy to cook. To defrost frozen muffins, put them in the microwave for 30 seconds and eat right away or transfer them to the fridge to defrost overnight.
5. Pumpkin cupcakes
Average Cooking Time: 45 minutes. Portions: 15 pieces
Ingredients:
250 g. pumpkin puree
zest of 1 orange
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
270 g. brown sugar
100 ml. vegetable oil
2 eggs, beat lightly
280 g. flour
1.5 tsp. baking powder
60 gr. walnut kerne
ls, chopped
For the cream:
20 gr. softened butter
50 gr. powdered sugar
200 g. chilled cottage cheese
2-3 tsp. orange juice
chocolate drops for decoration
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- In a deep bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, orange zest and spices. Add brown sugar, vegetable oil and mix again until smooth. Add the eggs and mix again.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl and stir the mixture into the dough in batches, mixing just until combined before adding the next portion. You should end up with a dough that looks like thick sour cream. Add the nuts and mix again.
- Fill the muffin tins 1/2 full, bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until browned and cooked through (a toothpick stuck in the center of a cupcake should come out dry). Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- For the cream, beat the butter with the powdered sugar for 5 minutes until light and creamy. Add the cheese and continue beating for a few more minutes until combined. Add orange juice if desired, whisk to combine. Make the cream caps on the cooled cupcakes: decorate with chocolate drops.
6. Orzotto with pumpkin
Average Cooking Time: 30 minutes. Portions: 3
Ingredients:
300 gr. quick-cooked pearl groats
400 g. peeled pumpkin
1.5 liters of broth
1 garlic clove
1 sprig of sage
40 g. butter
50 ml milk
150 gr. parmesan cheese
salt, black pepper to taste
- Rinse the pearl groats under running water. Dice the pumpkin. Bring the stock to the boil.
- Fry the garlic and sage in the butter, pour in the chickpeas, fry lightly and pour in the milk. After a few minutes, pour in the hot stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin and cook for about 15 more minutes until the pearl soup is fully cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add grated or thinly sliced parmesan cheese.
- When the cheese has melted, place the orzotto on plates, garnish with the sage and cheese slices.
7. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Average Cooking Time: 10 minutes. Portions: 2
Ingredients:
480 ml of “Cedar milk” (regular or with honey)
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
240 ml of pumpkin puree
35 g. unroasted cashew nuts
1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp ground allspice
1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves
1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 banana
1-2 tbsp. agave syrup or other sweetener to taste
- Place all smoothie ingredients in a blender bowl and chop until smooth.
- Pour into glasses and serve immediately.
Tip: It is better to use a pre-sliced and frozen banana to make a smoothie. For a smoother consistency of the drink, cashews can be poured with hot water and let stand for 10 minutes.
8. Pumpkin pecan cheesecake
Average Cooking Time: 2 hours 30 minutes + 3 hours to cool. Portions: 8
Ingredients:
For the crust:
150 gr. shortbread cookies
60 g brown sugar
70 g butter
For the cream:
200 g pecans (150 g for the praline and 50 g for decoration)
100 g brown sugar
2 tbsp. water
For the basics:
300 gr. cream cheese
100 g. brown sugar
60 gr. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
300 gr. pumpkin puree
- Prepare the crust. Preheat the oven to 175 C. Crush the cookies into crumbs and mix with the sugar. Melt butter and add to cookies. Stir until smooth.
- Place the resulting mixture in the bottom of a 20 cm round mold and thoroughly compact it.
- Set aside 50 g pecans for decoration, chop 150 g in a food processor. Add sugar and water, mix until smooth. Set aside 200 g of the praline for the glaze, spread the rest evenly over the cake. Put in the oven for 8 minutes, then leave to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- 4. Prepare the base. Mix cream cheese with sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Beat with mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes. One at a time, add the eggs, then stir in the pumpkin puree. Spread the resulting base onto the cooled crust and bake in the oven for 1 hour. To ensure that the cheesecake does not crack, it is recommended to bake it on a water bath. To do this, take a deep baking tray or a larger diameter mold and fill it halfway with hot water. Wrap the bottom and edges of the mold with two layers of foil. Place the mold with the cheesecake in the tray with water and place it in the preheated oven.
- When the center of the cheesecake is baked through, remove it from the oven and cover it with the praline. Return the cheesecake to the oven for another 15 minutes.
Turn off the oven, open the door and allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature (this is to prevent the cake from cracking due to the temperature difference). When the cheesecake has cooled, carefully remove it from the baking tray, release it from the foil and put it in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Carefully remove the cooled cheesecake from the mold and decorate with pecan halves.
9. Pumpkin truffle candies
Average Cooking Time: 1 hour + cooling time. Portions: 30 pieces
Ingredients:
370 g shortbread cookies
200 g. pumpkin puree
125 g. powdered sugar
150 g. cream cheese
1,5 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of vanilla
200 g white chocolate
- Crumble the cookies into fine crumbs. Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl. Add cookies and pumpkin puree. Mix thoroughly until smooth and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.
- From the cooled mass form small balls and put back in the refrigerator for a few hours, or better overnight.
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave. Dip the truffles one by one in the chocolate and place on baking paper. Put back in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Decorate as desired.
Bon appetit!
