What can you do with leftover pumpkin: Eight delicious recipes to make this week

No sad pumpkins here - turn your Halloween squash into a treat for the family 

Eight ways to cook with your leftover Halloween pumpkin.

Pumpkin soup

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

With a hint of ginger, this hearty soup with refreshing chopped celery is the perfect lunch to enjoy with crusty bread

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 55 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped

• 750g butternut squash or pumpkin of your choice, peeled and cut into cubes 

• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 

• 1 stick celery, roughly chopped 

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed 

• 2 tbsp olive oil 

• 1 tsp ground ginger 

• 700 ml chicken or vegetable stock 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Place the onion, butternut squash, carrot, celery, and garlic in a large ovenproof dish. Drizzle 1 tbsp. of the olive oil over them, mix well, and place in the oven for 25 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and transfer to a saucepan together with the remaining olive oil and the ginger. Fry for 1-2 minutes, then pour over the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Remove from the heat and blend with a hand blender until you reach your desired consistency. Ladle into warm bowls and serve with some buttered brown bread on the side.

Pumpkin and golden raisin buns

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

These muffins are delicious warm from the oven and make a great brunch addition

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 120g golden caster sugar

• 2 eggs

• 200g pumpkin purée

• 125g melted butter

• 50g golden raisins

• 20g pecan nuts, chopped

• A handful of porridge oats

Method

1. Pre heat your oven to 180°C and line a 12-hole bun tin with paper cases.

2. Place the flour, cinnamon, and sugar into a bowl.

3. Mix the eggs, pumpkin, and melted butter together. Add this to the flour mixture. Beat until combined.

4. Stir in the raisins and nuts and scoop the mixture between the 12 paper cases.

5. Sprinkle the oats on top, pressing them down slightly.

6. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Once cool enough to handle remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.