Baked Pumpkin | Vegetables Recipes | Jamie Oliver Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why does my baked pumpkin go soggy? ›

Recipe FAQs

To prevent sogginess, you'll want to cook the pumpkin at high heat. That's why I use a 425°F oven. It also helps to cube the pumpkin before baking it. This helps achieve crispy edges on the pumpkin pieces.

If you are making pumpkin for pumpkin puree, then there is no need to peel the skin first because the flesh just gets pulled away from the skin. However, if you want to make cubed roasted pumpkin, then it is best to peel before you roast it in the oven.

We are left with the pumpkin husk and stem. For the pumpkin flesh, you can carve or bake it. Both are equally tempting, but since this post focuses on cooking, I'll give you some ways to cook pumpkin flesh. You can bake, roast, puree, and do so many other things to pumpkin flesh.

If you'd rather have flaky layers, par-bake the crust and let it cool before adding the filling. But don't dock it (docking is aerating the crust before baking by poking it with the tines of a fork). This will cause the custard to seep out into the bottom crust, defeating that whole "flaky" thing you were going for.

Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven. The layer will absorb moisture and prevent the filling from turning the crust soggy.

The Sugar Pie Pumpkin is often considered the crème de la crème of cooking pumpkins. Its deep orange flesh is sweet, smooth, and creamy, making it perfect for pies, soups, and purees. This culinary gem pairs beautifully with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, creating irresistible autumnal flavors.

Canned Pumpkin Delivers Consistent Results

That means your homemade puree can either yield a perfectly lush pumpkin pie from scratch or one that's unpleasant and watery. Because canned pumpkin has the same texture can after can, “you'll get a consistent result with your recipes every time,” explains Maggie.

Carving pumpkins are typically thinner and easier to saw into. They also have less guts on the inside, which are also grainier and stringier, making them easier to clean. Pie pumpkins, meant for baking, are usually smaller and more rounded.

For a 2-3 pound sugar pumpkin (also called a pie pumpkin), we like to bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 Celsius) for 45-50 minutes. You'll know it's done when the skin is tender when pierced with a fork. Let the pumpkin cool slightly before handling.

Pierce the pumpkin deeply with a fork 4-5 times around the exterior. Spray a sheet pan and the exterior of the pumpkin with non-stick cooking spray. Place the pumpkin onto the sheet pan and place the entire thing into the preheated oven. Roast for 1 hour or until extremely tender.

How do you keep pumpkins from getting mushy? ›

Lastly, ensure your vegetables are at room temperature and as dry as possible before coating them in oil for roasting. Cold or wet veggies take longer to brown, which can result in soft, mushy interiors by the time the outside is browned.

Too much hot sun will speed up a pumpkin's decaying process, as will rain. Moisture from rain can lead to mold and mush, which no one wants on their beautiful pumpkins!

Anyone who has seen The Great British Bakeoff knows to avoid a soggy, underbaked crust. Why this happens: The pie was underbaked, or the oven temperature wasn't high enough. This is another problem that can occur when you haven't baked a pumpkin pie long enough, or if the oven temperature wasn't high enough.