23 Ways to Use Up Leftover Pumpkin Purée

Written by Cheri of Kitchen Simplicity.

Last year Lynn gave a wonderful tutorial on how to make your own pumpkin purée. Whether you make your own or use a can, it seems you’re almost guaranteed to always have just a little bit left over. And, nobody likes to waste any precious pumpkin purée.

Today’s post is all about ways to use up that little bit of extra pumpkin so you can squeeze every last drop out of pumpkin season.

If you’re anything like me you like to find as many recipes as possible to help use up that last half a cup (or less) of pumpkin purée. I wanted to compile a list of recipes and ideas for doing just that and I thought I would share it with you. Make sure to tuck these ideas away for reference later. If you save them for that little extra, you’ll have something to look forward to and no reason to get bored of eating pumpkin the same way over and over.

Sometimes it makes sense to simply freeze the leftovers (especially when using canned purée) but if you already thawed your own pumpkin purée, you probably don’t want to stick it back in the freezer.

Here are a couple of ideas (and some recipes too) that use half a cup or less of pumpkin purée.

Stir it Into Your Favorite Beverage

It seems that this time of year, recipes for Pumpkin Spice Latte’s abound. But don’t limit it to just latte’s. Stir some purée into your favorite hot chocolate recipe, make a milkshake or smoothie, add it to some hot apple cider or even a cup of spiced tea. Just don’t forget to add some Pumpkin Spice!

Recipes:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte | Sugar Crafter (uses 1.5 tablespoons)
• Pumpkin-Spiced Hot Chocolate | Kitchen Simplicity (uses 1/3 cup)
• Pumpkin Pie Blizzard | Dulce Dough (uses 1/4 cup)
• Pumpkin Spice Smoothie | Healthful Pursuit (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Spice Vietnamese Iced Coffee | Food + Words (uses 1 oz)

Use it in Sweets and Baking

Not all sweets use a large amount of pumpkin. If you find a recipe that interests you, and uses a small amount of pumpkin, make note of it so you can reference it later.

Make sure to include it in some of your tried and true favorites as well. Stir some into rice pudding, frozen yogurt or ice cream, vanilla pudding or substitute it for some banana in banana bread.

Recipes:

• Pumpkin Bao Buns | Stetted (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies | Two Peas & Their Pod (uses 1/2 cup)
• Mini Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecakes | Gingerbread Bagels (uses 1/3 cup)
• Pumpkin Biscotti | Dessert for Two (uses 1/4 cup)
• Pumpkin Chai Spiced Mantecados | A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa (uses 2 oz)
• Pumpkin Garlic Knots | Handle the Heat (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Semifreddo | Tartelette (uses 1/2 cup)

Photo by the craving chronicles

Serve it Up for Breakfast

Mix it with cream cheese and spread it on a bagel, stir it into oatmeal or your favorite pancake recipe. Breakfast is the perfect vessel for including small amounts of pumpkin. Try mixing some into yogurt and layer it with granola to make a parfait or turn it into a spread and eat it with toast.

Recipes:

• Microwave Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal | The Craving Chronicles (uses 2 tablespoons)
• Pumpkin Spice Pancakes | Pennies on a Platter (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese | Easy. Everyday. Eats. (uses 1/3 cup)
• Pumpkin Spice Granola | Baking Bites  (uses 1/2 cup)
• Pumpkin Maple Butter | Healthy Happy Life (uses 1/2 cup)
• Maple Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Breakfast Parfait | The Yummy Life (uses 1/2 cup)

Use it for Dinner

Pumpkin isn’t only for sweets, it has it’s place on the dinner table too. Stir some into risotto or a creamy pasta sauce. Add it to soup to give it some body and warmth or use it as a substitute for squash to switch up an old favorite.

Don’t forget about mashed potatoes! Give them a well-buttered look by adding a few tablespoons of pumpkin purée in while mashing. Delicious!

Recipes

• Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Cream Sauce | Cheeky Kitchen (uses 1/2 cup)
• Super Mac & Cheese | Simple Bites (uses 1/2 cup)
• Easy-As-Pie Pumpkin Rotini | Simply Stardust (uses 6 spoonfuls)
• Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter | Dishing up Delights (uses 1/2 cup)
• Spicy Pumpkin Hummus | Once Upon a Cutting Board (uses 1/2 cup)

With a little bit of creativity no pumpkin need go to waste. Have fun experimenting and if something doesn’t turn out, don’t sweat it. That’s all part of the fun of experimenting in the kitchen.

What do you do with the little bit of pumpkin leftover?

Tagged as: holiday, Menu Plan, pumpkin, pumpkin puree, Recipe