As the leaves turn and the air grows crisp, there’s nothing quite like bringing the warmth of the season into your kitchen with homemade pumpkin recipes. From savoury curries to sweet treats, this versatile squash deserves a starring role in your autumn cooking. I’ve rounded up fifteen of my favourite ways to use it, tested to ensure every dish delivers on flavour and texture.

Why You’ll Love This List

• Every recipe uses fresh, whole-food ingredients you can find at any supermarket.
• From breakfast to dessert, there’s a pumpkin dish here for every meal of the day.
• Most recipes are naturally gluten-free or can be adapted with simple swaps.
• You’ll learn clever prep tricks that save time without sacrificing taste.
• Each dish is balanced — creamy, spicy, sweet, or savoury — never one-note.

Homemade Pumpkin Recipes

15 min prep  ·  30 min cook  ·  4 servings

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1. Spiced Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry

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A fragrant, warming curry that comes together in under 40 minutes. The pumpkin softens into the spiced coconut broth while the chickpeas add a hearty bite.

Ingredients

• 500 g pumpkin, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 400 g tin chickpeas, drained
• 200 ml vegetable stock

Instructions

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes until translucent.
2. Stir in the curry powder and cumin, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the diced pumpkin, coconut milk, stock, and chickpeas, then bring to a gentle boil.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and the sauce has thickened.
5. Season with salt and serve over steamed basmati rice with a squeeze of lime.

Quick tip: Toast a few extra cumin seeds in a dry pan and sprinkle over the curry just before serving for added crunch.

2. Pumpkin and Coconut Pancakes

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Fluffy, golden pancakes made with pumpkin purée and coconut milk — they’re naturally sweet and incredibly moist. A drizzle of maple syrup is all they need.

Ingredients

• 200 g pumpkin purée
• 150 ml coconut milk
• 1 egg
• 150 g self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Butter, for frying

Instructions

1. Whisk the pumpkin purée, coconut milk, and egg together in a large bowl until smooth.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sugar into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined — a few lumps are fine.
3. Melt a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
4. Drop ladlefuls of batter into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more.
5. Serve the pancakes stacked, drizzled with maple syrup and a dusting of cinnamon.

Quick tip: Let the batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking — this allows the flour to hydrate and results in fluffier pancakes.

3. Pumpkin and Feta Stuffed Shells

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Jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with a creamy pumpkin and feta filling, then baked in a simple tomato sauce. The salty feta balances the sweet pumpkin perfectly.

Ingredients

• 250 g jumbo pasta shells
• 400 g pumpkin purée
• 150 g feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 egg, beaten
• 400 ml passata
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 50 g grated mozzarella

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta shells in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet directs, then drain and set aside.
2. Mix the pumpkin purée, feta, and beaten egg together in a bowl until well combined.
3. Spread the passata over the base of a baking dish and stir in the oregano.
4. Fill each shell with a spoonful of the pumpkin mixture and arrange them snugly in the dish.
5. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top and bake at 190°C for 25 minutes until bubbling and golden.

Quick tip: If the shells begin to tear, cook them for one minute less next time — they will firm up again during baking.

4. Pumpkin and Lentil Dahl

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A nourishing, one-pot dahl where red lentils break down to create a creamy base for tender pumpkin chunks. Turmeric and ginger give it a golden hue and gentle warmth.

Ingredients

• 300 g pumpkin, cubed
• 200 g red lentils, rinsed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cm fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 600 ml vegetable stock
• 200 ml coconut milk

Instructions

1. Fry the onion in the oil for 5 minutes until soft, then add the ginger and spices and cook for 1 minute.
2. Tip in the lentils, pumpkin, and stock, then bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.
3. Stir in the coconut milk and cook for another 5 minutes until the lentils are completely soft.
4. Mash a few of the pumpkin chunks against the side of the pot to thicken the dahl further.
5. Season with salt and serve with warm naan bread and a wedge of lemon.

Quick tip: For a deeper flavour, fry the spices in the oil for an extra 30 seconds before adding the onion.

5. Pumpkin and Sage Risotto

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A creamy risotto where roasted pumpkin is folded through at the end, giving each grain of rice a velvety coating. Crispy sage leaves add texture and a herbal hit.

Ingredients

• 400 g pumpkin, diced
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock, hot
• 300 g Arborio rice
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 100 ml double cream
• 50 g grated Parmesan
• 12 fresh sage leaves

Instructions

1. Roast the pumpkin at 200°C for 25 minutes until soft, then mash half and keep the rest in cubes.
2. Fry the onion in 1 tbsp oil for 5 minutes, then add the rice and stir for 2 minutes until the grains are translucent at the edges.
3. Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir constantly until absorbed, then continue adding stock one ladle at a time for 18 minutes.
4. Fold in the mashed pumpkin, cubed pumpkin, cream, and Parmesan, then season and remove from the heat.
5. Fry the sage leaves in the remaining oil for 30 seconds until crispy, then scatter over the risotto to serve.

Quick tip: Keep the stock at a gentle simmer throughout — adding cold stock will stop the rice cooking evenly.

6. Pumpkin and Black Bean Tacos

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Spiced, roasted pumpkin takes centre stage in these vibrant tacos, paired with smoky black beans and a zesty lime crema. They’re fresh, filling, and full of contrast.

Ingredients

• 400 g pumpkin, sliced into sticks
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 400 g tin black beans, drained
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 100 ml soured cream
• Juice of 1 lime
• Fresh coriander, to serve

Instructions

1. Toss the pumpkin sticks with oil, paprika, and cumin, then roast at 220°C for 20 minutes until charred at the edges.
2. Warm the black beans in a small pan over low heat with a pinch of salt and a splash of water.
3. Mix the soured cream with the lime juice and a pinch of salt to make the crema.
4. Warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan for 30 seconds each side.
5. Fill each tortilla with black beans, roasted pumpkin, a drizzle of crema, and fresh coriander.

Quick tip: For extra char, place the pumpkin under a hot grill for the final 2 minutes of roasting.

7. Pumpkin and Tahini Dip

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A silky, savoury dip that pairs roasted pumpkin with nutty tahini and a hint of lemon. It’s excellent as a spread on toast or a dip for raw vegetables.

Ingredients

• 500 g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp tahini
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

8. Roasted Pumpkin and Sage Soup

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This velvety soup gets its deep, caramelised flavour from roasting the pumpkin before blending. The earthy sage cuts through the sweetness beautifully, making it a bowl of pure autumn comfort.

Per Serving: Calories: 180 · Protein: 4g · Fats: 9g · Carbs: 22g · Fiber: 5g · Sugar: 8g

Ingredients

• 1 kg pumpkin, peeled and cubed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 100 ml double cream

Instructions

1. Toss the pumpkin cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt, then roast at 200°C for 30 minutes until golden and tender.
2. Fry the onion in the remaining oil over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened, then stir in the garlic for 1 minute.
3. Add the roasted pumpkin and sage leaves to the pot, pour in the stock, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Blend the soup until completely smooth using a stick blender, then stir in the cream and season to taste.
5. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with a little extra cream and a fried sage leaf on top.

Quick tip: For an even silkier texture, pass the blended soup through a fine sieve before adding the cream.

9. Pumpkin and Spinach Lasagne

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Layers of pasta, creamy béchamel, roasted pumpkin, and wilted spinach create a vegetarian lasagne that rivals any meat version. The pumpkin adds a subtle sweetness that lifts the whole dish.

Per Serving: Calories: 480 · Protein: 18g · Fats: 22g · Carbs: 50g · Fiber: 7g · Sugar: 10g

Ingredients

• 600 g pumpkin, thinly sliced
• 9 dried lasagne sheets
• 200 g fresh spinach
• 50 g butter
• 50 g plain flour
• 600 ml whole milk
• 100 g grated Parmesan
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

Instructions

1. Roast the pumpkin slices at 200°C for 15 minutes until just tender, then set aside.
2. Wilt the spinach in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, then squeeze out excess water and chop roughly.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth and thick.
4. Stir the garlic and half the Parmesan into the sauce, then season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
5. Layer lasagne sheets, pumpkin, spinach, and sauce in a dish, repeating three times, then top with remaining Parmesan.
6. Bake at 190°C for 35 minutes until the top is golden and the pasta is cooked through.

Quick tip: Let the lasagne rest for 10 minutes after baking — this helps the layers hold together when you cut into them.

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