Pumpkins and squash are one of the highlights of autumn. While they have become closely associated with Halloween, they have long been valued as a nutritious, versatile crop that stores well through the colder months.
Eating pumpkins in season means enjoying them when they are at their best: full of flavour, widely available and often grown closer to home. Choosing seasonal produce helps support local growers and can reduce the environmental impact of food travelling long distances. Seasonal eating also reconnects us with the natural rhythm of the year, encouraging variety in our diets and helping us make the most of what is abundant right now. These recipes will help you to make the most of this colourful seasonal glut.
Family meals
If you’ve been to visit your local pumpkin patch, your children will probably be excited about pumpkins. These recipes are quick, hands-off and perfect as a weeknight meal or sweet treat for the whole family.
Chef Jethro from the Community Kitchen shared one of his family favourites; Jethro’s Pumpkin Katsu Curry. It’s tasty, simple, and a brilliant opportunity to get little hands working in the kitchen.
Something a little different
Looking to try something different with your pumpkin? These recipes are a little more involved, but the results are worth it.
Butternut Squash with quinoa and herbs
Community Kitchen chef Cat shared a sophisticated and fun starter for your next dinner party: Cat’s Mini Pumpkin Fondues with Pickled Vegetables
Ingrid from Sussex Surplus has shared a delicious recipe for pumpkin gnocchi. Sussex Surplus rescues hundreds of kilos of pumpkin every year, so who better to suggest a new way to enjoy this seasonal ingredient? Ingrid’s Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter
What about a meat option?
Pumpkins and squash are go-to vegetarian staples, but they work brilliantly with meat too. Why not try these recipes with locally sourced, sustainably produced meat from our Sussex Grazed meat box scheme?
Miyan Taushe (Nigerian Pumpkin Stew)
Middle Eastern Mince Stuffed Pumpkin
Don’t let your pumpkin go to waste
Every October, thousands of pumpkins are bought for carving, only for many of them to end up in the bin. Yet pumpkins are perfectly edible and packed with flavour. By using your pumpkins after Halloween, you can save money, reduce food waste and make the most of this seasonal ingredient. Our Food Use Places project has shared the following recipes and tips to help make your autumn celebrations more sustainable.
Pumpkin seeds are delicious and packed with vitamins and minerals, so don’t throw them away. Instead, try our easy Toasted Seeds recipe.
This Vegetable Crumble recipe is one to keep hold of. It’s incredibly versatile and perfect for using up whatever vegetables are lingering in your fridge.
Top tip: If your pumpkin is past its best for eating, don’t throw it away. Remove any candles, decorations or non-natural materials and add it to your home compost bin, or place it in your food waste collection. This helps return valuable nutrients to the soil and closes the loop on this seasonal crop.
Find these recipes, and more, at Sompting Pumpkins this October.
