The species C. maxima was originally domesticated in South America in the regions of Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. The indigenous peoples of South America used it for centuries as a staple food in their diet. Europeans quickly adopted the pumpkin with colonization recognizing it as an important food source. In Brazil, abóbora moranga was traditionally used to make soups, salads, and stews; however, it has been replaced in these dishes with a new variety of pumpkin, abóbora híbrida. In Brazil and Portugal, abóbora moranga is now used mainly to make desserts.

In different regions of Brazil, abóbora moranga is known by different names such as moranga or comúm in the southern part of the country and jerimum in the north.