Pumpkin Fries Recipe
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This pumpkin fries recipe is an easy way to get more of this nutritious food into your eating plan the tasty way!
I love pumpkins. Everything about them is fabulous. I love them in all shapes, colors, and sizes. I’m an equal-opportunity pumpkin lover. No pumpkin is too big, warty, or strangely shaped for me. I just love em’!
They are naturally delicious and lend themselves well to just about any pumpkin recipe you can conceive of.
Are Pumpkins Fruit?
Did you know that pumpkins are actually a fruit? Because of their seeds, they are part of the gourd family, which includes melons.
What Do Pumpkin Fries Taste Like?
Pumpkins are a mild-flavored squash, so they will take on the flavor of any spice or seasoning you put on them. Without spice, they taste like very mild butternut squash, but they aren’t very good without seasoning. They need something to bring more flavor to the dish.
How To Cut Pumpkin Fries
The main thing with cutting pumpkin fries is that you want to make them as close to uniform in size as possible so that they cook properly. Once you’ve cut the pumpkins in half, scooped out the seeds, and removed the peel, it just becomes a matter of turning the cut side down and slicing it all into long strips. This can take a little patience, but I promise, it’s worth the effort.
Air Fryer Pumpkin Fries
Yes, these can air fry pumpkin fries. Preheat the air fryer to 375F and then cook the pumpkin fries for about 10-20 minutes, depending on their thickness. Remember to toss them by shaking the air fryer basket occasionally so they get golden brown with plenty of outer crispness all the way around. You will have to cook them in batches. they won’t all fit in the basket at once. If you want them a bit crispier on the outside, you can coat the pumpkin with a light dusting of starch such as arrowroot powder or cornstarch.
How Long Do You Bake Pumpkin Fries?
If you are baking them in the oven, they’ll bake/roast for about 30 minutes. As with most roasted vegetables, timing can depend on the thickness and the oven. So be flexible on the time and keep an eye on them the first time you make them.
How Many Calories Are In Pumpkin Fries?
There are approximately 180 calories in roasted pumpkin fries. Of course, this can change slightly based on the spices you use. This amount includes about a tablespoon of oil to roast them with.
How Many Carbs Are In Pumpkin Fries?
1 cup of cooked pumpkin has 10.6 grams of carbs in it. The way you cook it makes no difference. It’s what you add to it that can change the carb count.
Are Pumpkins Keto-Friendly?
Yes, in moderation, they are. While they are somewhat lower in carbs than some other veggies, they have 2.7 grams of carbs per cup of cooked pumpkin. Sugar Pie Pumpkins are higher in carbs, however, so this recipe is not keto-friendly. Note that canned pumpkin tends to be higher in carbs as well.
What Other Spice Can I Use?
If the spices in the recipe don’t sound good, you can also try chili powder or ground cumin.
About The Ingredients
Sugar pie pumpkins – These are smaller pumpkins often used to make pumpkin pie because they tend to be the sweetest of all the varieties of pumpkin.
Oil – Use any type you like, but it’s wise to keep smoke points in mind. Avocado oil and coconut oil tend to have much higher smoke points than extra virgin olive oil.
Spicy Pumpkin Fries Spice Mix
Curry powder, Garlic powder, Cayenne pepper, Onion powder
Sweet Pumpkin Fries Spice Mix
Pumpkin pie spice, Maple syrup
How To Make Pumpkin Fries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Gather and measure the ingredients.
Cut the pumpkins in half and remove the seeds. Remove the skins with a potato peeler. (Careful not to get your fingers!)
Cut the pumpkin into strips, similar to french fries, using a sharp knife. They won’t be perfect, but close enough. About ¼ to ½ inch in thickness all the way around is perfect.
Coat the pumpkin slices with the desired spices and either oil or maple syrup. Arrange the pumpkin strips on a cookie sheet so that they are in a single layer. Using parchment paper is optional.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes, in the preheated oven or until the squash is soft and easily pierced with a fork.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
Freezing
These can be frozen for up to 4 months if wrapped well.
Reheating
You can reheat these in a microwave or in the oven until they reach your desired warmth.
More Pumpkin Recipes
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Pumpkin Fries Recipe Card
Pumpkin Fries Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium sugar pie pumpkins (approximately 8 cups when cut up)
SAVORY SPICE MIX
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
SWEET SPICE MIX
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (see link above)
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut the pumpkins in half and remove the seeds. Remove the skins with a potato peeler. (Careful not to get your fingers!)
- Cut into strips, similar to french fries. They won't be perfect, but close enough. About ¼ to ½ inch in thickness all the way around is perfect.
- Coat your pumpkin in the desired spices and arrange the fries on a cookie sheet so that they are in a single layer.
Baking
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the squash is soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Season with salt as needed.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe from the Gracious Pantry archives, originally posted 10/10/10.
I'm Tiffany, a writer for MSN and the AP Newswire, a cookbook author, digital publisher, food lover, and mom. I create healthy, clean eating recipes for everyday living.
I love pumpkin as well, but never thought to eat them in fry-form. Such a creative idea!
Lauren – These are also great the next day, right out of the fridge I took them to school as a snack. No matter what you do, these are so very yummy! Enjoy!
Really good nutritional & dietary info here Tiff. I’d not tried Pumpkin fries either, but I love pumpkin, so this is a must try for me.
Anna – You’re gonna love em! They are great warm or cold and make for a terrific snack when you are on the go. Enjoy!
Never thought of using pumpkin for fries!! Very tasty. I cut mine fairly thin so that they would crisp right up, and used lots of hot spices!
Jill – Spicy is good! I love spicy fries!
I havent made these yet but I will.
Trude – I think you’ll really enjoy them. They’re great for a meal OR a snack!
Fran – No, there is no salt in it at all. It’s a mix of about 4 different spices. You can look up a recipe for it online. It’s pretty easy to make.
Me too!
Is it 45 cals per cup?
Zani – Approximately, yes.
Have you ever frozen the fries for later use? (I have 2 huge pumpkins left to use from last fall)
Nan – Yep! You sure can! I would freeze them on a cookie sheet in a single layer though and then transfer to a storage bag rather than just tossing them all in a bag and freezing. It will make things easier on you when you want to pull out a few.
Where can you purchase sugar pie pumpkins? For sure what to try this.
Josephine – You can find them at any grocery store this time of year. Some stores call them Pie pumpkins. You can ask the produce person and they will point them out.