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Easy Pumpkin Curry

ByStephanie Wilson Posted on Updated on

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Warm up with a bowl of pumpkin curry when the days grow chilly. Packed with healthy nutrients and delicious flavors, it’s perfect for pumpkin season or when craving a quick and easy curry dish!

A bowl of vibrant pumpkin curry with chickpeas, diced vegetables, and fresh basil sits atop white rice, garnished with lime slices. In the background, a second bowl of the same dish is visible, accompanied by decorative pumpkins and a striped cloth napkin.

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If you love curry as much as I do, you may also love curry lentil soup or a simple Instant Pot vegetarian curry chickpeas. For delicious snacks, the roasted curry chickpeas are delicious, too!

What to Love About Pumpkin Curry

This recipe is adapted from one I received from a dear friend’s mother. She lives in Malaysia and is the most fabulous cook I’ve ever known. She is a beautiful woman that I’ve been fortunate to know.

I love making this curry in the fall for friends and family or whenever I’m craving a satisfying dinner that’s ready in no time. It reheats beautifully, making it perfect for making ahead and even meal-prepping for lunches throughout the week.

It’s delicious, served over rice, but it’s also nice with Healthy Baked Egg Rolls or Healthy Sautéed Greens!

A colorful dish of rice topped with a vibrant pumpkin curry, garnished with fresh basil leaves, is presented on a white plate. Lime slices are placed beside the curry. A brown glass and small pumpkins are in the background, adding a touch of fall decor.

Pumpkin Curry Ingredients

You will find ingredient measurements in the recipe card below, but here is a quick list of the ingredients you will need:

  • Cooking oil: Use your favorite neutral flavored oil.
  • Pumpkin: For this recipe, you will need cubed raw pumpkin. My preference is always a Sugar Pie Pumpkin, which has firm, smooth, and dense flesh. But you can also substitute butternut squash cubes (which I’ve also done many times), and it is equally delicious!
  • Onion: My preference is a sweet onion for flavor, but a yellow onion works great too.
  • Red Bell Pepper: I love the sweet flavor this brings to the curry, but you can also substitute or add a spicier pepper for additional heat.
  • Aromatics: minced garlic, fresh minced ginger, red pepper flakes (optional but delicious), curry powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper to taste
  • Canned chickpeas, drained
  • Canned coconut milk: I prefer full fat for a thicker texture
  • Maple syrup for natural sweetness

I like to serve pumpkin curry over rice, with a squeeze of fresh lime and fresh basil garnished. Cilantro is also delicious if that’s more convenient.

How to Make Pumpkin Curry

Recipe instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Heat a large skillet with cooking oil. Add the onion and chopped red pepper and saute until the onion is golden and the peppers begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.

A top-view of a cooking setup with chopped red bell peppers being sautéed in a pot. Surrounding the pot are pumpkins, a can of coconut milk, a bowl of curry powder for pumpkin curry, and a wooden spoon on a striped cloth.

Stir in the pumpkin, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes more.

A cozy cooking scene with a pot of diced butternut squash, chopped onions, and spices, surrounded by small pumpkins, cans of coconut milk—perfect for creating a delicious pumpkin curry. The ingredients are displayed on a white wooden surface with a green and white striped kitchen towel.

Then, stir in the coconut milk, maple syrup, chickpeas, and pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat cook with a low simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pumpkin is soft.

A pot of creamy pumpkin curry soup garnished with fresh basil leaves, surrounded by two small pumpkins, two limes, and a wooden spoon on a white rustic surface. A striped cloth napkin peeks in from the side.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in a squeeze of lime to taste and serve over rice.

Can you make Pumpkin Curry ahead?

Absolutely! If made ahead and reheated, the flavors intensify. It’s a delicious meal for now or later.

More Curry Recipes to Try

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A white bowl filled with pumpkin curry vegetables and chickpeas served over rice, garnished with fresh basil leaves and lime slices. Another similar dish is in the background, alongside a striped cloth, a small decorative pumpkin, and basil leaves on a white wooden surface.

Pumpkin Curry Recipe

Warm up this fall with a bowl of delicious pumpkin curry. Packed with nutrients and bursting with flavor, it's the perfect comfort food for chilly days.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 medium sweet onion chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 3 ½ cups pumpkin or butternut squash, cubed
  • 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger minced
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes optional for added heat
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder (see notes for substitutions)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or to taste
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas drained
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For Serving (Optional)

  • Lime wedges
  • Rice
  • Fresh basil or cilantro

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet with cooking oil and when hot, add onion and chopped red pepper. Saute until the onion is golden and the peppers begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Stir in the pumpkin, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, if using, curry powder, and turmeric. Cook for 2 minutes more. Then stir in the coconut milk, maple syrup, chickpeas, and pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook on a low simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pumpkin is soft.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in a squeeze of lime to taste and serve over rice.

Notes

  1. Curry Powder: If you prefer, you can substitute the curry powder and turmeric for 3 tablespoons yellow or red Thai curry paste.
  2. Maple Syrup: This adds a delicious sweetness to the curry. You can also use coconut sugar to taste.
  3. Thickness: This is my preferred curry thickness. You can thin it slightly with up to 1/2 cup of water or broth. To thicken the curry, puree up to half of the mixture with a blender or immersion blender and combine.
  4. To serve, garnish with fresh basil or cilantro and additional lime wedges or slices.

Nutrition

Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 8695IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Keyword: pumpkin curry, pumpkin curry recipe

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