Pick of the Patch Italian Pumpkin Recipes

For most of us, there comes a time every year when pumpkins come roaring back in style, seemingly overnight. From sweet pumpkin-spice lattes to savory pumpkin soups, the flavors of this winter squash are highly sought after.

In the Mediterranean, pumpkin recipes have been common for hundreds of years. In Italy, pumpkins first arrived from Central America during the Renaissance. They were grown everywhere and were cheap to farm so even very poor Italians began to enjoy them and create pumpkin recipes that became more and more delicious over time.

Mediterranean Pumpkin Recipes are more than just pumpkin pie.

The traditional Mediterranean Diet is mostly composed of recipes and foods that were affordable and readily available to very humble people in the Mediterranean over hundreds, if not thousands, of years. This is one of the reasons the Mediterranean Diet tastes so good!

Here we have three pumpkin recipes by our Italian recipe developer and frequent collaborator Giorgia Fontana. Each of these recipes has its own unique story that Giorgia has written in the recipe descriptions. You can find the link to each recipe below! We hope you enjoy these 3 authentic Italian pumpkin recipes.

Roasted Pumpkin with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Every year, as soon as the first leaves turn yellow or red and the winds blows colder, I know it is finally time for pumpkin-based recipes. This bright orange vegetable is indeed one of my all-time favorites: I just love its mild sweetness and creamy texture! I enjoy pumpkin throughout all the colder season, but I like to cook it especially during gray and gloomy days, when I can stay inside watching the world passing by at the window. This roasted pumpkin and  Blue Cheese with Walnuts creates that perfect late-autumn cozy feel.

Recipe Here!

Pumpkin Risotto with Mushrooms

Fall is finally here and what better way to celebrate this colorful season than by eating its most iconic products? Pumpkin and mushrooms are always a great combination and they work together amazingly well in this classic pumpkin risotto. The sweet and slightly nutty flavor of the pumpkin pairs perfectly with the umami of the mushrooms, the salty sharpness of the Pecorino cheese ties everything together, creating a great creamy consistency.

Recipe Here!

Pumpkin Soup with Sautéed Mushrooms

Soups are one of my favorite types of dish, especially during rainy days. In fact, I think there is something comforting about savoring a hot bowl of creamy and delicious soup when the weather outside is gloomy, especially if you are with your whole family! Having said that, I also think that a good plate of fresh homemade soup is a great way to eat healthy on any given day!

Recipe Here!