Thanksgiving’s coming up, and this year, I wanted to try something a bit ambitious. I wanted to roast a pumpkin. From scratch. Like a big kid.
You see, bringing a side dish to Thanksgiving is one thing, but bringing roasted pumpkin (instead of say, sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes) allows you to have a smug “Autumn Goddess” smile about you all evening. It’s not quick, but it’s worth it. The result is a comfort food-like treat that most folks don’t get.
Follow the recipe below, and see if you can use all parts of the pumpkin. The seeds are excellent roasted (use a low heat for a long period of time, essentially drying them out) and the stem could make a jaunty Thanksgiving-Day hat. Also make sure you enter the contest at the bottom of this post–you could win some sweet gear to get you in a pumpkin-roasting mood!
Start with a pumpkin that is meant for baking. I purchased mine from Top Foods, and it was a “Delicata” pumpkin. This list will tell you a bit about the various types out there, and can help you check if yours is right.
Pro Tip: If your husband sticks a mustache on your pumpkin, you will feel bad cutting it open.
Roasted Pumpkin
Ingredients:
- One small pumpkin for baking
- 1/3 cup Country Crock (plus additional for topping)
- Sea Salt
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves, or Pumpkin Pie Spice (to taste)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by covering it with aluminum foil.
Rinse the pumpkin.
Core the pumpkin (as you would if you were going to carve it) and de-seed and de-“gut” it. Keep the seeds if you want to roast them later!
Slice the pumpkin into quarters, finish scraping out the “guts”. A spoon works wonders here.
Cut the pumpkin into smaller slices–I cut it into three for every quarter.
Cut the slices into cubes and slice off the rind. Think of it like a cantaloupe.
Place the cubes in a large mixing bowl, and pour 1/3 cup of melted Country Crock over the top.
Season with the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and/or pumpkin pie mix to your tastes. I did a quick shake of everything.
Using your hands, mix together until the pumpkin pieces are thoroughly coated.
Pour the pumpkin pieces out on the baking sheet, and make sure they’re all laying flat in one layer.
Pour the remaining Country Crock from the bowl onto the tops of the pumpkin, and salt once more.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin is golden and a bit crispy on the edges, and tender on the inside.
Serve with a bit of Country Crock and salt or nutmeg to taste.
Plan on making roasted pumpkin for Thanksgiving? Hosting Thanksgiving dinner yourself? Enter this contest to win a Thanksgiving Kit that includes the following:
Check out more great recipes at CrockCountry.com and let me know what you’ll be making for Thanksgiving!
Thank you to Country Crock for being a sponsor. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Fresh, real roasted pumpkin is the best! A few weeks ago I made pumpkin pie with a pumpkin I roasted and heavy cream instead of the canned stuff, and it was phenomenal. It’s like the difference between canned green beans and fresh ones off the vine- the fresh version knocks your socks off!
Delicious! Fresh really is best.
Sweet! I’m making pumpkin bars for dessert on Thanksgiving.
Did you name the mustachioed pumpkin? It makes it twice as difficult to stab.
Yum! I didn’t name him, but Mr. Geek DID move the pumpkin around and make it talk right before I had to cut it open. There may have been some tears.
I’ve got three organic sweet pumpkins on my counter, I’m planning on making pickled pumpkin. My friend made it and it is amazing!
Roasted pumpkin is awesome!
Yum! You made it look so easy!
http://www.countrycrock.com/recipes/detail/12684/1/cranberry-orange-spiced-green-beans left a comment on
I am making cranberry relish and pumpkin bread
I am making a classic apple pie!
I’ve never even heard of pickled pumpkin! Sounds so cool!
I love putting together a pickle plate for thanksgiving. First off its really easy. Just put out a whole bunch of different things that are pickled and some cut up veggies in a semi visually appealing manner and you’re good to go. Second it’s a great excuse to try out a dozen different Pickled things. It’s fun!
http://www.countrycrock.com/recipes/detail/12684/1/cranberry-orange-spiced-green-beans
This sounds really good! I’ve yet to have success with green beans for thanksgiving. There was one terrible year I managed to make them turn gray. Perhaps with could be the winner?
This year, my cousin and I are making pumpkin cheesecake. With pumpkins grown from her garden.
That sounds delicious! I hope I can try this recipe at Thanksgiving!
I love roasted pumpkin and almost all the squashes, but man my husband doesn’t. I need to find more ways to confuse him into eating it, lol.
I think this year I’m going to try my grandmother’s cornbread stuffing recipe. It’s so good, and loaded with sage (which always tastes/smells like the holidays to me!).
Some sort of apple dessert.