Bunyols de carabassa are Valencia's pumpkin doughnuts: a Fallas-season-only fried sweet ring of pumpkin-and-yeast dough, sugared and eaten hot from the fryer.

Bunyols de carabassa (pumpkin doughnuts) are the canonical Fallas-week sweet, sold from street stalls across Valencia during the March 15-19 festival (and the first half of March). The dough mixes mashed pumpkin with a yeast starter, fried in olive oil and dusted with sugar. The tradition runs back at least to the 18th century. Outside Fallas season, the bunyols are hard to find; Horchateria Daniel keeps a year-round version on the carte.

Where to eat Bunyols de carabassa in Valencia

2 editor picks for Bunyols de carabassa in Valencia, ranked by editorial score. All Valencia signature dishes · Bunyols de carabassa across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves 203 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
  • 350g plain flour
  • 1 sachet (7g) instant yeast
  • 1 egg
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 litre olive oil for frying
  • Caster sugar, for dusting

Method

  1. Steam or boil the pumpkin until very soft, around 15 minutes. Drain well and mash to a smooth puree.
  2. Combine the pumpkin puree, flour, yeast, egg and salt in a large bowl. Mix to a soft sticky dough.
  3. Cover and rest in a warm place for 2 hours until doubled in size.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a deep pan to 180 C.
  5. With wet hands, shape the dough into rings (a finger through the centre) and lower into the hot oil in small batches.
  6. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
  7. Drain on paper towel and immediately dust with caster sugar. Serve hot.

Editor tip. The dough is very sticky; keep your hands wet to shape the rings. Fry small batches so the oil temperature stays at 180 C; cold oil makes greasy bunyols.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg.