What to cook from pumpkin: the best fragrant and delicious recipes for autumn dishes

Pumpkin is an essential attribute of autumn, as well as a versatile product that can be used in various dishes. It is often baked with vegetables, desserts and drinks are prepared from it. The most popular recipes for delicious pumpkin dishes are in the Izvestia article.

How to choose a pumpkin and what are its benefits?

When choosing a pumpkin, you should pay attention to its appearance.: it should be undamaged, with a firm skin and rich color. The weight of the fruit should correspond to its size; a pumpkin that is too light may be empty inside. It is better to store it in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight.

Pumpkin is a low—calorie product containing about 26 kcal per 100 g. It is rich in vitamins A, C, E, and B vitamins. It contains minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and iron, which support the health of the heart, blood vessels, and nervous system.

The fiber in pumpkin helps to normalize digestion. Pumpkin seeds contain zinc, magnesium and beneficial fatty acids, and also have an anthelmintic effect.

Second pumpkin dishes

One of the most popular ways to use pumpkin in everyday cuisine are second courses. For example, a vegetable goes well with meat, potatoes and other root vegetables, creating hearty and flavorful stews and casseroles.

These dishes are appreciated for the rich taste, bright color and soft texture of pumpkin, which impregnates meat and vegetables with sweet notes. In restaurants and on home tables, there are often options with chicken or beef, baked with pumpkin under aromatic herbs, and stewed pumpkin with vegetables and spices becomes an excellent independent second course or side dish.

To make pumpkin stew with potatoes, you will need 500 g of chicken fillet, 300 g of potatoes, 300 g of pumpkin, one onion, two cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, salt, pepper and herbs to taste. Cut the chicken into cubes, potatoes and pumpkin into slices. Chop the onion and garlic. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, fry the onion and garlic until golden brown, add the chicken and fry until tender. Add the potatoes and pumpkin, cover with water so that it covers the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

For baked pumpkin with meat, you will need 500 g of meat (pork or beef), 400 g of pumpkin, one onion, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, salt, pepper and spices to taste. Dice the meat, dice the pumpkin, and chop the onion.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, fry the onion until transparent, add the meat and fry until golden brown. Put the meat in a casserole dish, top with pumpkin, season with salt and pepper, add spices and bake in a preheated 180 degree oven for 40-50 minutes until cooked.

Pumpkin desserts

Pumpkin is also widely used in desserts. One of the favorite autumn treats is pumpkin pie, where sweet flesh is combined with tender dough and fragrant cinnamon. This dish is popular not only in traditional American cuisine, but also in Europe and Russia, due to its lightness and rich taste.

Pumpkin cheesecake is considered to be an equally popular dessert, in which a soft curd layer is intertwined with pumpkin puree, and the addition of vanilla and spices gives the product an extraordinary aroma and autumnal mood.

Pumpkin pie will require 200 g of flour, 100 g of butter, 50 g of sugar, one egg and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. For the filling, you will need 500 g of pumpkin, 150 g of sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar. Knead the dough from flour, butter, sugar, eggs and baking powder, roll it out and put it in a baking dish.

Boil the pumpkin, mash it, add sugar, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla sugar, mix and pour over the dough. Bake in a preheated 180 degree oven for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

For the pumpkin cheesecake base, you will need 200 g of cookies, 100 g of butter. For the filling, you will need 500 g of cottage cheese, 200 g of pumpkin, 150 g of sugar, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar and 2 tablespoons of starch.

Chop the cookies into crumbs, mix with melted butter and put them into a mold, tamping them down. Boil the pumpkin, mash it, add cottage cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla sugar and starch, mix until smooth. Pour the filling onto the base and bake in a preheated 160 degree oven for 50-60 minutes until cooked.

Pumpkin drinks

Pumpkin is not limited to baking, but is also used in beverages. One of the popular options is the pumpkin latte, which combines creamy milk, sweet pumpkin puree and spices: cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg.

This drink is ideal for a cool autumn morning, warming and giving comfort. Pumpkin-based smoothies and smoothies are also popular, which are mixed with fruits, yogurt or spices, creating light and nutritious drinks with a mild taste and a characteristic orange hue.