Pumpkin is a sweet and very nutritious low-calorie vegetable. Although it is a vegetable, pumpkin is used for making beverages, main courses, or even desserts.
It is loaded up with vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin pie is a widespread dessert that demands pumpkin. Now, for using pumpkins, pumpkin puree, and or even pre-canned pumpkins can be used. Both of them are 100% Pumpkin Puree.
Key Takeaways
- Canned pumpkin contains cooked and mashed pumpkin, while pumpkin puree is made from fresh pumpkin that has been cooked and blended.
- Canned pumpkin is a convenient, ready-to-use ingredient, whereas pumpkin puree may require additional preparation.
- Canned pumpkin might have added preservatives, while homemade pumpkin puree is free from additives.
Canned Pumpkin vs Pumpkin Puree
The two are almost similar but differ in the extra water in the pumpkin puree. Pumpkin puree takes more time in the straining process. Puree is always without salt, unlike canned pumpkins. Canned pumpkins are more consistent in flavour and texture, making them a better alternative in recipes.
Canned pumpkin is pumpkin puree pre-packaged and sold in cans in stores. Canned pumpkin has a better shelf life than freshly made pumpkin puree, as there can be added preservatives to keep it from staling.
During the holiday season, the demand for canned pumpkins increases for making the staple pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin puree is made by extracting and blending the fibrous part of the pumpkin to make a consistency thicker than water but, again, lighter than a paste.
Making a pumpkin puree from scratch can be a task, but it will give better results in many cooking recipes. For example, for making pumpkin soup or even filling the ravioli with pumpkin puree, fresh pumpkin is the best option.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Canned Pumpkin | Pumpkin puree |
|---|---|---|
| Color | It is darker in color tannish yellow. | It is lighter in color like butterscotch yellow. |
| Convenience | Readily is available in stores, hence it very very convenient. | Needs preparation time when made freshly, so it is not time convenient. |
| Shelf-life | It has a shelf life of about 3 years when unopened. | It can stay good for only about a week in the fridge. |
| Availability | It can be found all season. | It can be difficult to prepare in the off-season when pumpkin doesn’t grow |
| Added preservatives | Canned Pumpkin contains additional preservatives. | Pumpkin puree doesn’t contain added preservatives. |
What is Canned Pumpkin?
Canned pumpkins are readily available and come in handy for cooking when there is a very short amount of time. Canned pumpkins are the same as pumpkin puree.
They might have artificial flavouring and added sugar. Canned pumpkins have a darker color since there are packed and preserved.
The advantage of canned pumpkins is that they can be used all around the year, and hence the season of pumpkin availability will not affect the supply of pumpkin puree.
Another thing about canned pumpkin is that it is very healthy for dogs, and since they can be store-bought, they could be fed to a dog more often.
Dogs do love pumpkins, so here, the canned pumpkin gives a benefit of the doubt. Canned pumpkins are prepared in the same way all around, so they have a pretty universal texture.
Canned Pumpkin can be labelled as a convenient food as it is used in a variety of recipes and for its convenience.
The thing is that canned pumpkins are also 100% pumpkin puree, just with additional ingredients; thus, it might not be the freshest option.
Properly sealed, unopened canned pumpkin can remain good to eat for even 3 years, But it is always better to consume it within 6 months from the date of manufacture.
What is Pumpkin Puree?
Freshly made pumpkin puree might be a little time-consuming, but it all becomes worth the time when the dish is ready.
The versatility of pumpkin puree is beyond limits as they are used to make each kind of course. The most time-consuming part of making pumpkin puree must be the time required to roast the pumpkin first.
To make pumpkin puree, it is best suitable to use sweet pumpkins. The pumpkin must be cut in half first. Then, the seeds should be separated from the pumpkin.
After de-seeding the pumpkin, the pumpkin must be cut into slices or blocks, and then the blocks of the pumpkin should be roasted for about half an hour or forty minutes.
An alternative method is that, after de-seeding the pumpkins, they can be put in the oven to roast for about forty minutes.
After the pumpkin is roasted, the blocks can be put in a food processor, or the whole roasted pumpkin can be smashed and put into the food processor.
Freshly made pumpkin puree can be customized according to o needs by adding cinnamon or any other flavour. Pumpkin puree is rich in anti-oxidants and might flush away toxins from one’s body.
Main Differences Between Canned Pumpkin And Pumpkin Puree
- Canned pumpkin(unopened) has a shelf life of amount 3 years, whereas pumpkin puree has a shelf life of about 1 week. Both need to be stored in a cold and dark place.
- Canned pumpkins are very convenient and time-saving, whereas pumpkin purees are time-consuming and need effort efficiency.
- Canned pumpkins are a bit darker in color when compared to pumpkin puree.
- Canned pumpkin can have added preservatives, sugar, or artificial color but pumpkin puree doesn’t have these when made freshly.
- With time, the color of pumpkin puree can turn a bit darker, but the canned pumpkin stays of the same color.
- Canned Pumpkin and pumpkin puree have a difference in texture and consistency.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0570178314000037
- https://www.food.actapol.net/volume10/issue1/abstract-4.html
Last Updated : 01 August, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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The process of making pumpkin puree from scratch seems time-consuming, but the results are definitely worth it.
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I had no idea canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree were different. This article has been very enlightening.
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