Pumpkin Recipes for Every Meal

Autumn has fallen and pumpkin season is here

Pumpkins are not only great for pies and carving—they’re also versatile and deliciously easy to incorporate into every meal.

So roll up your sleeves, put on your apron, and celebrate this season’s pumpkin harvest with these recipes from Angie Quaale, local food expert, chef and BBQ champion of Langley’s Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store.

Here are Angie’s pumpkin-licious recipes for every meal…

1. Pumpkin Breakfast Parfait

“Wake up to fall with this pumpkin breakfast parfait. It smells, tastes and has all the colours of autumn. It’s a nutritious start your day.”

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 2/3 cups pumpkin purée
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ cup granola
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• pecans or your favourite nuts and seeds for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. While the quinoa is cooking, mix yogurt, pumpkin and pumpkin spice together.
2. Fill the bottom of two glasses with the granola. Spoon ½ cup of the yogurt pumpkin mixture into a glass.
3. Once quinoa is fully cooked, season with cinnamon and let cool in the fridge for 15 minutes.
4. Once cool, add ½ cup quinoa to parfait, then top with remaining Greek yogurt. Sprinkle with pecans or your favourite nuts and seeds. Serve and enjoy!

2. Pumpkin Chili

“There’s nothing like a comforting bowl of chili on a breezy day in fall. Adding pumpkins makes it extra hearty and seasonal for lunch and dinner.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1lb lean ground pork from Johnston’s
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice
• ½ can tomato paste
• 2 (15.25 oz) cans black beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée
• 4 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• Chipotle hot sauce (season to taste)
• Diced Mexican avocados, cheese and sour cream (season to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium sauté pan, brown the ground pork. Drain and put aside.
2. Combine the chili powder, cumin, salt, onions and bell pepper in the pan and cook until the onions are translucent (approximately 5 minutes). 
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beans and pumpkin. Stir to combine. Then add in the cooked pork and continue to stir.
4. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat and simmer for one hour.
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional hot sauce as required.
6. Serve with your favourite chili toppings, such as cheese, sour cream or diced Mexican avocados.

3. Pumpkin Quinoa Salad

“This is a nutritious and tasty salad that is convenient for a packed lunch or as a side for a family dinner.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb pumpkin, peeled and cut into one-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp Spanish extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp Moroccan seasoning
• 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 4 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 cup toasted unsalted pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or any leafy green of your choosing
• Dried B.C. cranberries (season to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, sauté the pumpkin in the butter until it is fork tender and golden brown (about 20 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, sauté the shallot in 1 tbsp. butter with the Moroccan seasoning.
3. Add the quinoa and 1½ cups cold water. Turn the heat to high and cover.
4. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.
5. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
6. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice and olive oil to make a quick vinaigrette.
7. Transfer the warm quinoa to a large bowl. Add the cooked pumpkin seeds and cranberries, if desired.
8. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently with the vinaigrette to combine. Garnish with the crumbled feta and cilantro (or any leafy green of your choosing).

4. Pumpkin Ravioli

“These pumpkin raviolis are best when served with a warm bowl of pumpkin soup.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb B.C. pumpkin, diced
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 50 g finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 50 g fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon chopped sage
• 1 egg beaten plus extra (for brushing)
• 8 wonton wrappers
• salt and pepper (season to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Roast pumpkin until soft and golden brown. Allow to cool and drain off excess liquid.
2. Mash with a fork and mix with garlic, Parmesan, breadcrumbs and sage.
3. Season with salt and pepper then fold in the beaten egg.
4. Place a small spoonful of pumpkin mixture onto the centre of the wonton wrapper.
5. Brush outside of the wonton wrapper with egg and fold in half to seal. 
6. Cook in plenty of boiling salted water for a few minutes. Enjoy!

5. Pumpkin Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 x 14 oz cans of pumpkin purée
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 tbsp Thai green curry paste
• 3 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
• Salt and pepper (season to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, melt the butter.
2. Sauté the onion and the garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the curry paste and orange juice concentrate, stir to combine.
4. Stir in the coconut milk, broth and purée.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer until the soup is heated through, about 10 minutes.
6. Carefully pour the soup into a blender or food processor in small batches and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and cook another 10 minutes. 
7. Serve with toasted pumpkin seeds and an avocado slice for garnish.

6. Pumpkin Crème Brulee

“Mmm… the combination of pumpkin, Canadian maple syrup and cinnamon makes a warm, sweet toasty treat for the fall.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin purée
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup plus 8 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp pure vanilla
• 4 cups heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin purée, egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, maple syrup, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and vanilla until combined.
3. In a heavy saucepan, heat the cream just to the boiling point. Pour the cream into the pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine.
4. Divide the mixture into 12 six-ounce ramekins. Place the ramekins into a baking pan and add warm water, filing the pan to halfway up the ramekin.
5. Bake 45 to 60 minutes until the custard is just set. Cool thoroughly then refrigerate a minimum of four hours.
6. Just before serving, preheat the broiler and sprinkle the top of each custard with 2 tsp of sugar. Place under the broiler to caramelize (approximately 1 to 2 minutes). Or, use a culinary torch to achieve the same result.