So you needed pumpkin for a recipe, and the only can available in the grocery store had way more than you needed. Now what? How else can you use the remaining canned pumpkin so it doesn’t go to waste? Following are 15 tasty ideas.
Chili
This one’s about as easy as it gets. Just make your favorite chili recipe, or get your favorite store-bought chili and add the pumpkin to it.
Photo Credit: Karen Kelly.
Pumpkin Loaf or Muffins
Photo Credit: Karen Kelly
As with chili, there are countless recipes for loaves and muffins with pumpkin as an ingredient. This is a tasty and filling way to use that extra canned pumpkin.
Soup
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Pumpkin makes a great ingredient for soup, either as a theme or an enhancement. Try any of a number of online recipes, or get creative and make your own soup.
Enchiladas
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This Mexican dish features a corn tortilla wrapped around a filling– usually some combo of meat, cheese, beans, and vegetables– and then covered with a tangy sauce. Add pumpkin to the list of things you can fill an enchilada with.
Mac and Cheese
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Pumpkin lovers will be happy to learn it can be part of this classic American dish. All you have to do is stir some as you mix in the cheese sauce.
Pasta Sauce
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You can add some pumpkin to alfredo sauce or red sauce. Alternatively, you can make your own pasta sauce using pumpkin as a primary ingredient. There are plenty of recipes on the internet.
Dog or Cat Dietary Aid
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If you have a dog or cat, a spoonful of pumpkin is known to help clear the digestive tract when they’re having issues with it. Some people add a spoonful to each meal to reduce the chance of such problems in the first place.
Waffles or Pancakes
Photo Credit: Karen Kelly.
Whether you use a premade mix or start from scratch, you can add some pumpkin flavor easily. Just blend some in during the mixing stage.
Smoothies and Protein Shakes
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You can put almost anything into a smoothie or protein shake, including pumpkin. All you need for this is a blender.
Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
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Get out your favorite cake mix and your leftover canned pumpkin. The toughest part is deciding how strong you want the pumpkin flavor. Or make a delicious filling for a chocolate cake.
Oatmeal Additive
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Some people like adding pumpkin spice as an oatmeal topping, but pumpkin can also be an ingredient. Mix some in either while making the oatmeal or after it’s ready.
Energy Balls
Photo Credit: Karen Kelly
Roll your canned pumpkin into bite-sized balls and anything else you want to add for a quick protein or energy fix. Store them in the fridge for easy access when you need them.
Save It for Later– Freeze It
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You also don’t have to use all of your canned pumpkin before its expiration date. Pumpkin freezes well, so just put it in a freezer-safe container until the next time you need it. It was one of the best suggestions in this thread.
