The Great Pumpkin Purée: A Local Guide to Edible Fall Squash

Let’s use the fruit! This monthly column, written by Alyssa Bonnarens features ideas and tips from your neighborhood fruit picker. Alyssa also writes on Substack: Alyssa’s Substack.

Are you going to eat that?

I’ve got designs on your pumpkins. Not the giant ones you’re carving faces into, and definitely not your green, warty gourds. I’m after the sugar pie pumpkins—and I’ve got my eye on the delicious, edible squash varieties adding color and interest to your autumn porch décor.

All pumpkins are squash, but not all squash are pumpkins—and all squash are fruit. It’s one of those things.

What’s important: Which ones make the best pie?

You want fresh, dense, sweet fruit. True pumpkins have stringier flesh—you can tell them by their ridged stems. They’re generally larger, rounder, and more deeply ridged. They give off a real “pumpkin” vibe.

Also, ask the farmer.

The farmer told me his favorite was the Lumina, so I got two of those. Casper and Lumina are white varieties to look for. Fairytale are my favorite—they’re big and taupe-pink. Closely followed by Jarrahdale, which is a similar size and shape to Fairytale, but sage green. Very aesthetic. Very tasty. Cinderella pumpkins are deep orange and squat. Sugar pie pumpkins are small, round, and orange.

There are endless options for the hay rider, the apple cider sipper, and the pumpkin picker. I picked mine at Koch Family Farm in St. Paul. I find their selection geared toward the pumpkin eater, while also giving my kids great choices for giant jack-o’-lantern pumpkins.

Note that some of the green ones are underripe squash—cute, but not going to help you reach your pie goals.

Right after Halloween, I’ll snatch up the squash off my porch to turn them into purée. My pumpkins are headed for ravioli, curry, and most importantly, pumpkin pie. Maybe I’ll make cookies or muffins to round out the season, but what matters now is getting those big squashes reduced down into little freezer-friendly packets of pre-measured purée.

On Nov. 1:

Cut your pumpkin into manageable portions—either halves or quarters. Scoop out all the seeds. Save those to plant or roast with oil and salt. Position the pumpkin on a rimmed baking tray and cook in a 375-degree oven for about 40 minutes, until completely soft. Allow to cool, drain off any accumulated water or juices, and scrape the pumpkin into a large bowl. Repeat until your porch has no more squash.

Freeze in portions. I use a vacuum sealer to make 2- to 3-cup bags of purée, laid flat for convenience in the freezer.

My favorite pumpkin pie recipe is from BraveTart by Stella Parks. It always makes me popular on Thanksgiving. The recipe uses only butternut squash—but I know we can do better than that.

Recipe: Butternut Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from epicurious.com

Yield: One 9-inch pie

Ingredients

Butternut Custard

• 1 medium butternut squash (or pumpkin from your stoop)
• 2 cups (19 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup (4 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (use half as much if iodized table salt)
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) melted unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs, cold

Pie

• 1 fully baked pastry crust
• Whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the squash

1. Adjust oven rack to the lower-third position and preheat oven to 400°F. Split the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast until fork tender, about 45 minutes.
2. After roasting and cooling, use a large spoon to scrape out the pulp. Pulse in a food processor until smooth, or press through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother texture. Measure 14 ounces (about 1¾ cups) squash purée. Use warm, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.

Bake the Pie

1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-third position and preheat to 375°F. In a medium bowl—by hand or with a stand mixer—whisk the squash purée, condensed milk, brown sugar, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, cloves, butter, and eggs until smooth.
2. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked pie crust, place on a baking sheet, and bake until the custard has puffed into a gentle dome, about 25 minutes depending on elevation. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking until the custard is firm around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center, about 25 minutes more.
3. A probe thermometer inserted into the center should read 200°F. Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours.
4. Serve with dollops of whipped cream and any other toppings you like, such as crushed and roasted hazelnuts from the Willamette Valley.

All elements can be made ahead and stored until ready to use.