10 Pumpkin Recipes You Haven’t Tried Yet

You’ve probably baked your fair share of pumpkin pies and whipped up countless batches of pumpkin bread. Those classics have earned their place on the fall menu, no question about it. But there’s a whole world of pumpkin recipes hiding in plain sight—dishes that take this versatile squash far beyond the dessert table.

Pumpkin’s natural sweetness and creamy texture make it perfect for everything from savory pasta dishes to unexpected international flavors. The beauty of cooking with pumpkin lies in its ability to play well with bold spices, rich cheeses, and even seafood. When you move past the usual suspects, you’ll discover that pumpkin can anchor a weeknight dinner just as easily as it can star in an elegant dessert.

What’s holding most people back isn’t a lack of interest—it’s simply not knowing where to start. We get comfortable with our go-to recipes and forget that pumpkin can handle so much more than cinnamon and nutmeg. Italian grandmas have been folding it into pasta for generations. Asian cooks pair it with coconut milk and fish sauce. French pastry chefs stuff it into cream puffs.

Ready to shake up your pumpkin routine? These ten recipes will show you entirely new ways to enjoy this fall favorite. Some are savory, some are sweet, and all of them will make you wonder why you didn’t try them sooner.

1. Pumpkin Crespelle with Ricotta and Sage

Think of crespelle as Italy’s answer to crepes, but with more soul. These thin pancakes get filled with a silky mixture of roasted pumpkin and ricotta, then baked until golden and bubbling.

The magic happens when you roast the pumpkin first. This concentrates the flavor and drives off excess moisture, preventing soggy crepes. Mix the roasted pumpkin with creamy ricotta, a handful of Parmesan, and you’ve got a filling that’s both light and satisfying.

What Makes This Special

Fresh sage is non-negotiable here. Fry whole leaves in butter until they’re crispy, then drizzle that brown butter over the assembled crespelle before baking. The nutty, herbaceous flavor cuts through the richness of the cheese and brings out the sweetness in the pumpkin.

You can assemble these completely ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. That makes them perfect for entertaining—all the elegance of homemade pasta with half the stress.

Pro Tips for Success

• Make the crepe batter at least an hour before cooking to let the flour hydrate fully
• Use a non-stick pan and keep the heat at medium to avoid burning
• Stack cooked crepes between sheets of parchment to prevent sticking
• Don’t overfill—two tablespoons of filling per crepe is plenty

Serving suggestion: A simple arugula salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette balances the richness beautifully.

2. Coconut, Fish, and Pumpkin Stew

This one-pot wonder brings together coconut milk, firm white fish, and chunks of pumpkin in a lightly spiced broth. It’s comfort food with a tropical twist, and it comes together in under 40 minutes.

The pumpkin cooks directly in the coconut milk, absorbing all those flavors while contributing its own gentle sweetness. Cod or halibut work beautifully here—you want a fish that holds its shape and doesn’t fall apart during cooking.

Why This Works

Pumpkin and coconut milk have a natural affinity. Both are creamy and slightly sweet, creating a velvety base that doesn’t need cream or butter. A touch of chile paste adds heat without overwhelming the delicate fish.

Baby spinach wilts into the stew during the final minutes of cooking, adding color and a slight mineral note. Fresh lime juice squeezed over each bowl brightens everything up and ties all the flavors together.

Building the Flavor

Start by sautéing onions and garlic until soft, then add your spices—think cumin, coriander, and a pinch of turmeric. Pour in the coconut milk and nestle in your pumpkin chunks. Let them simmer until tender before adding the fish.

The fish needs just five to seven minutes to cook through. Resist the urge to stir too much or the fillets will break apart. A gentle shake of the pot is enough to keep things moving.

Make it heartier: Serve over jasmine rice or with crusty bread for soaking up the broth.

3. White Bean and Sausage Stew in Pumpkin Bowls

Forget boring serving dishes. Here, you hollow out small sugar pumpkins and use them as edible bowls for a hearty stew packed with turkey sausage, white beans, and vegetables.

The pumpkin bowls aren’t just for show—they actually bake alongside the stew, and their flesh becomes tender enough to scoop and eat. It’s like getting a side dish and a conversation starter all in one.

Setting Up the Bowls

Choose pumpkins that sit flat and hold about two cups of stew each. Cut off the tops and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Brush the insides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper before filling.

The stew itself is straightforward: browned sausage, sautéed mushrooms, carrots, leeks, potatoes, and peas all simmered in chicken broth. Navy beans add protein and help thicken the broth naturally.

The Baking Process

Set your filled pumpkin bowls in a baking dish and pour a little water around them to prevent scorching. Cover with foil and bake until the pumpkin flesh is tender when pierced with a fork—typically 45 to 60 minutes.

When you serve these, show people how to scrape the cooked pumpkin flesh into their stew. It melts right in and adds an extra layer of flavor that you just can’t get from a regular bowl.

Prep ahead: Make the stew a day early and refrigerate. Fill and bake the pumpkins just before serving for maximum impact.

4. Pumpkin Tiramisu

Yes, you read that right. Tiramisu—that beloved Italian dessert with its layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream—gets a pumpkin makeover that somehow improves on the original.

Instead of straight espresso, you’ll soak the ladyfingers in spiced coffee mixed with a splash of pumpkin puree. The mascarpone filling gets folded with more pumpkin and a generous shake of pumpkin pie spice.

Why It’s Not Weird

Pumpkin’s subtle sweetness doesn’t overpower the coffee or mask the richness of the mascarpone. What you get is something familiar yet exciting—all the textures and flavors you love about tiramisu with an unmistakable fall vibe.

The key is restraint. You’re not making pumpkin pie in tiramisu form. The pumpkin should whisper, not shout, adding color and gentle flavor rather than taking over completely.

Assembly Secrets

Arrange your ladyfingers in opposite directions for each layer—it creates a more stable structure that slices cleanly. Don’t oversoak the cookies or they’ll turn mushy. A quick two-second dip on each side is all you need.

Chill the assembled tiramisu for at least four hours, though overnight is better. This gives the flavors time to meld and the whole thing firms up enough to slice beautifully.

Garnish options: Dust with cocoa powder, grate some dark chocolate over the top, or add a sprinkle of cinnamon.

5. Pumpkin and Pecorino Gratin

This baked gratin strips pumpkin down to its essence—no fancy spices, no cream, just pure pumpkin flavor enhanced by sharp Romano cheese and crunchy breadcrumbs.

Thin slices of sugar pumpkin get layered in a baking dish, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, then topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs and grated Pecorino Romano. As it bakes, the pumpkin becomes meltingly tender while the topping turns golden and crispy.

The Beauty of Simplicity

When you’re working with fresh, good-quality pumpkin, you don’t need much else. The natural sweetness of the squash shines through, and the salty, tangy cheese provides just enough contrast to keep things interesting.

This makes a magnificent side dish for roast chicken or pork, but vegetarians will appreciate it as a main course alongside a green salad and some crusty bread.

Getting It Right

Slice your pumpkin about 1/4-inch thick—thin enough to cook through but thick enough to maintain some texture. Use a mandoline if you have one for consistent slices.

Mix panko breadcrumbs with freshly grated Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil for the topping. Fresh breadcrumbs work too, though panko gives you extra crunch.

Wine pairing: A medium-bodied white wine with good acidity, like Vermentino or unoaked Chardonnay, complements the richness.

6. Beef, Pumpkin, and Shiitake Soup

This slowly simmered soup is more like a hearty stew, packed with tender beef, meaty shiitake mushrooms, and chunks of pumpkin in a deeply flavorful broth.

What makes this special is the technique: beef chuck or neck bones simmer low and slow until they’re fall-apart tender. Only then do you add the quicker-cooking vegetables like pumpkin, which need just enough time to become tender without falling apart.

The Secret Ingredients

Don’t skip the fresh basil and fish sauce at serving time. The basil adds brightness and a hint of anise, while the fish sauce—just a small splash—contributes an incredible depth of umami flavor that makes people ask what your secret is.

Star anise and ginger in the broth give this soup an Asian-inspired profile that’s warming without being spicy. It’s the kind of soup that makes your whole house smell amazing.

Timing the Additions

After the meat is tender, strain the broth and return it to the pot. Add your pumpkin, more shiitakes, and any other vegetables you’re using. Calabaza squash works beautifully here if you can find it—it holds its shape even better than pumpkin.

Simmer just until the pumpkin is tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Shred the cooked beef and return it to the pot for the final few minutes of cooking.

Storage tip: This soup tastes even better the next day. Store in the fridge for up to four days or freeze for up to three months.

7. Pumpkin Pesto, Date, and Chèvre Sandwich

This isn’t your average sandwich. Toasted bread gets smeared with pumpkin pesto—yes, pesto made with roasted pumpkin instead of basil—then layered with creamy goat cheese and sweet, chewy dates.

The combination sounds unusual, but it works. The earthiness of the pumpkin pesto plays off the tangy chèvre, while the dates add little pockets of sweetness throughout.

Making Pumpkin Pesto

Roast your pumpkin until caramelized, then blitz it in a food processor with toasted pumpkin seeds, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan. The consistency should be spreadable but not runny—thicker than traditional basil pesto.

Pine nuts can replace pumpkin seeds if that’s what you have on hand. A squeeze of lemon juice brightens the whole mixture and prevents it from tasting too heavy.

Assembly Strategy

Toast your bread until it’s genuinely crispy—soft bread will turn soggy under the weight of the pesto. Spread a generous layer of pumpkin pesto on both slices.

Crumble the goat cheese over one side and press in sliced or chopped dates. They should be soft and sticky; if they’re dried out, soak them in warm water for a few minutes first.

Bonus move: Add a handful of arugula for peppery bite, or drizzle with honey for extra sweetness.

8. Pumpkin Rigatoni with Prosciutto and Sage

This pasta dish proves that pumpkin belongs in the savory dinner rotation. Rigatoni tubes get coated in a silky pumpkin sauce, then tossed with crispy prosciutto and fried sage leaves.

The sauce comes together while the pasta cooks. Sauté shallots in butter, stir in pumpkin puree and a splash of pasta cooking water, then finish with cream and Parmesan. It clings to the pasta perfectly and has a gorgeous orange hue.

The Crispy Elements

Don’t underestimate the importance of texture here. Fry thin slices of prosciutto in a dry pan until they’re crisp enough to crumble. Do the same with whole sage leaves—they only need about 30 seconds per side.

These crunchy, salty bits scattered over the creamy pasta create contrast that makes every bite interesting. They’re not just garnish; they’re essential to the dish’s success.

Bringing It Together

Cook your rigatoni until it’s just shy of al dente, then transfer it directly to the pumpkin sauce with a slotted spoon. Let it finish cooking in the sauce for a minute or two, adding pasta water as needed to achieve the right consistency.

The starchy pasta water helps the sauce emulsify and cling to each piece of rigatoni. Don’t be shy with the Parmesan at the end—it adds saltiness and helps thicken the sauce.

Vegetarian option: Skip the prosciutto and double down on the sage and Parmesan for flavor.

9. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

These aren’t your standard whoopie pies. Soft, cake-like pumpkin cookies get sandwiched with tangy cream cheese frosting spiked with more pumpkin spice, creating handheld treats that are part cookie, part cake, all delicious.

The cookies have a pillowy texture—not crispy, not chewy, but somewhere in between. They’re substantial enough to hold a generous amount of filling without falling apart.

Nailing the Cookie Texture

The batter should be thick but scoopable, similar to muffin batter. Spoon it onto your baking sheets and resist the urge to flatten—these cookies should puff up into little domes as they bake.

Underbake them slightly. They’ll continue to set as they cool, and you want them to stay soft. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached.

The Filling

Beat softened cream cheese with butter until fluffy, then gradually add powdered sugar and a bit of pumpkin pie spice. The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped or spread between the cookies.

Chill the filling for 15 minutes before assembling if it seems too soft. This makes spreading easier and helps the whoopie pies hold together better.

Fun variation: Roll the filled edges in mini chocolate chips or chopped pecans for extra pizzazz.

10. Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream Puffs

These elegant little desserts combine two homemade components—pumpkin ice cream and cream puffs—into something that looks bakery-fancy but isn’t terribly difficult to make.

The cream puffs are classic French choux pastry, baked until golden and hollow inside. The pumpkin ice cream gets churned with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, creating a frozen custard that’s smooth and intensely flavored.

Mastering Choux Pastry

Choux pastry might seem intimidating, but it’s actually quite forgiving. Cook the flour and butter mixture until it pulls away from the pan, then beat in eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth and glossy.

Pipe or scoop the dough onto baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between each puff. They’ll expand dramatically in the oven. Don’t open the oven door until they’re fully baked or they’ll deflate.

The Ice Cream Component

Making pumpkin ice cream from scratch gives you control over the flavor intensity. Steep the pumpkin puree with spices in your custard base, then strain it for the smoothest texture.

An ice cream maker will give you the best results, though you can make a no-churn version by folding whipped cream into sweetened condensed milk mixed with pumpkin and spices.

Assembly and Serving

Slice the cooled cream puffs in half horizontally and fill with a scoop of pumpkin ice cream. Serve immediately, or freeze the assembled puffs for up to a week.

Extra touch: Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.

Final Thoughts

These ten recipes prove that pumpkin deserves a bigger role in your cooking repertoire. Whether you’re drawn to savory dishes like the pumpkin crespelle or ready to wow guests with those ice cream puffs, there’s something here that’ll change how you think about this fall staple.

The beauty of branching out lies in discovery. You might find that pumpkin pasta becomes a weeknight favorite or that serving stew in pumpkin bowls turns an ordinary dinner into an occasion. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make these recipes your own—swap herbs, adjust spices, or add ingredients that speak to your taste.

Grab a sugar pumpkin or crack open a can of puree, and pick one of these recipes to try. Your usual pumpkin pie will still be there when you need it, but now you’ve got options that’ll keep things interesting all season long.