Once you’re ready to cook, follow your recipe. “Treat it like you would any winter squash. Roast it, steam it, or cut it into chunks and add it to soups, stews, and curries,” Kelly says. Besides pumpkin pie, other delicious pumpkin options to try include: pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread (this recipe from Smitten Kitchen is superb), or even pumpkin pasta.
And don’t throw out the seeds! Pumpkin seeds are a great addition to salads, snack mixes, and more. “One of my favorite ways to use pumpkin seeds is in sikil p’aak, a Mayan pumpkin seed dip,” says Kelly. “The seeds are pureed with onion, tomatoes, hot peppers, and fresh citrus juice. It’s a great alternative to guacamole or hummus, and you can dip everything from tortilla chips to jicama sticks in it.”
You can also garnish tacos with crunchy, nutrient-packed roasted pumpkin seeds. “Their nuttiness pairs well with the spice blends that we incorporate into many of our Latin-inspired recipes,” says Kelly. Toss blanched, rinsed pumpkin seeds with olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite spices (Kelly likes Aleppo pepper and cumin). Roast at 425 degrees for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they cook evenly and don’t burn.