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You can roast pumpkin and eat it as you would any other squash, or roast it to make pumpkin puree. Roasted pumpkin cooks at a high dry heat for a browned savory finish. Roast it in halves, slices, or cubes for any pumpkin recipe.

By definition, roasting is a cooking method that uses high and dry heat to cook the food. When you roast pumpkin, the cut surface area will brown and produce a savory, flavorful crust.

Before roasting, brush the pumpkin with clarified butter or olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and other spices. After roasting, eat the pumpkin as you would any other winter squash. Roasted cubes of pumpkin are a good beginning to pumpkin soup, pumpkin stew, or pumpkin salad.

Although you can used roasted pumpkin for pumpkin puree, the best way to cook pumpkin for puree is to pressure cook the pumpkin.

Steps to Roast Pumpkin

Prepare pumpkin by scrubbing, cutting it, and removing the seeds (save to roast pumpkin seeds) and fibrous strands (throw those out).
Cut pumpkin in halves, quarters, slices, or cubes.
Brush with clarified butter or olive oil (optional).
Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
Cover pumpkin halves or quarters completely in aluminum foil. Leave cubes uncovered.
Roast pumpkin for 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the size of the pumpkin.

How to Roast Pumpkin Halves, Quarters, Slices, or Cubes

Step 1: Prepare the Pumpkin

Scrub the pumpkin with soap and a vegetable scrub brush. Don’t skip this important food safety step.

Step 2: Cut the Pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin in halves, quarters, slices, or cubes.

Step 3: Brush the Pumpkin with Olive Oil or Clarified Butter

Step 4: Preheat Oven

To roast a winter squash such as pumpkin in the oven, preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

Step 5: Cover Pumpkin with Aluminum Foil

Line a jelly roll or casserole pan with aluminum foil if cooking halves, quarters, or a whole pumpkin.

Next, place the pumpkin on the foil face down (if the pumpkin is halved or quartered) or face up (if cooking the whole pumpkin).

Cover the pumpkin completely with tin foil.

Step 6: Roast

Roast the pumpkin cubes or slices for 20 to 40 minutes or until browned and soft.

Roast the halves or quarters in the oven for 30-45 minutes. However, if the pumpkin is whole or very large, roast it for 60-90 minutes. Check periodically, especially if you start to smell cooked pumpkin.

After 30 minutes, prick the pumpkin with a fork so see if it is done cooking. It has finished cooking when the fork pierces the pumpkin easily. If the pumpkin cannot be pierced, return it to oven to continue cooking. Check every 10 to 12 minutes.

If you are making pumpkin puree, remove the pumpkin from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes (or longer if it is a large pumpkin). After the pumpkin is cool, scrape the pumpkin flesh out of the skin.

Choose whether to use the browned area in the puree. The browned pumpkin tastes great in savory recipes, such as pumpkin soup.