Roasted Pumpkin

Sweet roasted pumpkin seasoned with olive oil, cinnamon powder, and brown sugar is definitely a wonderful savory side dish for any occasion. The oven-roasting method is one of the best ways to make tasty pumpkins! Personally, I am a pumpkin lover and I love having sweet pumpkin either as a side dish or dessert.

What does roasted pumpkin taste like? Fresh pumpkin tastes like winter squash, butternut, or acorn but sweeter. Roasted pumpkin is much sweeter and tastes great with crispy fibers and tender flesh.

Pumpkin is not just for Halloween decoration or pie filling, it also possesses lots of health benefits including reducing the risk of developing certain cancers, increasing protection against asthma and heart disease, and also reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Let’s dive into the great roasted pumpkin recipe which is great for snacks or side dishes. You can also save the seeds for further roasting.

Recipe Ingredients

Here are the ingredients:

• 3 pounds of pumpkin – You may use different types of pumpkin. In this recipe, I used Bei Bei pumpkin and traditional Japanese pumpkin. Also, you can choose whether to peel off the pumpkin skin or not for roasting.

• 1/4 cup of brown sugar – Brown sugar is naturally moist, it will enhance the softness and moisture of the baked goods. Brown sugar also provides extra caramel or toffee-like flavor compared to the white sugar. Using brown sugar also makes the pumpkin looks better with a darker color tone.
• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon – One of the most popular spices worldwide with sweet and woody flavour, suitable for roasting pumpkin. It also enhances the color of the roasted pumpkin. In U.S., cinnamon is commonly used to flavor apple pie, baked goods and cereals.
• 1/2 tsp of salt – Salt is used to enhance the flavoring of the roasted pumpkin. Don’t skip it!
• 2 tbsp of Olive oil – Roasting with oil produces moist and tender roast goods. There are many options you can choose other than olive oil, eg. peanut oil, cooking oil or even melted butter. I recommend olive oil because it helps to cut down “bad” cholesterol and saturated fat in your roasting recipe and it is considered as good fat.

What Type of Pumpkin is Suitable for Roasting?

You may choose any kind of pumpkin for roasting. However, the best pumpkins for roasting are smaller ones – anywhere from two to six pounds. These kinds of pumpkin are labeled as “sugar pumpkin” or “pie pumpkin”. These pumpkins are best for cooking and roasting. They are sweet and flavorful.

In today’s recipe, I have chosen “Bei Bei” pumpkin and Japanese pumpkin. “Bei Bei” pumpkin is small, but its aroma is more fragrant than chestnuts and sweeter than sweet potatoes. The natural sweetness is enough to conquer the taste buds even without any seasoning. On the other hand, Japanese pumpkin, a.k.a Kobacha squash is perfect for roasting, pureeing, and cooking.

How to Cut a Pumpkin?

Cutting pumpkins is not an easy task, especially for the big ones. Here are a few simple steps to get it done easily and safely. Follow the tips and video tutorial below.

• You need a sharp knife that is suitable for cutting pumpkin.
• Place the pumpkin on a steady work surface. It is more steady when you place it on its bottom.
• Try to not cut through the stem if the stem is big (The big stem is the hardest part of a pumpkin).
• Insert the knife and start the cut from top down. Once the knife is in, press it down toward the cutting board.
• If you can’t finish cutting the pumpkin into half in one cut, you can pull the knife out and turn the pumpkin away from you like a wheel and repeat until you cut the pumpkin into halves.
• Use a large metal spoon to scope out the seeds (you may save the seeds for roasting).
• Use a sharp knife to cut the pumpkin into slices, around 1 – 1.5 inches thick.

Tips You Need to Know for the Best Roasted Pumpkin

How do you roast pumpkin so it doesn’t go soggy?

Turn the oven temperature up to high temperature, around 400°F to 425°F. High heat can help to coax out all those natural sweet flavorings immediately while keeping the pumpkin tender-crisp and caramelized.

Do you cover pumpkin when roasting?

No, you should not cover the pumpkin when roasting them in the oven. This is because covering vegetables will steam them instead of browning them. When you steam them, the pumpkin will become soggy and soft instead of crispy and caramelized.

Should I roast or steam pumpkin?

Well, I’m a big fan of roasting it. Roasting the pumpkin in a hot oven creates the best crispy texture and it also caramelizes the pumpkin and brings out its soft and sweet flavor.

Do you peeled off the pumpkin skin when roasting?

It depends. Normally I wouldn’t peel the pumpkin skin off and only remove it after cooking if needed. However, you also can peel the pumpkin skin before roasting. It is your own preference.

How to Make Roasted Pumpkins?

1. Wash and dry the pumpkins.
2. Cut the pumpkins into slices (follow my video tutorial).

3. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
4. Place the pumpkin slices on the tray. Spread a layer of oil on both sides of the pumpkin surfaces.

5. Add in the ground cinnamon, brown sugar and salt evenly.

6. Put the tray into the oven. Roast them until tender, usually around 30 minutes. You may toss them halfway to make sure they are roasted evenly on both sides.

7. Serve immediately.