How to Cut Pumpkin for Cooking
Preparing fresh pumpkin for cooking can seem intimidating due to its thick skin and firm flesh, but with the right technique, it’s easy and rewarding! Fresh pumpkin brings a rich, natural flavor to recipes, and it’s perfect for roasting, soups, or even air frying. Follow these simple steps to safely cut, peel, and cube your pumpkin, making it ready for any dish you’d like to create.
Equipment
- Spoon for scooping seeds
- Peeler optional, but a knife may work better
- Storage Dish for seeds, if you wish to keep them for roasting
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Small or large
Instructions
- Wash the pumpkin thoroughly to remove any dirt.
- Place the pumpkin on a stable cutting board.
- Use a large, sharp knife to carefully make an incision around the middle of the pumpkin.
- Press down to split the pumpkin in half.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy insides.
- Discard or set aside the seeds if you’d like to roast them later.
- Cut each half of the pumpkin in half again to create quarters.
- Hold each quarter securely and use a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the skin.
- Slice each peeled quarter into wedges.
- Cut each wedge into cubes, making them as even in size as possible.
Notes
- A sharp knife is essential for cutting through the pumpkin’s tough skin.
- Peeling with a knife may be faster than using a peeler for thick-skinned pumpkins.
- Save the seeds for roasting by rinsing, seasoning, and baking them in the oven.