Thai Pumpkin Red Curry Recipe
This Spicy Thai Pumpkin Red Curry comes together in under 20 minutes using a few simple ingredients. Make it for your weeknight dinner using my easy recipe (vegan, gluten-free).
Here are some more Thai recipes that you may like: Pad Thai Noodles, Thai Fried Rice, and Chicken Panang Curry
About Thai Pumpkin Curry
Thai Pumpkin Curry is a quick and easy-to-make spicy curry made using red curry paste, pumpkin puree, pumpkin cubes, and other ingredients. It has a creamy coconut milk base that pairs great with rice or quinoa.
This one-pot Thai red pumpkin curry is hearty, delicious, and made using ingredients that are easy to find. The curry can be customized easily, and the recipe can be doubled or tripled.
Thai Pumpkin Red Curry recipe uses both pumpkin puree and cubed pumpkin, which means this one is high on fall flavors.
The taste of pumpkin, combined with the creaminess of coconut milk and the burst of flavors from Thai red curry paste, creates pure magic when everything comes together. You have to try it to believe me!
This Thai Pumpkin curry recipe is also a great dish to make ahead of time, pack, and store for your weekly meals along with steamed rice.
It is also vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
Pumpkin is the star ingredient of this recipe. You will need both cubed pumpkin and pumpkin puree.
Sugar pumpkins are the best to make this curry.
You can buy cubed pumpkin pieces from the store to save time.
Make Pumpkin Puree at home using my easy recipe, or use canned puree.
You can also replace the pumpkin with squash, such as Kabocha Squash, Butternut Squash, or Acorn Squash.
Thai Red Curry Paste – This paste gives the curry a unique Thai flavor. You will get it in the Asian aisle of any grocery store or online.
Ensure you use a vegan Thai curry paste if vegan is a concern for you.
Replace red Thai curry paste with Green Curry Paste or Yellow Curry Paste for a taste change.
Coconut Milk – It adds creaminess to Thai pumpkin curry. Use full-fat coconut milk for the best taste and texture.
Vegetables – I have added onions and bell peppers, along with pumpkin. You can add other fresh vegetables, such as mushrooms, green beans, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, bok choy, or zucchini, or proteins like tofu or chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). Chicken or shrimp will work great, too.
Vegetable Stock – Make a batch of vegetable stock at home or buy canned.
Brown Sugar – It gives a hint of sweetness to the curry. You can also replace it with jaggery.
Basil – Thai basil adds an authentic Asian flavor to the curry, so do not miss this. If you can find Thai Basil, it’s amazing! But if you can’t, you can use regular Italian basil, too.
Tamarind Paste balances the sweet and salty flavors very well.
Others – You will also need oil, garlic, fresh ginger, and Thai bird’s eye red chilies. Adjust the chilies as per your taste.
You can also add some fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, soy sauce, and lime juice (or lemon juice) to this easy Thai pumpkin curry recipe.
How To Make Thai Red Pumpkin Curry
Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the following ingredients to the pan and saute for a minute.
- 2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- ¼ cup thinly sliced onions
Add 3 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, stirring continuously.
Stir in 2 cups of vegetable stock and bring the curry to a boil.
Now add the following ingredients and mix well.
- ½ cup sliced mixed bell peppers
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 14 oz (400 g) peeled and cubed pumpkin (½ inch cubes)
- ½ cup water
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
Remove the lid and add the following ingredients, and cook for 2 minutes.
- 2 cups of coconut milk
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
Check for salt and add if needed.
Garnish with a handful of torn Thai basil, 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro, and 1 teaspoon sliced Thai bird’s eye red chilies. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half horizontally using a sharp paring knife. Remove the seeds using a large spoon. Cut the pumpkin in half and peel the skin. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
There are a lot of things you can do with leftover pumpkin puree. Here are some ways
You can use it to make a delicious sauce that can be poured over your grilled meat or vegetables.
Use the puree in desserts such as pies, muffins, and cheesecakes.
Use it to make bread.
You can stir it into your morning breakfast of oatmeal to flavor it.
Add it to quesadillas or even tacos.
Make a pumpkin chia pudding for your after-meal dessert.
You can also use it to make Savory Pumpkin Hummus or Pumpkin Apple Soup.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious Thai Pumpkin Curry with Steamed Basmati Rice or Instant Pot Sticky Rice.
You can also serve it with Brown Rice, Instant Pot White Jasmine Rice, Quinoa, Broken Wheat, or Couscous.
You can also serve a light and delicious Thai Watermelon Salad on the side for a complete Thai meal.
Storage Suggestions
Pumpkin Red Thai Curry will last in the fridge for 2 to 3 days when stored in an airtight container.
Reheat only the amount you want to serve, as reheating again and again can hamper the taste of the curry.
You can reheat it in a pan or the microwave until it is nice and warm, and then serve it with steamed rice or any other accompaniment you prefer.
It is a great recipe for meal prep, too.
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Thai Pumpkin Red Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
- ¼ cup thinly sliced onions
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- ½ cup sliced mixed bell peppers
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 14 ounces pumpkin (400 g, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes)
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- handful of Thai basil (roughly torn)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon chopped Thai bird's eye red chilies
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add garlic, ginger, and onions, and saute for a minute.
- Add red curry paste and cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat, stirring continuously.
- Stir in vegetable stock and bring the curry to a boil.
- Now add bell peppers, pumpkin puree, pumpkin cubes, and ½ cup water, and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
- Remove the lid and add coconut milk, brown sugar, and tamarind paste, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Check for salt and add if needed.
- Garnish with a handful of torn Thai basil, cilantro, and red chilies. Serve hot with steamed rice.
This recipe was a winner. I did some modifications. Added sliced baby portabella mushrooms (as I happened to have some leftovers from another recipe) and used chicken broth in lieu of vegetable broth (the boiled chicken was then shredded and added to the soup for protein as needed). I used kabocha pumpkin instead of regular pumpkin as I read somewhere that kabocha is widely used in Thailand for this type of dish. It’s a hardy vegetable that will hold up in the stew.
This is one of the easiest recipes to make and the result was delicious!
I’m putting this in the recipe book for repeats. Thank you.