Pantry
Pie who?
Canned pumpkin — also known as pumpkin puree — is a hot commodity during the fall months, especially around Thanksgiving. It’s a main ingredient in pumpkin pie, the Thanksgiving holiday’s signature dessert. But there are a lot of other recipes you can use canned pumpkin for — not just for sweet treats like pastries and pies, but also savory foods like breakfast dishes, vegetarian-friendly dinners, and even dog treats.
Worth noting, canned pumpkin has some health and nutritional benefits. It’s high in fiber, so it can lower cholesterol and keep you full longer. Plus, it contains important vitamins like Vitamin A, which strengthens the immune system (and so necessary as the days get colder and people spend more time indoors). It also tastes delicious with a lot of other flavors that you wouldn’t necessarily expect it to pair well with. Who would have thought that pumpkin could taste good in a pasta dish?
So if you have a stockpile of canned pumpkin in your pantry and are looking for creative ways to use it, or you simply will find any excuse to indulge in anything and everything pumpkin-related, these recipes will help you use some canned pumpkin in all sorts of delicious meals.
1
Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Kathryn Kitchen Blog’s pumpkin spice pancakes will give you the opportunity to incorporate canned pumpkin into your breakfast. The recipe, which was developed by Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog, calls for 3 tablespoons of canned pumpkin for 10 pancakes.
2
Pumpkin Chili
This pumpkin chili from Kathleen’s Cravings is full of delicious, healthy ingredients including an entire 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree. You can make it in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours or on the stovetop for only 45 minutes.
3
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
Two completely different foods that unexpectedly taste amazing together: pumpkin and cheese. These pumpkin cheesecake bites from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog are an adorable addition to Thanksgiving dinner, or a cute dessert to treat yourself with so you can use up the extra canned pumpkin.
4
Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake
Bundt cake is underrated. Here’s a unique recipe, from King Arthur Baking, that has an interesting flavor combination of pumpkin and espresso. It’s a great option for people who love coffee — or alternatively, don’t love icing on their cake. You can get a bundt cake pan here.
5
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats
You can’t leave the dog without a pumpkin-flavored treat. These dog treats from Kathleen’s Cravings are made with canned pumpkin — which can help with some doggy health issues — and other dog-safe ingredients. You can make them as fun as they look in this picture with this bone-shaped cookie cutter.
6
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
Another breakfast idea: pumpkin puree in The Healthy Foodie’s overnight oats. With the pumpkin will complement the cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecan flavors perfectly. It’s a great way to start an autmun morning.
7
Soft Pumpkin Pull Apart Rolls
The best part of Thanksgiving dinner is the rolls, and if you wanted to make them a little more fancy, then you could try these pumpkin rolls. They pull apart easily, making them simple to serve.
8
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
If you want a dessert idea with pumpkin that no one else will think of, try pumpkin whoopie pies. They’re essentially a cream cheese icing sandwich, so if you’re the type of person who loves the icing the best, you should try these.
9
Pumpkin Pie Dip
This pumpkin pie dessert dip pairs well with sliced apples, shortbread cookies, molasses cookies, graham crackers, creme filled wafers, according to blogger Princess Pinky Girl. This could be a good appetizer or dessert.
10
Pumpkin Lasagna with Sausage and Kale
Lasagna may not be a Thanksgiving meal, but this pumpkin lasagna with sausage and kale from Table for Two is something you could make once all the leftovers are gone and you need to use up the canned pumpkin. If your kids are picky, this is a great way to get them to eat some kale.
11
Vegan Cream Cheese Stuffed Pumpkin Rolls
Pumpkin-based foods are cuter when they’re shaped like pumpkins. Make It Dairy Free’s vegan cream cheese stuffed rolls are a dairy-free option for Thanksgiving dinner, and they may take a little more effort, but it’s totally worth it.
12
Easy Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin bread is a really popular treat, and this one looks so yummy — and most importantly, it’s easy to make. This recipe, from Taste and Tell Blog, calls for a whole cup of pumpkin puree.
A lot of these options are not only delicious, but healthy — so you have plenty of ideas here that will let you get some canned pumpkin into your daily life. It doesn’t get yummier than that.
