Easy tips for cooking with whole and diced pumpkin, plus a unique take on jam

Flavoring dishes with pumpkin is especially popular during fall season. 

Pumpkin can be added to many food and drink items, from sugary drinks to savory soups. Using pumpkin not only as decor but also as a main ingredient in your fall dishes will certainly get you in the spirit of the season.

In addition to the earthly sweetness that pumpkins provide, they are also packed with health benefits. 

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The vitamins and nutrients in pumpkins aid as immunity boosters. Additionally, pumpkins as a food item can assist along a weight-loss journey since they are 90% water and nutrient-packed.

Although pumpkins are popular for baking and cooking, they can often be an intimating ingredient to work with if you aren't seasoned in how to cook the fruit. Below are tips for cooking with pumpkin and inspiration for yummy fall dishes.

There are various foods and food groups that compliment pumpkin well without covering its unique flavor.

"Squash and sweet potatoes are kind of the No. 1 in my head that go fantastic because they both bring this sweetness that not only enhances the pumpkin, but it doesn't outshine it," Donte Regalbuto, a seasoned sous chef in Cleveland, told Fox News Digital.

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"Another would be Arborio rice to make a pumpkin risotto," Regalbuto added. "I think rice, especially a risotto rice, would work perfectly with pumpkin because you're getting that savory element out of the pumpkin."

Depending on the savory or sweet items that you're including in a pumpkin recipe, the seasonings will vary.

"If I'm going to make something sweet with pumpkin, I'm going to use a good dark chocolate to pair with that pumpkin. It'll mix in perfectly well," the chef said. 

"And again, it's just only going to enhance the flavor of that pumpkin."

Regalbuto said fresh nutmeg is a great addition to a sweet or savory pumpkin dish, as well as brown sugar and butter, which are perfect for a pumpkin dessert.

As for the more savory dishes, he said thyme and rosemary are both great herbs to use. 

Pumpkins' shape and size can make them overwhelming to beginners in the kitchen. A key to working with pumpkin is to have patience, since there is a fair amount of preparation needed, said Regalbuto. You will need to remove all the pulp and seed from the middle before really honing in on your dish.

When first working with pumpkin, begin with a smaller one, he said, which will be easier to cut and clean than a larger one.

You don't only have to clean out the inside entirely: Make sure the outside is very clean, too.

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"I would get a vegetable brush and actually scrape the pumpkin. Get every last speck of dirt off of that because if you're going to bake it, you have to bake it with that skin on, and you don't want any dirt coming through affecting the flavor of the pumpkin," Regalbuto said.

When cutting up your pumpkin, he said you should ensure your pieces are the same size so that they cook through evenly.

Pumpkins can also be roasted whole and turned into a lovely puree for fall desserts.

"Gut it, clean it, put the top back on, roast it. You peel that skin off and drain as much water out of that pumpkin as possible. Now you have a pumpkin puree how you see at the store," Regalbuto said.

The puree that you create can then be used in a variety of different dishes such as pumpkin pie and pumpkin muffins.

There are so many classic fall dishes, so don't limit yourself this holiday season. When you are cleaning out your pumpkin, don't throw out the seeds. Instead, toss in a variety of seasonings, pop them in the oven and enjoy them as a fall snack.

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Regalbuto recommends using all of the pumpkin in a variety of snacks and meals. Remember to wash and dry the seeds and bake until crispy.

A pumpkin soup is another dish that Regalbuto highlighted as a fall classic. You can cook this dish with whatever vegetables you like, although he noted that squash and sweet potato would be ideal with this soup.

And while some of these dishes might seem overdone or heard of, have you ever smeared homemade pumpkin jam atop toast versus peanut butter or traditional jelly? Regalbuto recommends a few simple steps to create this yummy breakfast treat to spread across slices of toast or even pancakes.

Regalbuto said this jam is ideal with cinnamon bread or a piece of sourdough.

Preparing a whole pumpkin for baking is a fairly time-consuming process.

"You can definitely go the long route and just clean the pumpkin very well. The outside, the inside and leave it whole. Just throw that thing in the oven. It will take a long time. So, this is something that you have to have a lot of time for," Regalbuto said.

If you don't have a lot of time on your hands, don't fret — there is a way to speed up this process.

"I would recommend maybe cutting the pumpkin in half and then quartering it from there or breaking it down into however many small, even pieces you can. Then you drizzle the pan with a little bit of olive oil or whatever oil you prefer and bake it just like that," Regalbuto said.

Baking temperature is key when it comes to pumpkins, so you'll want to be sure you don't have the heat on too high.

"Now with the pumpkins, you don't want to overdo the temperature, especially if you're going to do the whole pumpkin. So, I would stick with a lower temperature, like a 325 to 350 is ideal. Then, if it's smaller pieces, you can go higher, just so you're not waiting there all day for the small pieces to cook. I'd recommend a 425 for that," Regalbuto said.

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