Pumpkin Substitutes

Out of pumpkin? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert pumpkin between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the pumpkin converter.

What to use instead of pumpkin

  • Butternut Squash

    Produce swap

    1 cup cubed pumpkin = 1 cup cubed butternut squash (1:1 by volume)

    Closest swap by flavour and texture. Butternut roasts a touch sweeter and less stringy than carving pumpkin, and identical to a sugar pumpkin in pies, soups, and curries.

    See butternut squash substitutes →

  • Sweet Potato

    Produce swap

    1 cup cubed pumpkin = 1 cup cubed sweet potato (1:1 by volume)

    Sweeter, denser, and slightly drier than pumpkin. Works well in pies, breads, and curries where the orange colour matters; less ideal in soups where pumpkin's looser flesh helps the body.

    See sweet potato substitutes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for pumpkin?
There are 2 workable substitutes for pumpkin, depending on what you have on hand and which property of pumpkin matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually 1 cup cubed pumpkin = 1 cup cubed butternut squash (1:1 by volume). Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting pumpkin change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the pumpkin converter
How do I measure pumpkin accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The pumpkin converter on this site converts between whole items, cups, US cups, grams, ounces, and pounds, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the pumpkin converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

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