15 Homemade Dog Food Recipes with Pumpkin

Pumpkin turns up in homemade dog food for a few simple reasons: it adds fiber, moisture, and vitamin A, it’s affordable, and most dogs seem to like the taste.

The 15 pumpkin dog food recipes below range from a one-minute yogurt bowl to a batch that makes around 30 cups.

Each one uses homemade dog food with pumpkin in a slightly different way, either as the main ingredient or as a small addition to the meal.

After the recipes, you’ll also find a few practical notes on choosing pumpkin, measuring it, and feeding it safely.

Just keep in mind that pumpkin alone does not make a homemade diet nutritionally complete.

If any of these recipes will replace your dog’s regular meals rather than simply top them, check with your vet first.

Somewhere in this list is a meal built on kangaroo mince, and another that has to be layered in a specific order or the machine throws a burn warning. Both are worth getting to.

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15 Homemade Dog Food Recipes with Pumpkin

1. Homemade Dog Food Crockpot Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken breast, diced (boneless and skinless)
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup pumpkin, chopped into pieces
• 4 cups water
• Optional after cooking: 1 tsp fish oil per serving, and 1/2 tsp calcium powder per pound of food

Instructions:

1. Add the diced chicken, brown rice, and chopped pumpkin to the crockpot, then pour in 4 cups of water so everything is covered.
2. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours if you need it sooner. There’s no need to stir while it cooks.
3. When it’s done, the chicken should shred easily, the rice should be soft, and the pumpkin should mash with a fork. Stir everything together and add a little more water if the mixture looks too thick.
4. For a softer texture, shred the chicken and mash the pumpkin into the rice. If your dog prefers chunkier food, you can leave it as it is.
5. Let the food cool completely before serving. About 15 to 20 minutes should bring it down to room temperature.

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2. Instant Pot Dog Food Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 cups brown rice
• 1 large sweet potato, chopped into large chunks
• 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach (or about 2 cups if you’re using fresh)
• 2 to 3 lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts
• 4 cups water

Instructions:

1. Add everything to the Instant Pot in layers: rice first, then water, vegetables, and finally the chicken thighs on top.
2. Cook on high pressure for 18 minutes.
3. Once the cooking cycle ends, let the pressure release naturally before opening the lid.
4. Stir everything together, breaking up the chicken as you go. It should fall apart easily, while the pumpkin mixes into the rice.
5. Let the food cool completely before portioning.

The full recipe makes about 16 cups, so you can halve it for a smaller dog or freeze what you won’t use right away. It keeps for about 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

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3. Layered Liver and Pumpkin Dinner for Dogs

Ingredients:

• Olive oil, poured into the pot and smeared around with a paper towel
• 2 sweet potatoes, chunky chopped, skin on
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 12 oz frozen peas
• 12 oz frozen green beans
• 1.5 cups quinoa or brown rice
• 7 oz frozen spinach, which is half a package
• Half a can of pumpkin puree
• 2 cups filtered water
• 1 beef liver, chopped, or chicken gizzards
• 6 lbs of some meat: ground turkey, bison, beef, elk, venison or chicken

Instructions:

1. Keep the ingredients in the order listed, because changing the layers can trigger the Instant Pot’s burn warning.
2. Lightly oil the pot, then add the sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, green beans, quinoa or rice, spinach, half a can of pumpkin, water, liver, and finally the six pounds of meat on top. The spinach sits over the grain so its moisture can cook down into it.
3. Cook for 35 minutes and leave the pot alone while it runs.
4. Stir in any extras after cooking, not before. Alex adds a little coconut oil, calcium supplement, and turmeric by eye.

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4. Chicken Rice Pumpkin for Dogs

Ingredients:

• 4 cups instant rice, cooked per the package, which should give about 8 cups
• 1 family pack of chicken breast, about 3.5 lbs., or 6 to 7 breasts
• 6 cups water
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) green beans, or 3 cups fresh, steamed and pureed
• 1 cup canned pumpkin, or 1 cup fresh, steamed and pureed
• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp bone meal, the kind sold as a dog supplement

Instructions:

1. Cook the chicken in the crockpot with 4 cups of water, either on LOW for about 8 hours or HIGH for 4. Once it’s done, set the chicken aside to cool and keep the broth.
2. Cook the instant rice, let it cool, then add it to a large mixing bowl.
3. Mince the chicken in a food processor, working in batches if needed, and stir it into the rice.
4. Puree the green beans with the parsley, then mix that in too. Keep it plain, with no salt or seasoning.
5. Add the pumpkin and bone meal.
6. Mix everything thoroughly. If you’re aiming for a softer texture, keep stirring until the mixture is as smooth as possible.
7. Add the reserved broth a little at a time until the food loosens to about the consistency of chili. You’ll usually need 1 to 2 cups.

Four recipes in, and the slow cooker and Instant Pot have done all the heavy lifting.

Next, the lids come off and everything moves back to the stove, starting with a one-pot meal that needs just three ingredients.

You Might Also Like:

• 15 Nutritious Crockpot Dog Food Recipes
• 7 Homemade Dog Food Crockpot Chicken
• 8 Crockpot Dog Food Recipes Vet Approved Homemade

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5. Big Batch Chicken Rice Pumpkin for Dogs

Ingredients:

• 6 lbs. meat, such as boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 6 cups rice
• 6 cans of pure pumpkin puree
• 6 medium sweet potatoes

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet, scrub the potatoes, prick them with a fork, and bake for about an hour or until tender.
2. Let them cool, remove the skins, and mash them in a large bowl.
3. While they bake, boil the chicken in a large pot of water for 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through. Transfer it to a cutting board and keep the cooking water.
4. Chop the chicken into small pieces and add it to the sweet potato. Cook the rice in the reserved chicken water, then fluff it and stir it into the bowl.
5. Add the pumpkin purée and mix everything thoroughly so it’s evenly distributed through the batch.
6. Let the food cool completely, then divide it into airtight containers.

It keeps for 5 to 7 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer, and the full recipe makes about 30 cups.

If a batch that size has you wondering what a portion actually looks like, our guide to how much homemade food to feed your dog works through it by weight.

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6. Chicken, Oats and Pumpkin for Dogs

Ingredients:

• 2 large carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Rolled oats, no measurement given
• Pumpkin puree, no measurement given

Instructions:

1. Set a steamer basket inside a 3-quart pot and add a little water. Cut the carrots and celery into 1- to 2-inch pieces, then steam for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender.
2. While the vegetables cook, fill a large pot about three-quarters full with water and boil the chicken breasts for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into one to make sure it’s cooked through, then chop the chicken into small cubes.
3. The oats are prepared directly in your dog’s bowl rather than as part of the batch. Add a little hot water and let them soften, or microwave them briefly with water.
4. Add the chopped chicken and vegetables to the bowl.
5. Spoon the pumpkin over the top, stir everything together, and let it cool to a safe temperature before serving.

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7. Turkey and Pumpkin Dog Food with Brown Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• ½ cup chopped carrots, or green beans or peas instead
• ½ cup brown rice
• ¼ cup spinach (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional)

Instructions:

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, stir in the ½ cup of rice, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until tender.
2. While the rice cooks, chop the carrots into bite-sized pieces and roughly chop the spinach if you’re using it.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it up as it browns, until no pink remains.
4. Add the carrots and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, then stir in the spinach for the final minute.
5. Add the pumpkin and turmeric, if using, and stir until everything is coated. Fold in the cooked rice and mix well.
6. Let the food cool completely before serving. There’s no salt or added seasoning here, and that’s intentional.

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8. Beef and Pumpkin Porridge

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (454 g) 90% lean ground beef
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1 can (400 g) pumpkin puree, or 1 ½ cups cooked pumpkin
• ½ cup (45 g) rolled oats, or quinoa
• ¼ cup (30 g) wheat germ
• 1 tbsp (8 g) All-Pups Seasoning
• 2 tbsp (30 g) extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Lightly brown the ground beef in a 4-quart pot. You don’t need to sear it, just cook it through.
2. Add the water, pumpkin purée, oats, and wheat germ.
3. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the oats are cooked. If you’re using quinoa instead, give it about 15 to 18 minutes.
4. Adjust the water as needed depending on how thick or soupy your dog likes the food.
5. Stir in the All-Pups Seasoning, then remove the pot from the heat and let everything cool.
6. Add the olive oil once the food has cooled. Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer. The full batch comes to about 1,700 calories.

Most of the recipes so far work best as toppers or occasional meals.

Recipe 9 is different because it’s built as a balanced bowl, and it starts with an exotic meat you can find from online retailers.

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9. Kangaroo & Pumpkin Dog Food

Ingredients:

• 600 g kangaroo mince with 1 to 2% fat
• 180 g peeled pumpkin, fresh or frozen
• 80 g broccoli, fresh or frozen
• 80 g kale, washed and chopped
• 30 g blackberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 level teaspoon chia seeds
• 4 Swisse Odorless Super Strength Wild Fish Oil capsules, 2,000 mg each
• 10 g CompleteMe Canine meal completer

Instructions:

1. This recipe makes about a kilo of food, and the vegetables go into the steamer in stages. Bring the water in the base to a simmer first.
2. Add the pumpkin and steam, covered, until it’s about halfway tender. Add the broccoli, cover again, and steam for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the kale last and keep steaming until all the vegetables are soft. Remove them and leave them to cool.
4. Steam the kangaroo mince for 5 to 7 minutes, until firm and cooked through. You can also cook it gently in a non-stick pan.
5. Transfer the meat to a large bowl and break it into pieces that suit your dog. Add the pumpkin, broccoli, and kale, chopping the vegetables smaller if needed.
6. Stir in the blackberries, olive oil, chia seeds, and CompleteMe Canine meal completer. Unlike the toppers above, this recipe is designed to make a more nutritionally complete meal.
7. Snip the fish-oil capsules, squeeze the oil into the bowl, and discard the shells. Mix everything well, leaving it chunky or chopping it finer for a fussier dog.

The recipe is intended for healthy adult dogs, so puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs, and dogs with medical conditions should only have it with veterinary guidance.

Cooking for a dog who reacts to poultry or grain takes a bit more planning, and our collection of homemade dog food recipes covers a dozen different protein and carbohydrate combinations.

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10. Turkey and Pumpkin Stew for Dogs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey, lean and unseasoned
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• ½ cup green beans, chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or water for a lighter version
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp turmeric (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the ground turkey and cook until browned through, breaking it up as you go.
2. Stir in the zucchini, carrot, and green beans, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes so they start to soften.
3. Pour in the low-sodium broth and pumpkin purée, stirring until the pumpkin blends smoothly into the liquid and turns the mixture into a stew.
4. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
5. If you’re using turmeric and parsley, add them during the last few minutes. Use flat-leaf parsley rather than curly parsley, which can be harmful in larger amounts.
6. Let the stew cool completely before serving. It keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Leave out onions, garlic, salt, and pepper entirely.

You Might Also Like:

• Crockpot Dog Food Recipes with Ground Turkey
• 5 Easy Turkey Dog Food Recipes Crockpot
• 11 Nutritious Homemade Grain-Free Dog Food

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11. Pumpkin and Yogurt Breakfast for Dogs

Ingredients:

For small dogs:

• 1 to 2 teaspoons plain Greek nonfat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon 100% pure pumpkin puree
• Dog Greens vitamin and mineral powder (optional)
• 1/8 to ¼ teaspoon homemade Dog Food Seasoning Blend (optional)

For large dogs:

• 1 to 3 tablespoons plain Greek nonfat yogurt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons 100% pure pumpkin puree
• Dog Greens vitamin and mineral powder (optional)
• ½ teaspoon homemade Dog Food Seasoning Blend (optional)

Instructions:

1. Spoon the plain yogurt and pumpkin into a small bowl, then add any optional extras and stir until combined.
2. Check the yogurt label carefully before serving. It should be plain and unsweetened, with no xylitol or other added sweeteners. Flavored yogurts and tubs with mix-ins are best avoided.
3. Start small if your dog doesn’t usually eat dairy. Try about a teaspoon for a small dog or a tablespoon for a larger one, then see how they tolerate it before offering more.
4. Serve the mixture straight away. Greek yogurt is often easier on dogs because it contains less lactose, though some dogs may still be sensitive to dairy.

The last four recipes aren’t meals at all. They’re the ingredient itself, made four different ways, and the differences between them matter more than you’d expect.

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12. How To Make Pumpkin Puree for Dogs

Ingredients:

• 1 pumpkin

Instructions:

Roast method:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top and stem, then slice it into quarters with a large sharp knife.
3. Scoop out the seeds and set them aside if you want to use them later. Place the pumpkin quarters skin-side down on the baking sheet.
4. Roast for about 40 minutes, or a little longer for a larger pumpkin, until the flesh is soft enough to pierce easily with a fork.
5. Let it cool, peel away the skin, cut the flesh into chunks, then blend until smooth in a food processor or blender.

Boil method:

1. Wash the pumpkin, set it on a stable cutting board, and use a sharp knife to remove the top and stem before cutting it into quarters.
2. Scoop out the seeds, then cut the flesh away from the skin and chop it into roughly 1-inch pieces.
3. Add the pumpkin to a saucepan, cover with fresh water, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the pieces are fork-tender.
4. Drain and let the pumpkin cool, then blend it until smooth. If the purée seems watery, strain it through cheesecloth or a colander over a bowl.

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13. Boiled Pumpkin Puree for Dogs

Ingredients:

• 20 oz ripe pumpkin
• 3 cups water

Instructions:

1. Remove the skin and seeds first, then cut the pumpkin into chunks.
2. Add the pumpkin and 3 cups of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pieces are soft.
3. Drain the pumpkin and let it cool.
4. Blend until smooth, then store the purée in a jar for up to a week in the fridge or freeze it in ice cube trays for up to six months. About 20 ounces of pumpkin makes roughly ten 2-ounce servings.

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14. Cooking Pumpkin for Dogs in the Oven

Ingredients:

• 1 medium pumpkin

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. The pumpkin will need about 45 minutes, but watch the skin. It’s ready when the skin starts to blister and pull away from the flesh.
2. Set the pumpkin on a stable cutting board and cut it into quarters. If it’s very large, removing the ends first can make it easier and safer to handle.
3. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a large spoon. Place the quarters in a roasting dish and bake until tender.
4. Let the pumpkin cool enough to handle, then peel from a cut edge or blistered section. The skin should come away in strips.
5. Chop the flesh into smaller pieces and blend until smooth and creamy. Freeze for 3 to 6 months, working in batches if the pumpkin is too large for your processor.

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15. Pumpkin Or Squash Puree

Ingredients:

• 1 pie pumpkin or squash, kept plain with no salt or oil added if it’s going to a dog

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pumpkin or squash on a stable cutting board and cut it in half with a sharp knife.
2. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Place the halves cut-side down on the baking sheet and transfer them to the oven.
3. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a fork slide easily through the flesh. Let them cool enough to handle.
4. Scoop the flesh into a food processor and blend until smooth. One pumpkin or squash usually gives 2 to 4 cups of purée, so roasting a larger batch can save you some cleanup later.

You Might Also Like:

• 13 Homemade Dog Food for Dogs with No Teeth
• 10 Homemade Dog Food for Picky Eaters
• 12 Easy Homemade Wet Dog Food Recipes

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What Kind of Pumpkin Can Dogs Eat?

Plain pumpkin is the safest choice, and that means nothing added. You can use fresh pumpkin you’ve cooked yourself or canned pumpkin for dogs with pumpkin as the only ingredient.

What you want to avoid is pumpkin pie filling, which often sits right beside plain purée in a very similar can.

It already contains sugar and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, so always check the ingredient list instead of relying on the label on the front.

The type of pumpkin matters too. Small pie or sugar pumpkins usually give the best texture and flavor, including varieties like Sweet Sugar Pie, Small Sugar, Cinderella, Baby Bear, and Spookie.

Calabaza works well too. Large carving pumpkins tend to be watery and stringy, though you can thicken the purée by straining it through cheesecloth.

Squash is also a good substitute. Butternut makes a thicker, deeper-orange purée, while acorn and kabocha fall somewhere in between.

Pumpkin seeds are edible, but they need more care.

Raw seeds are harder to digest, while the shells can be difficult for dogs to handle and may cause problems if swallowed in quantity. Any moldy or rancid seeds should be thrown away.

When it comes to how to prepare pumpkin for dogs, we always recommend to keep the process simple.

The same applies to how to cook pumpkin for dogs: plain pumpkin, cooked until soft, with no salt, oil, sugar, or seasoning added.

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Can You Add Pumpkin to Homemade Dog Food?

Pumpkin is useful in dog food because it adds fiber, moisture, beta-carotene, and vitamins while staying relatively low in calories, and its fiber can help with constipation.

Homemade dog food pumpkin can be added as a spoonful of purée, mixed into a cooked meal, or used as a kibble topper, with fresh and canned purée generally interchangeable.

But a dog food recipe with pumpkin is not automatically nutritionally complete, since dogs still need the right balance of protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins, and minerals.

Unless a vet has reviewed the recipe or it uses a proper meal completer, these recipes are better treated as toppers or partial meals rather than a complete long-term diet.

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How Much Pumpkin Should You Put in Homemade Dog Food?

There is no single serving size for pumpkin food for dogs, because the right amount depends on the dog’s size, the rest of the meal, and why pumpkin is being added.

Common guidance ranges from 1 to 2 teaspoons for small dogs to a few tablespoons for larger dogs.

Start with a small amount and increase gradually, since too much fiber can cause gas, bloating, or loose stools.

If pumpkin is being used for an ongoing digestive issue rather than occasional variety, it is better to ask your vet for guidance.

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Tips for Making Homemade Pumpkin Dog Food

One of the most overlooked tips is to always introduce any new homemade dog food recipe gradually.

You can do this by mixing a small amount into your dog’s usual food and increasing it over a week or two.

Also, you’ll want to avoid onion, garlic, salt, pepper, spice blends, and any yogurt containing xylitol.

Another important tip is to always cook meat thoroughly before letting the food cool to room temperature.

When it comes to storing homemade dog food, that will vary by recipe, but most cooked meals keep for about 3 to 5 days in the fridge and around 3 months in the freezer.

Make sure to freeze pumpkin purée in small portions for convenience when you want to serve your dog later.

Most importantly, learning how to make dog food at home does not automatically make the diet nutritionally complete.

Easy dog food recipes homemade can work well as toppers, occasional meals, or short-term options, but regular feeding should be discussed with your vet.

 Your vet may recommend calcium, fish oil, or another supplement to fill nutritional gaps in your dog’s regular food.

Dogs with digestive issues need more than added fiber, and our guide to homemade dog food for digestive problems covers the ingredients that help and the ones that make things worse.

Before you close the tab, there’s a short list of pumpkin recipes below that go the other direction entirely, from no-bake frozen bites to a peanut-butter-free batch.

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More Pumpkin Recipes for Dogs

Have some leftover pumpkin on your counter? Here are some more recipe ideas you can use to make something special for your canine friend:

• 21 Homemade Pumpkin Dog Treats
• 22 Tasty Homemade Pumpkin Dog Treats Without Peanut Butter
• Banana Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe
• No-Bake Pumpkin Yogurt Dog Treats
• 30 Homemade Easy Dog Treats DIY Ideas

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The Easier Way to Cook Dog Food

Pumpkin brings fiber, moisture, and vitamin A to the bowl, but it can’t balance a homemade diet on its own.

Calcium, phosphorus, amino acids, and plenty of other nutrients still have to line up, which is why we recommend the ChefPaw Dog Food Maker.

It combines a blender, mixer, scale, and cooker in one countertop machine and can make up to 6.4 pounds of fresh food in about 40 minutes.

Ingredients go straight into the bowl on the built-in gram scale, which resets between additions, so there’s no need to weigh the pumpkin, meat, or vegetables separately.

The app is the more useful part if you’re trying to build complete meals rather than simply mix ingredients together.

It tracks 68 nutrients against your dog’s age, breed, weight, and activity level, using nutritional data for more than 1,000 ingredients.

Pumpkin, oats, sweet potato, and other common ingredients are already included, so you can see how a swap changes the recipe instead of guessing.

There are also more than 75 recipes covering adult dogs, puppies, seniors, novel proteins, allergies, and renal needs, with prompts for adding heat-sensitive supplements after cooking.

ChefPaw estimates the food cost at around $1.81 per pound, and cleanup is mostly hands-off too.

Add water and a little dish soap, run the P05 cleaning cycle, and let the machine handle the rest.

We’ve secured an exclusive $50 discount just for our readers. Enter code FURSNPAWS at checkout to enjoy this deal!

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Conclusion

As you have seen, pumpkin is easy to cook with, easy to store, and flexible enough to work in everything from quick toppers to big-batch meals.

The main thing to remember is that pumpkin for dogs adds fiber, moisture, and useful nutrients, but it does not make a homemade diet complete on its own.

Keep it plain, introduce it gradually, and choose the recipe that fits the way you actually cook.

If you plan to replace regular meals rather than just add to them, have your vet look over the recipe first.

When done thoughtfully, dog food DIY recipes can be a practical way to put more care into what ends up in your dog’s bowl.