Cooked, puréed winter squash, usually sold canned. Plain pumpkin purée is nothing but squash; pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced and is not the same product.
What it does in a recipe: A thick, mildly sweet vegetable purée that supplies moisture, fibre and body without adding fat. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Canned pumpkin, Pumpkin puree
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Butternut squash purée
1 cup pumpkin purée = 1 cup roasted butternut squash, puréed smooth
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4 ways to replace pumpkin purée
Butternut squash purée
Closest match
1 cup pumpkin purée = 1 cup roasted butternut squash, puréed smooth
Butternut is denser and sweeter than most pumpkin varieties but has essentially the same starch and moisture profile once cooked and blended.
MethodRoast rather than boil it, then drain off any free liquid — a wet purée will throw off a pie or a batter.
Trade-offSweeter and slightly more orange. Most people cannot tell the difference in a spiced pie.
1 cup pumpkin purée = 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
It delivers a comparable volume of moisture and pectin in a quick bread or muffin, where the purée is functioning as a wet ingredient rather than a flavour.
Trade-offThinner and paler, and it will not set in a pie. Use it in muffins and loaves, not in anything custard-based.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.