It just wouldn’t be fall without pumpkin everything! From sweet treats like cake and waffles to savory dishes like pasta and soup, you’ll find plenty of pumpkin in these seasonal recipes. Not surprisingly, this seasonal ingredient is good for so much more than just pumpkin pie, although we’ll gladly bake one of those, too.
It’s also worth mentioning all of the health benefits the humble pumpkin has to offer! Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, pumpkin is incredibly healthy. What’s more, its low calorie content makes it a weight-loss-friendly food. Use it in soups, pasta dishes, cakes and more — there’s almost nothing pumpkin can’t do. Its nutrients and antioxidants are perfect for boosting your immune system, making it the perfect vegetable to enjoy this Fall!
Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls
It’s pretty much impossible to get enough pumpkin during the fall months, so we rolled each of these lasagna noodles with a creamy, cheesy pumpkin filling. The result: roll-ups that have just the right amount of filling and they come together in a fraction of the time it takes for a traditional layered lasagna. This dish is perfect for a cozy fall night when the comfort food cravings come on strong.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 10 whole sage leaves and 2 tablespoons chopped sage, plus more leaves torn for serving (optional)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles 1 minute longer than the package directions for al dente. The pasta should be tender enough to roll without cracking. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and whole sage leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until sandy in consistency and lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 cup of the pumpkin, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thickens to the consistency of gravy, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2/3 cup of the Parmesan and cook, stirring, until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and discard; allow the sauce to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Beat the egg in a large bowl then stir in the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, the remaining pumpkin, chopped sage, crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Brush a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with the olive oil. Spread 1 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of the dish.
- Lay half of the cooked lasagna noodles on a clean work surface and spread 2 heaping tablespoons of the ricotta mixture evenly over each. Starting with a short end, roll each noodle up and transfer to the prepared baking dish seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon the remaining sauce over the lasagna rolls and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake until the rolls are heated through and the sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is browned on top, 18 to 20 minutes. Garnish with the torn sage leaves, if using, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Syrup and Nutmeg Whipped Cream
The fragrance of warm spices fills the room when you make these creamy fall-inspired pancakes. A dollop of nutmeg whipped cream and a drizzle of maple syrup complete the dish.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 cups milk
- 3 large eggs
- One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
- Maple syrup for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with two kitchen towels stacked on top of each other and place in the oven. This will keep your cooked pancakes warm.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, cloves, ginger and allspice together in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, eggs and pumpkin puree together in another bowl. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until ingredients are just incorporated and batter is thick (it’s okay if there are some lumps). Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream and nutmeg until stiff peaks form. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Ladle a heaping 1/2 cup of the batter into the skillet, spreading it into a 6-inch round. Cook, until pancakes are golden on the bottom and bubbly on top, about 1 minute 30 seconds. Flip the pancakes and cook until the second side is golden brown and the pancake is cooked through, about 1 minute 30 seconds more. The first few pancakes may seem sticky and hard to flip, but the pancakes will become easier to flip as you cook more of them.
- Transfer the pancake to the baking sheet in the oven, tucking it between the two kitchen towels. Repeat with the remaining batter to make more pancakes.
- Place 3 pancakes on each plate and garnish with nutmeg whipped cream and pumpkin seeds. Serve with maple syrup.
Pumpkin-Shaped Pumpkin Bread
This yeasted bread, made with pumpkin puree, brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon, is sure to become a fall favorite. Thanks to a few cleverly-placed pieces of kitchen twine that shape the dough as it rises, the resulting loaf looks just like a pumpkin—complete with a fragrant cinnamon-stick stem. Serve it with maple-spiced pumpkin butter.
Ingredients
Bread:
- 1/4 cup whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
- Two 1/4-ounce packets active-dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
- 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook’s Note)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
Spiced Pumpkin Butter:
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
Directions
Special equipment: kitchen twine
- For the pumpkin bread: Pour the warm milk into a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let the yeast activate until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, 1 large egg and the oil until smooth. Whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl, then stir into the pumpkin mixture until a shaggy ball forms.
- Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn out the dough and knead until very smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer to another large bowl lightly greased with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough, then reroll it into a smooth ball about 6 inches wide. Cut three 24-inch-long pieces of kitchen twine and lay them on a clean work surface, crisscrossing at the center to create a star-shaped pattern. Place the ball of dough in the center, then tie the ends of the twine up over the dough and secure in a knot, leaving about 1 inch of space between the dough and knot so it has room to proof and expand. Do not tie the twine too tightly. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, insert the cinnamon stick in the center of the dough for the “stem.” Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until the kitchen twine has tightened and the dough is starting to take the shape of a pumpkin, 15 to 30 minutes more.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl, then brush over the entire exterior of the bread with a pastry brush. Bake until well browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees F at the center, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- For the spiced pumpkin butter: Combine the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts and the mixture thickens slightly and turns a deep orange color, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until chilled.
- Carefully cut and remove the kitchen twine from the bread. Cut into slices and serve with the spiced pumpkin butter.
Pumpkin Chili
The touch of sweetness from pumpkin puree is just what this spicy chili needs. It’s perfect for game day eats or easy fall dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. ground spicy Italian sausage
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 15 oz. cans fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
- 1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 2 1/2 c. chicken broth
- Roasted pumpkin seeds, sour cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese and avocado, for garnish, if desired
Directions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring to break into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the Dutch oven. Cook over medium, stirring, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, 1 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, pumpkin puree, chicken broth and sausage. Bring to boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.
- Season the chili with salt and pepper. Serve, garnishing with pumpkin seeds, sour cream, cheese and avocado, if desired.
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Alton turns pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, into a sweet, crunchy candy that can keep for up to 2 weeks.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus additional for coating
- 7 ounces hulled pumpkin seeds (these are the green ones)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound 6 ounces granulated sugar
- 12 ounces water
Directions
- Place the oil and seeds into a 10-inch saute pan and set over medium-high heat. Toast the seeds while constantly moving the pan. You will smell their aroma and hear some of them begin to crackle when they are toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a small mixing bowl, add the cayenne, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine.
- Line a half sheet pan with a silicone baking mat.
- Place a 3-quart saucier inside a large cast iron skillet. Add the sugar and water to the saucepan, and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until it comes to a boil. Stop stirring, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the sugar is a light amber color, approximately 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the pumpkin seed mixture. This will greatly reduce the temperature of the sugar, so work quickly. Once evenly mixed, pour the mixture onto the prepared half sheet pan. Using an oiled spatula, spread thin. You will have to work quickly when pouring out and spreading the mixture in the pan. Cool completely, approximately 30 minutes, and then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Pumpkin Soup
When the temperatures start to drop, there’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of warm, creamy soup. This one even gets an autumnal presentation thanks to pumpkin shell bowls.
Ingredients
- 2 whole pie pumpkins
- 1 qt. vegetable or chicken stock
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1/3 c. maple syrup
- dash of nutmeg
- salt to taste
- Extra cream and toasted pumpkin seeds, for serving
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pumpkins on a cookie sheet and roast them until slightly shriveled and soft. Allow to cool slightly, then slice in half and carefully scoop out seeds and pulp. Scoop yummy flesh into a bowl. Set aside.
- In a pot, heat up the pumpkin flesh with the stock and maple syrup until simmering. Mash out the big chunks, the transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor (or use an immersion blender) and puree until velvety smooth. Add cream and nutmeg, then blend again. Season with salt to taste.
- Reheat if you need to, or just go ahead and serve!
