You probably know the pumpkin as a soup, fries or puree, don't you? But have you ever grilled a pumpkin? Presented here are 3 delicious recipe ideas.
There are more than 200 edible pumpkin varieties, some of which you can buy from us or even grow in your own garden. And that's exactly what you should definitely do, because the pumpkin is very low in calories, he althy and can be integrated into the diet in many different ways. The great thing about it: thanks to its slightly sweet taste, it is also very popular with most children.
Pumpkins are in season in late autumn and can be prepared immediately after harvesting or stored (reading tip: Storing pumpkins - this is how it's done). Then, however, not only pumpkin soup, pumpkin fries and pickled pumpkin should be on the table. In late autumn you can also fire up the grill and cook pumpkins on it. It just tastes great, is a very special delicacy and a great side dish for grilled meat.
Which types of pumpkin are suitable for grilling?
The American pumpkin is a popular year-round vegetable because it can be grown there all year round. Unfortunately, you can only buy pumpkins in our shops in late summer or autumn. But at this time, pumpkin dishes are also very popular in Germany. So what could be more obvious than putting pumpkin on the grill for the last barbecue evening?
You can basically grill any pumpkin, but the pumpkin varieties with firm flesh are best suited for this. With us you get e.g. mainly the Hokkaido pumpkin to buy. This has the advantage that you can eat the shell. Its flesh is also nice and firm and has a slightly nutty aroma.
The butternut squash is also very good for the grill and also has nice, firm flesh. In addition, it has only a few cores, which makes processing very easy. This pumpkin owes its name to its fine butter aroma. It's also slightly sweet, which in turn leads to delicious roasted flavors developing on the grill.
3 delicious grilled pumpkin recipes
➔ Recipe 1 - Marinated Pumpkin Steaks
You can simply place the pumpkin on the grill like steaks. To do this, cut the pumpkin into wedges or slices and then place them in a marinade for a few hours. The basis for this should always be a good olive oil. You can then refine this with spring onions, chili, garlic and herbs according to your own taste.
» Tip: The grilled pumpkin wedges also taste delicious if you wrap them in bacon beforehand.
➔ Recipe 2 - Hokkaido Squash with Garlic Herb Pesto
You can also serve the Hokkaido pumpkin wedges with a spicy garlic herb pesto. To do this, brush the pumpkin slices with olive oil, s alt and pepper and then place them on the grill. Turn the vegetables as soon as the grill marks appear. Then grill a little more at a lower heat.
For the pesto, finely dice a clove of garlic and chop some fresh coriander, thyme and some chili. Mix everything with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil and season with pepper and s alt. After grilling, simply pour this pesto over the pumpkin and enjoy. A green leafy salad goes best with this.
➔ Recipe 3 - Marinate Butternut Squash in Olives
You can also marinate a butternut squash in olives. To do this, slice the pumpkin, peel it and then place it in the olive marinade for a few hours. This consists of:
- 20 black olives, finely chopped
- a bunch of finely chopped parsley
- the juice of a lemon
- chopped spring onion
- a finely chopped chili pepper
- two tablespoons of maple syrup
- a little olive oil.
Season the mixture with a little pepper and s alt and then let the vegetables soak in it. Then dab the pumpkin before grilling, grill, cover again with the olive marinade and serve.