Once fall officially hits and the weather starts to cool down, people go crazy for pumpkin spiced everything. From candles, to pies, to milkshakes, and those dang lattes that put people in a frenzy. Hey, who are we to judge? Pumpkin can be healthy, tastes great, and is plentiful in the fall. But what if we all branch out a bit and try some less basic pumpkin goodies? Like what, you ask? Oh, well, like these Latin recipes we've rounded up that feature pumpkin as a star ingredient.
More from MamásLatinas: Delicious recipes featuring Latin ingredients
There are savory, sweet, and spicy delights to choose from and none of them require you to wait in line at your local coffee retailer with a bunch of pumpkin spice latte fiends impatiently waiting for their seasonal fix. Not that we blame them, those things are delish, but so are these dishes you can make at home. Enjoy the season and enjoy these pumpkin delights!
Stuffed calabazas are delicious and so pretty.
Calabaza is used in many Latin recipes. In this recipe, the pumpkin gets stuffed with all kinds of yummy ingredients. Don't be afraid to play with the recipe and make it your own. Swap out ingredients or add ones that appeal to you.
Spicy pumpkin-black bean enchiladas are the vegetarian dish you'll crave all fall.
The magical combination of black beans with pumpkin is enough to make even the biggest of carnivores fall in love with this dish. It's flavorful and satisfying. Plus, it doesn't leave you feeling like you ate something heavy.
Mini pumpkin churros are the cutest dessert you'll have all week.
Churros are a deliciously tasty dessert, and they make for a perfect for a fall treat when infused with some absolutely amazing pumpkin flavor. Oh, and you can still dip them in chocolate sauce, if you're a fan of that kind of thing.
Serve up this Argentine beef stew in a pumpkin at your autumn dinner party.
A dinner party-ready dish like no other, this recipe will surely impress absolutely all of your guests. If you serve it in a pumpkin, it ups the WOW factor. And it's SO delicious and comforting!
These pumpkin beer chicken tacos are absolutely perfect for game day.
Game day snacking is an absolute MUST, and tacos are a sure-fire way to win over your American football-loving friends. The chicken is made in a slow cooker, where it simmers in pumpkin beer and pumpkin puree. Yum!
Pumpkin empanadas make the perfect snack during this chilly season.
Whether they're a snack, breakfast or even dessert, pumpkin empanadas are the go-to dish you should be munching on all fall. Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate any time of day.
Make these pumpkin and black bean burritos ahead of time to bring to lunch all week.
These hearty burritos with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor are for more than just dinner. You can make these ahead of time and take them to work for lunch or have them ready to go whenever hunger strikes.
Take your favorite flavors and make pumpkin pie tamales.
Tamales are an absolute must during the holiday season, of course. And there's nothing better than putting some extra seasonal flavor into your fave dish. Sweet tamales are such a treat, too. They taste great with your afternoon cup of coffee.
Brazilian shrimp-stuffed pumpkin is a simple and elegant dish for weeknight meals.
Weeknights just got a WHOLE lot sexier thanks to this really simple but seriously elegant dish that's sure to please you and your honey. It's a great meal to serve for a stay-at-home date night.
Pumpkin enchiladas are specially made for Sundays with family.
Sunday night dinner just got a whole lot better with this delectable dish made with shredded chicken, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, cotija cheese, and spices that work so well together.
Traditional Cuban pumpkin flan is the way to everyone's heart this season.
A traditional Cuban flan is the best dish to serve for your next party, and a pumpkin-flavored one is sure to surprise and delight all of your guests. A good flan is exquisite any time of year.
A slow cooker pumpkin taco soup will have dinner on the table in no time.
The beauty of the slow cooker is that you can simply "set it and forget it". The beauty of making soup is that if you have any left over, it's even better the next day. So make a big batch and have it two nights in a row.
Pumpkin quesadillas with lime-jalapeño yogurt are a lunchtime treat.
A quesadilla takes almost no time to make, though we admit that these pumpkin-flavored beauties take a bit more effort than usual. Still, they're TOTALLY worth it and still don't take all that long to make considering how quickly they get gobbled up.
30-minute pumpkin tacos are an easy dinner tonight...And any night!
You don't always have time to make an elaborate meal on a random Tuesday, so why not make one that takes JUST half an hour? Also, remember that tacos don't have to be reserved for Tuesdays. They work any day of the week.
Pumpkin tres leches cake is a dessert that nobody can resist.
Tres leches cake is a classic dish that's easy to turn into a favorite fall dessert with the addition of pumpkin and classic spices that we simply can't resist, like, EVER.