Did you buy a white pumpkin and are now wondering now if you can eat? I take you through the white pumpkins I have discovered and whether you can eat them or not. Also we will talk about eating the seeds too!
In Search of the Edible Pumpkins
What could be more quintessential fall than a big stack of pumpkins. I have traveled from coast to coast and if you ask who has the best pumpkin display in the country, there is only one choice. It's Johnston Fruit Farm in Swanton, Ohio. I mean just look at this:
That is some back breaking labor to put that display up. I worked at a local produce market one fall, I didn't have to move the pumpkins too much, but when I did it was rough.
I believe most of the pumpkins are bought to be decorations and for carving. I think it is a shame if we don't eat them, especially the ones that are good to eat. I have explored that topic before on the blog, and each fall I get a lot of hits to my posts on Long Island Cheese pumpkins and Tiger Stripe pumpkins.
What about white pumpkins? I haven't explored that topic very much. This fall I set out to buy and try any white pumpkins I could find in markets, farm stands, or grocery stores and report back to you on my results.
Are white pumpkins edible? Take tuned as I will be the judge of that!
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What are White Pumpkins?
For the sake of this post, I am talking abut pumpkins that are completely white in color, not a mix of white and orange or another color. The Tiger Stripe pumpkin is an example of a pumpkin that is white with orange stripes. It's a great pumpkin for cooking so check it out.
Can You Cook with White Pumpkins?
Yes you certainly can. Any pumpkin is edible really. The really large pumpkins you carve into Jack o Lanterns can actually be cooked, the issue is that they tend to be tough and stringy so its not the best option. When it comes to picking out a white pumpkin to cook, without knowing the variety I would look for smaller pumpkins that feel heavy for their size. If it feels light than it will be dry and is on the older side.
Varieties of White Pumpkins
There are several varieties you could come upon at a grocery store or market. A lot of white pumpkins aren't going to be labelled so it can be hard to know the exact variety. I did find a couple white pumpkins that had a label on them.
Casper - A small white pumpkin that when cooked up make a smooth puree. The color of the puree is similar to Yukon Gold potatoes. I bet you could even trick someone into thinking you just made mashed potatoes.
Blanco - Is a larger sized pumpkin that has a mild flavor. The color of the puree is similar to applesauce.
Which is better? The Blanco is larger, so you will get more pumpkin. The Casper is smoother, and sweeter. If you aren't a huge pumpkin fan, but wanted a pie, pick the Blanco, but if you want something that will bake up creamier than pick the Casper.
White vs. Orange Pumpkins
The white pumpkins I had were both more mild in flavor than the orange pumpkins. If you find pumpkin pie to normally have too strong of a flavor than choosing a white pumpkin is a great idea.
Color wise I found the pumpkins made a similar colored pie on top, but when you cut into a slice, so you can see that the white pumpkin pie is more of a light tan. If I had chosen to use white sugar instead of brown sugar in my pumpkin pie, it would have been lighter in color. I can't imagine a pumpkin pie not made with brown sugar.
You can swap brown sugar and white sugar at a 1:1 ratio in any pumpkin pie recipe.
As far as I know the storage life of both pumpkins is very similar. I expect to get 2-3 months at least out of my pumpkins. I love buying a bunch at the start of the season, displaying them and pulling them off the display when I am ready to cook them.
How to Make White Pumpkin Puree
It's not very difficult to make your own pumpkin puree that can be used in any recipe calling for canned pumpkin. I love to do it over buying canned pumpkin as you get a better, fresher flavor, and you get pumpkin seeds to roast.
Here is how I roast a pumpkin:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Slice off a small part of the skin of the pumpkin to make it more stable for cutting. Break off the stem.
- Cut the pumpkin in half.
- Scoop out the seeds using a wide ice cream scoop. Save the seeds for roasting later.
- Place the pumpkin halves onto a sheet pan. Liberally sprinkle with kosher salt. Then turn them so the flesh side is down.
- Roast for 30 to 45 minutes or until a fork or knife can easily pierce the skin in several places.
- Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 1 hour before removing the flesh.
- Place the pumpkin into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Now your pumpkin is ready to be used in recipes.
- The puree will last about a week in the fridge. After that, freeze it for longer storage.
If you want an easier clean up you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
Roasting the Seeds
No matter what white pumpkin you have, you can roast the seeds. Same is true for roasting any type of squash seed. I prefer to go with a "low and slow method". I find that if you cook the seeds at 275 degrees for 2 to 2 ½ hours the seeds end up more tender all the way through. At higher temperature, the outer part of the seeds are crispy while the inside stay tough.
Have you ever cooked a pumpkin before? What worked for you, and what didn't? Leave a comment and let us know!
Jenk
Thank you for your research and commentary on pumpkins! I always wonder which ones I can cook with once I've done displaying them for the holiday. I hate the waste and love pumpkin in all kinds of ways, so your blog is a great find! In regard to pumpkin seeds, I read another article last night that recommended par boiling them for 10mn in lightly salted water. Let them dry very thoroughly before adding and oil or seasoning (if desired) and then roast at the settings you recommended, low and slow. I'm starting on my white pumpkins seeds now! Thanks again for sharing your experience with pumpkins. Blessings and best wishes to you.
Eric Samuelson
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I was happy to do the research and share this information with you and the world.
Tammy
We just cut ours in 4, scoop out the seeds and roast in the oven 400 degrees for a few hours. Cool and take skin off and purée. Used to make pie but more importantly, dog biscuits. Pumpkin, peanut butter, rice flour, oatmeal then cook on 300 degrees for about 2.5 hours or a little more to create a biscotti type cookie. I store cookies in small batches in the fridge.
Michaela
Thank you so much👏for a very detailed comment as I’ve wondered “could I eat this white pumpkin?”
It’s my first time to plant pumpkin this year and it’s so fun to see the grow with the beautiful fruits but I was so surprised that they’re white not orange as I expected. However it’s all good to see them in the yard and now I know they’re edible.
Eric Samuelson
Thanks for sharing Tammy! My daughter would totally love to make that for her dog.
Eric Samuelson
You are welcome! Glad that I could help.