As I mentioned in this recipe, in some parts of the world pumpkin pie—and by extension pumpkin spice and pumpkin purée—is more than food; it’s a whole vibe, an entire season unto itself.

When we moved from Canada to Europe some moons ago, we quickly realized this wasn’t something you could just grab at the store. No cans of pumpkin pie filling, no pumpkin purée, not even the familiar spice blends. Nada.

So we did the quintessentially European thing and made our own. That journey eventually included growing our own pumpkins organically—and even entering them in a local growers’ competition at one point.

This purée is the result of that labour of love for all things pumpkin.

And a fun note: you won’t find the stereotypical bright-orange pumpkin here. This recipe is made entirely with butternut squash—the unsung hero behind many a good “pumpkin” purée, or so we’ve heard.

Recipe

One regular-sized butternut squash yields enough flesh to make two batches of this purée recipe.

Wet Ingredients

275 g butternut squash (about 2 cups cubed)

180 ml water (¾ cup)

30 ml maple syrup (2 tbsp)
(or substitute honey, brown sugar, or molasses)

Dry Ingredients

10 g ground cinnamon (2 tsp)

6 g garam masala (1 tsp)

3 g salt (½ tsp)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 235°C (450°F).

Prepare a baking tray by lining it with wax or parchment paper.

Prepare the squash:

• Cut the butternut squash in half.
• Peel using a vegetable peeler (easier and safer than a knife).
• Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh with a spoon.
• Cut into slices, then chop into evenly sized chunks.

Season and roast:

• Toss the squash with a drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Spread the pieces out on the tray in a single layer, making sure they are evenly spaced and not touching—this ensures roasting rather than steaming.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, checking at the 20-minute mark.The squash should be tender and lightly golden, not burnt or blackened.

Blend:

• Transfer the roasted squash to a blender.
• Add the water, maple syrup, cinnamon, and garam masala.
• Blend until completely smooth, adding more water if needed to reach your desired consistency.