Trick-or-treating is over and the pumpkin carving festivities have come to a close. Now, you have baskets full of treats and jars of leftover pumpkin puree to use up. With countless Halloween pumpkin recipe options to try, there’s no excuse for you to waste your leftovers!
Asian Fall Recipes: What To Do With Leftover Pumpkins
To help you with what to do with leftover pumpkins, we’re sharing our favorite Asian-inspired pumpkin recipes that will keep you warm and full this autumn!
Health Benefits of Pumpkin
To help you with what to do with leftover pumpkins, we’re sharing our favorite Asian-inspired pumpkin recipes that will keep you warm and full this autumn!
You know what’s actually spooky? Over a billion pounds of pumpkin are thrown out instead of composted or eaten during Halloween season! Not only is it a waste of precious food, it’s also a waste of good nutrients for our bodies!
Pumpkin seeds may come in inconsequential sizes but as the saying goes, good things come in small packages. Here are pumpkin health benefits that you don’t want to throw away, ever!
1. Pumpkins help build better immunity.
In a time where sickness can catch you off-guard, having a boosted immunity can get you far. Pumpkins offer large shots of vitamin A, 245% of your daily recommended intake to be exact, that can help your body fight dreaded infections, disease, and viruses. On the other hand, it also has 19% of your recommended dose of vitamin C that promote faster recovery from wounds, colds, and more.
2. Pumpkins help control your weight.
Pumpkins are filling and low in calories: two things that every person on a diet would love to hear! They are packed with fiber which slows digestion and helps you feel fuller for a longer period.
3. Pumpkins help keep your liver loved and heart healthy.
Apart from Vitamin C, pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene- an antioxidant that serves as defenses against cancer-causing free radicals, including prostate and lung cancer.
It’s also high in potassium, vitamin C, and fiber, all of which have been linked to lower blood pressure and reduce the risks of stroke.
4. Pumpkins help keep your sights sharp and skin healthy.
Studies also point out that the antioxidants from pumpkins, namely beta-carotene, lutein, vitamin E, and zeanxanthin, all act as a natural sunblock that help protect your skin cells from the damaging effects of UV rays. When beta-carotene is converted in vitamin A, it also helps your retina absorb and process light even better.
Asian-Inspired Pumpkin Recipes
With all those health benefits, it’s time to get cooking and get it into our systems! We're treating you to a list of our favorite Asian-inspired recipes that use pumpkin!
1. Whipped Pumpkin Spice Latte
The dalgona coffee craze lives on with this simple drink recipe that's perfect for cozy fall days at home! Simply whip your equal parts instant coffee, water, and sugar like you would with your dalgona, but this time, add a tablespoon of your leftover pumpkin puree! Scoop your whipped concoction over some milk and add a dash of pumpkin spice on top to make it even more legit.
2. Thai Pumpkin Noodles
This spicy pumpkin pasta recipe from Carlsbad Cravings only takes 25 minutes to prepare. Its creamy pumpkin sauce that’s spiced with Thai red curry paste, soba noodles, ginger, and vibrant slices of leftover veggies make this a delicious and visually appealing dinner recipe!
Apart from Thai red curry paste, you’ll need fish sauce, mirin, sriracha, and a couple aromatics to make the sauce, all of which are available in our galleries as part of our curated Asian grocery online selections.
Scroll down our recipe card for the complete recipe!
3. Chinese Pumpkin Cakes
While making pumpkin pie takes a bit of time and baking expertise, why not keep things simple yet equally delectable with Chinese Pumpkin Cakes! A traditional Chinese treat that’s more like a flattened mocha ball rather than a cake, this recipe from The Plant Based Wok makes it more fun to enjoy your leftover pumpkins with your friends and kids!
All you need to do is mix 3 cups of pumpkin puree with 1 ¾ cup of glutinuous rice flour and 3-4 tablespoons of coconut sugar until you get a putty-like dough. Divide the dough into balls, stuff them with red bean paste, and flatten. Fry the patties and top with sesame seeds for an extra crunch!
4. One-Pot Thai Pumpkin Curry
While the pumpkin puree lets you feel fall with every bite, let Thai Curry give you that extra warmth for the full autumn food experience. Follow this super simplified one-pot recipe from Foodal!
In one pot, mix pumpkin puree with Thai curry paste. Add in coconut milk to add a velvet creaminess to the heat of the dish. Anything goes for vegetables, but we recommend chopped broccoli, bell peppers, and chunks of pumpkin.
To make it a complete meal, you can add in chicken breast slices or tofu to keep things vegan. After a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, serve it over rice and garnish with cilantro.
5. Pumpkin Sago Soup Dessert
Here’s another easy-to-make Asian-inspired dessert! Pumpkin Sago Soup is not necessarily a soup. Think of it as something like pumpkin boba! To make this dessert soup, check out this simple dessert pumpkin soup recipe from Kuali!
You only need to boil your pumpkin puree with 150ml of evaporated milk, 2.5 liters or water, sugar to taste, and 2 knots of pandan leaves. On the side, cook your store-bought sago or tapioca pearls according to packaging instructions. Essentially, you only need to boil it! Serve it in a bowl, preferably chilled!
BONUS: Bibigo Sweet Pumpkin Instant Porridge
For those who are reading this blog but don’t really have leftover pumpkins with you, you’re in luck! You can always have a warm bowl of pumpkin goodness with this microwaveable Instant Pumpkin Porridge from Bibigo! A product from Korea, it’s made from sweet pumpkin, rice flour, sugar, and red bean paste. Its sweet and salty taste is complemented well by its satisfyingly smooth texture. The smells itself will automatically remind you of autumn! If you want to learn more about it, check out our full Bibigo Sweet Pumpkin Instant Porridge review.
Now that you know what to do with leftover pumpkins, think of all the pumpkin recipes you can make all throughout fall! Since pumpkin season stretches on ‘til the winter, we recommend learning as many pumpkin recipes, so you can cozy up while your body gets a much needed health boost for the cool weather ahead. For all your Asian grocery needs for fall and all seasons, shop at Karman Foods!
