How to cook yellow pumpkin? It can be cooked in different ways with pumpkin cooking times that vary depending on the choice: in the oven, in a pan, in an air fryer, grilled, in the microwave, or simply boiled, but I could list more even though today I will focus on the main ones. I often hear questions about how to cook pumpkin, how to cook spinach or how to cook dried and fresh beans, questions that may seem obvious to cooking enthusiasts, but in reality, not everyone finds them so.
That’s why I decided to write not a real recipe, but small cooking lessons that I hope will be useful for those who, like me years ago, started to take the first steps in this wonderful world!
TRY ALSO:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Oven, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 54.60 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.13 (g) of which sugars 3.45 (g)
- Proteins 1.25 (g)
- Fat 2.63 (g) of which saturated 0.41 (g)of which unsaturated 2.11 (g)
- Fibers 0.63 (g)
- Sodium 485.78 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs pumpkin
- to taste salt
- to taste olive oil
Tools
Each method of cooking pumpkin requires the right tool, for example, for grilling you will need a grill, for boiling, a saucepan will suffice, and for air frying, you need an air fryer, etc.
- Air Fryer
- Cast Iron Grill
- Saucepan
- Pan
- Baking Tray
- Baking Dish for microwave
How to cook pumpkin and cooking times
There are several ways to cook pumpkin, here I will show you the steps and cooking times for each of the most common ones, but how do you clean it?
Before starting to see together how to cook pumpkin, let’s address how to clean it.
You can use yellow pumpkin, Mantua pumpkin, delicia pumpkin, or long pumpkin; they are all suitable for great recipes.Wash the pumpkin well, then cut it in half and remove the seeds along with the fibers. Don’t throw away the seeds but recycle them by preparing tasty oven-toasted pumpkin seeds!
Proceed to cut it into slices, wedges, or pieces, you can prepare it with or without the skin depending on the type of cooking you choose.
Oven-baked pumpkin is one of the classic methods for a delightful autumn side dish. You can cook the pumpkin with the skin because after cooking it will be very easy to remove.
Cut the pumpkin into slices not too thick but all the same to ensure even cooking, then place them in a baking tray greased with olive oil or possibly on a sheet of parchment paper. Depending on the use, you can season them with herbs and a clove of garlic sliced.
Oven-baked pumpkin cooking time: bake at 356°F for 45 minutes in static mode.
Here’s how to cook pumpkin in the microwave, in simple steps and very little cooking time the pumpkin will be soft, ready to be used for your chosen recipe.
Cut the pumpkin as you prefer, maintaining the same dimensions as much as possible: in slices, large wedges, or pieces and place it in a microwave-safe container, it’s advisable to leave the skin on. If preferred, the whole pumpkin can also be cooked.
Microwave pumpkin cooking time: cook at maximum power for 15 minutes if your oven reaches 750 w, otherwise for 10 minutes with an oven at 900 w.
To prepare grilled pumpkin, you will need a grill pan or a cast iron griddle (I prefer it!). A simple and light cooking method that makes pumpkin tasty, a great autumn side dish to season with herbs, chili, and fresh garlic.
Prepare uniform and not too thick slices, peel them and arrange them on the griddle that you have previously heated well.
Grilled pumpkin cooking time: cook the pumpkin for 4-5 minutes on each side, it should be soft and have the classic grill marks.
Cooking pumpkin in a pan is undoubtedly simple even for beginners. It cooks in small pieces cut fairly equally with a drizzle of oil. A great side dish.
Cut the pumpkin first into wedges and then into pieces, removing the skin. Add a drizzle of oil to a non-stick pan and distribute the pumpkin. If it sticks too much to the pan during cooking, you can add a few tablespoons of water.
Pan-fried pumpkin cooking time: cook the pumpkin in the pan for a few minutes over high heat, then lower the heat and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes.
It’s the ideal cooking for making pureed pumpkin, as its softness and the addition of a little cooking water allow you to blend it with an immersion blender until obtaining a smooth cream, suitable for recipes like lasagna, risotto, desserts, etc.
Cut the pumpkin into wedges, remove the skin, and then cut it into pieces. Boil it in a saucepan full of lightly salted water.
Boiled pumpkin cooking time: cook the pumpkin for about 15-20 minutes from boiling. Check the cooking by piercing with the tines of a fork, it should be very soft.
An innovative cooking method thanks to this appliance that has recently entered our homes. With the air fryer, the pumpkin remains soft inside and the flavor is preserved. A much healthier cooking method than classic frying.
Cut the pumpkin into slices not too thin, remove the skin, and place them in the air fryer basket, taking care not to overlap them. Spray a little olive oil evenly over the top.
Air fryer pumpkin cooking time: set the air fryer to 374°F and cook for about 18 minutes, turning the slices halfway through cooking.
If you want to season the pumpkin to use it as a side dish, I recommend chopping a mix of herbs (marjoram, basil, rosemary, sage, etc.) and accompanying the dressing with extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic cut into slices, and hot pepper for those who like it. You’ll taste the goodness!
Storage and Tips
Storage: cooked pumpkin can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days kept in an airtight container, the storage time may vary slightly depending on the chosen cooking method.
Tips: before deciding which cooking method to adopt, I recommend evaluating which dish you want to make because each recipe fits the right cooking method.
Tips: before deciding which cooking method to adopt, I recommend evaluating which dish you want to make because each recipe fits the right cooking method.
