8 healthy pumpkin recipes

Pumpkin season is in full swing and pumpkins are available in the shops at a good price, so how do you use them to satisfy your palate? Take inspiration from our 8 recipes that are packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Pumpkins are a ready-made autumn treasure for our health, with vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, calcium, magnesium and plenty of fibre. 100 g of raw pumpkin has just 37 calories; 1.8 g protein; 8.7 g carbohydrates and 0.2 g fat. There are many types of pumpkin, the most practical (no peeling required) is the Hokkaido pumpkin, which can be used for all the following recipes.

Savoury recipes

Pumpkin fries

Fries don't always have to be made from potatoes.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 1 small pumpkin
• 4 tablespoons olive oil suitable for cooking
• seasoning of your choice - salt, pepper, smoked paprika, chilli,...
• 3/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt, 1 tsp sriracha (Thai hot sauce), pinch of salt

Procedure

First, preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Wash the pumpkin, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and cut it into fries. Mix the olive oil and spices in a bowl, add the pumpkin chips and mix. Then spread the fries out on a baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for another 10-15 minutes until well cooked through. Once baked, remove from the oven and serve with the spicy yogurt dip.

Nutritional values per 1 serving

• 97 kcal
• Protein 4,3 g
• Carbohydrates 1,7 g
• Fat 4,5 g

Pumpkin soup

A simple creamy soup that is wonderfully filling.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 1 small pumpkin
• 750 ml water or broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil suitable for cooking
• seasoning to taste - salt, pepper, curry powder, a pinch of nutmeg
• sour cream (you can choose a reduced-fat version)

Procedure

Wash the pumpkin, halve it, scoop out the seeds and cut into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and fry the pumpkin in it. Pour in water or stock and cook for about 15 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Then blend or mash the pumpkin, season the soup and simmer for a few more minutes. Garnish the soup with sour cream on the plate, stirring it in will give it a milder flavour.

Nutritional values per 1 serving

• 135 kcal
• Protein 3,5 g
• Carbohydrates 20 g
• Fat 5,6 g

Pumpkin pancakes

Do you like small potato pancakes as a side dish? Try a healthier pumpkin version instead.

Ingredients for 4 servings (approx. 8 pancakes)

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• seasonings to taste - salt, pepper, garlic, chilli,...
• Coconut oil or other fat suitable for cooking

Procedure

In a bowl, first whisk together the eggs and pumpkin puree, gradually stir in the wholemeal flour, baking powder and season with spices. Form the dough into small pancakes and bake in a good quality frying pan brushed with a little coconut oil until golden brown on both sides. Can be served separately or as a side dish.

Nutritional values per 1 serving (2 pancakes)

• 128 kcal
• Protein 4 g
• Carbohydrates 16 g
• Fat 5 g

Pumpkin rice

Just a little variation and a favourite side dish gets a new dimension.

Ingredients for 2 servings

• 100 g rice
• 200 g pumpkin puree
• 1 onion
• spices to taste - salt, pepper, chilli,...
• 2 tbsp olive oil suitable for cooking
• a little water or broth

Procedure

Cook the rice not completely tender. Peel the onion, chop finely and lightly fry in a large pot in olive oil. Stir in the pumpkin puree and rice, season, add a little water or stock and simmer briefly. Serve as a side dish with meat or other protein.

Nutritional values per 1 serving

• 202 kcal
• Protein 4,7 g
• Carbohydrates 43 g
• Fat 2,5 g

Sweet recipes

Stuffed chocolate cupcakes

Quick chocolate cupcakes with a filling that can't miss the peanut butter.

Ingredients for 12 - 14 cupcakes

• 170 g high quality chocolate without added sugar
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• small paper muffin cups

Directions

First, spread the paper muffin cups out on a tray. Melt the chocolate in a water bath. Using a spoon, fill each cupcake 1/3 full with melted chocolate and place in the refrigerator to set. In the meantime, make the filling with the pumpkin puree, maple syrup and peanut butter (if it's too thick, you can add a little water). Take the cupcakes out of the fridge, fill with the pumpkin mixture and finally pour the melted chocolate over them again. Put the finished cupcakes in the freezer for 30 minutes to set, then serve. Store in the fridge.

Nutritional values per 1 cupcake

• 84 kcal
• Protein 1,5 g
• Carbohydrates 9 g
• Fat 5,3 g

Pumpkin pie

An American classic made a little healthier.

Ingredients for 8 servings

• 425 g pumpkin puree
• 354 ml almond milk
• 3/4 cup egg whites
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 scoop whey protein (choose the flavour according to your preference, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate are most suitable)
• a few drops of vanilla flavouring
• natural sweetener of your choice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (can be omitted)

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line the tin with baking paper. In a bowl, first mix the pumpkin puree, almond milk and egg whites, then add the whey protein, baking powder, flavour with vanilla flavouring, cinnamon, natural sweetener and whisk together to make a soft dough. Pour into the tin and bake for about 50 - 55 minutes, until the cake is well cooked through (test for doneness with a skewer - it must come out clean from the centre of the cake). Once baked, remove from the oven, let cool, slice and serve.

Nutritional values for 1 small portion

• 50 kcal
• Protein 6,5 g
• Carbohydrates 4,4 g
• Fat 0,8 g

Pumpkin pancakes

Pancakes in an unconventional way with the taste of gingerbread spices.

Ingredients for 1 serving

• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup ground oatmeal
• 1 scoop whey protein (preferably vanilla, cinnamon flavor)
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 3 tablespoons cottage cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon gingerbread spice
• coconut oil or other fat suitable for cooking

Directions

Whisk all the ingredients together to make a soft batter (you can add a little more pumpkin puree or egg whites if it is too dry). Form the batter into smaller pancakes and cook in a good quality frying pan brushed with a little coconut oil until golden brown on both sides.

Nutritional values per 1 serving

• 282 kcal
• Protein 42,5 g
• Carbohydrates 20,7 g
• Fat 2,5 g

Pumpkin protein bun

Pumpkin, cinnamon and coconut - three flavours that go well together.

Ingredients for 8 servings

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 6 egg whites
• 2 scoops of vanilla whey protein
• 4 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• natural sweetener to sweeten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray or tin with baking paper. Mix the dry ingredients (coconut flour, whey protein, baking powder, cinnamon) in one bowl and the wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, egg whites, natural sweetener) in another bowl. Then gradually mix both together and whisk into a soft dough. Pour onto the baking sheet and bake for 20 - 30 minutes. After baking, remove from the oven, let cool, cut and serve.

Nutritional values per 1 serving

• 71 kcal
• Protein 9,53 g
• Carbohydrates 6,57 g
• Fat 0,83 g

Notes: pumpkin puree can be made simply by slicing the pumpkin, roasting in the oven/microwave or simmering and then blending/mashing to a puree.