Leftover Pumpkin? 5 Delicious Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Make on Repeat

It's pumpkin carving season! But after Halloween that pumpkin you spent hours carving doesn’t have to end up in the bin. Leftover pumpkin is one of the most versatile ingredients you can cook with this autumn.

Learn how to safely prep leftover pumpkin and discover 5 easy pumpkin recipes to use up the whole pumpkin.

How to prep leftover pumpkin with a GLOBAL knife

Pumpkin is a dense vegetable with a tough skin, so a dull blade is a big safety risk. Using an ultra-sharp GLOBAL knife improves kitchen safety as it effortlessly slices through the thick skin with minimal force for controlled cuts.

1. Stabilise It: Cut a thin slice off the base of the pumpkin so it sits flat.

2. Halve It: Use a GLOBAL chef’s knife or vegetable knife and press down firmly rather than sawing.

3. Scoop It: Remove the seeds and stringy pulp (save the seeds for recipe 5!)

4. Prep It: Cut into wedges, slice off the skin and dice or cube (save the skin for recipe).

Best Knife for Cutting Pumpkins

The best knife for chopping pumpkins depends on the task:

For cutting the whole pumpkin, we recommend a longer bladed knife, like the G-2 20cm Chef’s Knife, so that you can cut through the whole pumpkin in one slice with minimal force. 

For chopping and dicing pumpkin flesh into even cubes, a GLOBAL vegetable knife works well such as the G-5 or GS-5. The rectangular blades give each cut full contact with the board for clean, uniform, straight cuts.

For peeling a pumpkin, a smaller bladed knife, like the GS-38 Paring Knife, enable greater precision. The GS-68 Peeler also works well as long as the pumpkin doesn’t have deep grooves.

5 Leftover Pumpkin Recipes

1. Creamy Roasted Miso Pumpkin Soup

Prep 15min | Cook 45min | Serves 4

Toss 800g cubed pumpkin, 1 chopped onion, 3 garlic cloves and 20g sliced fresh ginger in 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast at 200°C for 30 minutes until soft and lightly caramelised.

Transfer to a pot with 750ml vegetable stock and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Turn off the heat, blend until smooth, then return to a low heat. 

Stir in 2 to 3 tbsp of white miso paste and 100ml of coconut milk. 

Taste before seasoning then add a splash of rice vinegar. Top with spring onion, a drizzle of sesame oil, toasted sesame or pumpkin seeds and some chili flakes.

2. Sage & Pumpkin Risotto

Prep 15 min | Cook 40 min | Serves 4

Warm 1 litre vegetable stock in a pan and keep it at a gentle simmer. 

Toss 300g diced pumpkin (1.5cm cubes) in 1 tbsp olive oil and roast at 200°C for 20 minutes until soft and lightly golden.

Melt 30g of butter in a wide pan over a medium heat and add a handful of sage leaves to crisp, then set aside. In the sage butter, fry 1 finely diced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves for 5 minutes until soft.

Add 300g arborio rice and stir for 1 minute then pour in 100ml of dry white wine. Once absorbed, add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring often and waiting until each is almost absorbed before adding the next. The rice should be creamy with a slight bite.

Gently fold in the roasted pumpkin, mashing about a third of it into the rice for a creamier finish.

Take off the heat and stir in 50g grated parmesan and 15g butter. Cover and rest for 2 minutes.

Season to taste. Serve topped with the crispy sage, extra parmesan and black pepper.

3. Pumpkin Bread

Prep 20 min | Cook 30 min | Serves 10

Preheat your oven to180°C. Line a 450g loaf tin with parchment paper.

Combine 180g of plain flour, 250g sugar, ¼ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp cloves, ¼ allspice in a large bowl. 

Make a well in the centre and add 250g of puréed pumpkin (roasted pumpkin blended until smooth), 115 ml vegetable oil, 80ml milk and 1 tsp of vanilla essence. Whisk until just combined.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 minutes, until the top of the bread is golden brown and a knife inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

4. Crispy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Prep 12 hours | Cook 20 min | Serves 4

Rinse and dry the pumpkin seeds by laying them flat on a clean tea towel for 8-12 hours.  

Toss the pumpkin seeds in olive oil and your favourite herbs and spices. We recommend salt, garlic granules, chilli flakes, thyme and paprika. 

Line a large baking tray with baking paper and spread the seeds in a single layer. Bake the seeds at 160°C for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. 

5. Pumpkin Hummus & Crispy Pumpkin Skin Chips

Prep 20min | Cook 30min | Serves 6

Roast 300g pumpkin at 200°C for 25-30 minutes, then cool slightly.

In a blender, add the pumpkin, one can of chickpeas (drained), 2 tbsp tahini, 1 garlic clove, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp cumin. Blend until smooth, add water if it’s too thick. 

Peel the pumpkin skin into long thin strips with a GLOBAL vegetable knife or peeler. Toss in oil and season to taste, then bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once until crisp.

Serve the hummus in a bowl garnished with roasted pumpkin seeds and olive oil with the pumpkin crisps on the side.