Do you feel it? There’s a slight chill in the morning air. The leaves are beginning to turn, weekends are filled with football, and the whole country is going nuts for pumpkin. It’s fall, and to help usher in the cooler weather and everything autumn, we’ve found the best pumpkin recipes that you can do yourself.
Pumpkin isn’t just a trendy fall food that when laced with cinnamon and nutmeg makes you pull your sweaters and UGGs out of storage — it’s a vegetable packed with nutritional benefits. In other words, fall isn’t the only reason to eat it.
Pumpkin is a great recipe addition as it has a mild flavor and fits into a wide range of diets. It’s low in calories and loaded with beta carotene, an antioxidant that can help protect against cancer, aging, and heart disease.
So, the next time you’re whipping up a new pumpkin recipe, credit your affinity to the health benefits, not just the trends.
You may have had apple butter — another fall favorite — but pumpkin butter is a unique, delicious, and versatile treat. Put it on your toast, use it to marinate meats, or take a spoonful when you’re feeling indulgent. This particular recipe comes from Wicked Good Kitchen, where blogger Stacy loads the internet with delicious baked goods. The ingredients are simple and easily found. Stacy even offers several variations to switch up the recipe every time you make it.
If you’ve never made a soup with winter squash, this recipe for spiced pumpkin, carrot, and sweet potato soup is the perfect opportunity. Helen at Fuss Free Flavours creates simple and fun recipes for every family and any meal. This particular soup is a cinch to put together. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds for double the pumpkin benefits.
Ania, the blogger at Lazy Cat Kitchen, shares countless beautiful, tasty plant-based foods. This recipe for vegan ravioli with pumpkin and ricotta is made with homemade pasta and vegan ricotta cheese. The filling is made of a list of simple ingredients that allows the pumpkin to shine through. If you’re not a vegan, you can just as easily use traditional ricotta cheese — but why mess with a good thing?
Risotto is a labor of love that requires consistent stirring and adding, as the star of the show — Arborio rice — takes on liquid to make a creamy dish unlike any other. This particular risotto found on Food.com from user dale7793 is relatively traditional, but with the addition of our favorite winter squash. Serve this with a crusty bread and green salad for a complete meal. Or eat it alone when the need for comfort food strikes.
Maegan is The BakerMama, a blogger known for making delicious sweet treats for the entire family. This healthy flourless pumpkin bread recipe only has six ingredients! For someone who’s never made bread, this is the perfect introduction. It’s sweetened with maple syrup, so the sweetness is not overpowering. Maegan suggests using gluten-free oats to hold it together if you want to keep the recipe completely free of gluten.
When you’re watching your waistline or simply trying to eat better, cravings can get the best of you. The next time you need something sweet and are eyeing that ice cream case at the grocery store, try this instead. From blogger Tiffany McCauley at The Gracious Pantry, this clean eating pumpkin ice cream will load you up with cold, sweet flavor — minus all the usual calories, fat, and sugar.
Is it dessert? Is it breakfast? The great thing about these no-bake pumpkin balls is that they’re versatile — eat them whenever you’d like! From Turning the Clock Back blogger Diane, this recipe is a simple way to get some healthy ingredients into your day with minimal effort. They’re also a great option if you want a sweet treat, but don’t want to turn the oven on. In 10 minutes, you could be enjoying these little nuggets of pumpkin and nut butter goodness.
Overnight oats are the busy person’s answer to a filling and healthy breakfast. From Erin at Well Plated, this recipe is a great morning treat, especially on a crisp fall morning. This particular batch is made overnight in your slow cooker. As if eating the oats isn’t enough, imagine waking up to the smell of this sweet goodness wafting through your home.
Sweet treats rarely have much protein in them, but these pumpkin pie protein no-bake bites are an exception. Use your favorite protein powder to make poppable pumpkin bites that you can enjoy for breakfast, dessert, or on the go. From blogger Alexis at Hummusapien, the recipe uses coconut flour, medjool dates, and other healthful ingredients. She even provides a version without protein powder if you’d rather opt for traditional no-bake bites.
Kim at Kim’s Cravings aspires to create healthy options to fit all of your cravings. This particular recipe for pumpkin hummus is a unique take on a Mediterranean favorite. It uses several traditional hummus ingredients — like chickpeas and tahini — but adds pumpkin for a unique treat. Serve it with pita or tortilla chips, or even fresh, raw vegetables. We like that this dish is so easy to put together. If unexpected guests show up, you can have it on the table in 10 minutes.
If you’ve never added pumpkin to your autumn chili, now’s your chance. This recipe from Shannon at The Glowing Fridge combines just the right ingredients to make a savory, warming treat when the weather starts to get cold. Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, you won’t miss the meat in your bowl. This chili is packed with flavors and bright colors. Make a big pot, as it’s likely even better on the second day.
