Place the cubes in a tall microwave safe bowl. A tall bowl as opposed to a flat, open bowl will help trap steam and steam the pumpkin pieces instead of making the skin leathery.

Microwave for 5 minutes. This will depend heavily on your microwave as they are all different wattage. Once you make it a few times you’ll get a sense of how long it needs to cook.

After the 5 minutes, stir the pumpkin cubes up. Distribute the cubes that were on top to the bottom and vice versa. Return the bowl to the microwave and allow to sit in the steamy environment for around 5-10 minutes. This will also allow the bowl to cool a little to ensure it doesn’t get too hot.

Repeat by cooking the pumpkin for another 5 minutes. Once the five minutes is up, stir and smash the pumpkin and return it to the steamy microwave. It should be easily mashable at this point.

Allow the pumpkin to cool a little before blending to a smooth consistency. If you’re using a blender without a steam valve (like a Nutribullet) allow it to cool completely before blending.

You can pass the pumpkin puree through a sieve if you like, but I generally never do. It may be helpful for things like a pumpkin pie where texture is super important.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and use within a few days. The puree can also be frozen and defrosted