This Vegan One-Pot Pumpkin Curry is easy to make, super flavorful, and great for meal prep! It’s a cozy meal that’s perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner.
I hope you love savory pumpkin recipes as much as I do! Sweet pumpkin recipes will always have a place in my heart, but I also love using pumpkin in savory dishes, and this One-Pot Pumpkin Curry is the perfect place for it.
This pumpkin curry is cozy and full of warm spices that will make your belly happy. It’s great for an easy weeknight meal that uses just one pot, and the leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day.
Why Your Body Will Love This One-Pot Curry
- Powerhouse Pumpkin – Pumpkins are nutrient-dense. You may have heard that orange veggies contain beta-carotene, and this is the case with pumpkin. Beta-carotene produces white blood cells, helping our bodies fight infections. It’s also converted into Vitamin A, which is important for healthy vision. Pumpkin is an excellent source of magnesium, fiber, and potassium, which supports healthy blood pressure and lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Chickpeas are super(food!) – Chickpeas contain saponins, which help fight cancer, and calcium, iron, and other nutrients that contribute to bone health. Chickpeas help the brain and nervous system function properly and contain vitamins A, C, E, folate, and magnesium.
- Antioxidants – Tomatoes boast antioxidant power. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals in the blood, and the lycopene in tomatoes may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Tomatoes are also high in vitamin C, which supports our immune systems.
Pumpkin Curry Recipe Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree – You can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe. If you can’t find pumpkin, sweet potato, or butternut squash puree also work.
- Chickpeas – I used cooked, canned chickpeas because they were convenient, but you can cook your own if you like.
- Canned tomatoes – I used one can of fire-roasted tomatoes, but a large, fresh, diced tomato will also work.
- Coconut milk – This curry recipe requires canned coconut milk, which can be full-fat or light.
- Vegetables – I used onion, carrot, garlic, and ginger. Feel free to add any other veggies you like.
- Green Chile – This was a last-minute addition because I happened to have a can of green Chili on hand. It went well with the pumpkin! It adds a smoky flavor and some heat. Feel free to omit it.
- Spices – This pumpkin curry recipe uses just a few spices: curry powder, garam masala, cumin, and cinnamon.
How To Make a Curry
I used to be very intimidated by the thought of trying to cook my own curry recipe. I didn’t realize how easy it was until I developed this Coconut Curry recipe last year, and I’ve been making it often ever since. I’m sure I don’t make it quite as authentic a restaurant, but it tastes great, and my husband loves it.
The keys to making a delicious curry are spices and coconut milk. You can use any veggies and protein you like, but coconut milk combined with curry powder and garam masala gives the dish the classic curry taste.
I like to cook my veggies until softened, then add the pumpkin, coconut milk, spices, and chickpeas and let it simmer on the stove for a bit to develop all the flavors.
How To Make This One-Pot Meal
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil, onion, carrot, and a pinch of salt. =Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, and red curry paste and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add all the remaining ingredients, stir well, then cover and let simmer for 15 minutes more. Before you’re ready to serve, add the lime juice, stir, and enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Vegan Pumpkin Curry Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I freeze this curry? Yes! Let it cool fully, and then put it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
- How can I meal-prep this pumpkin curry? I like to divide it into 4-6 portions using glass meal-prep containers and heat it in the microwave or stovetop before eating.
- What should I serve it with? I like to serve mine with cauliflower rice, but you can use any kind of grain you like. Naan bread would also be a delicious addition.
- What if I can’t get ahold of pumpkin puree? I’ve heard there’s a shortage right now, so you can either make your own pumpkin puree or substitute sweet potato or butternut squash puree.
- Can I use a different protein than chickpeas? Sure! If you’re making it vegan, I suggest tofu or tempeh.
Have another question about this recipe? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP!
Looking for more one-pot meals?
Pesto Gnocchi with White Beans and Broccoli
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Vegan One Pot Pumpkin Curry
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan One Pot Pumpkin Curry is easy to make, super flavorful and great for meal prep!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (15 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, full fat or lite
- 1 (15 oz) can fire petite diced tomatoes
- 1 small can green chiles, I used mild
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
- Cauliflower rice or other favorite grain for serving
- Optional toppings: fresh cilantro, cashews, plain yogurt
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil, onion, carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 3 minutes and then add in the garlic, ginger and red curry paste and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add in all of the remaining ingredients, stir well and then cover and let simmer for at last 15 minutes. Before you’re ready to serve, add in the lime juice, stir and enjoy with your favorite toppings.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Vegan, Dinner, Meal Prep
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai Inspired
I made this for meal prepped lunch last week. It was delicious and satisfying without making me feel stuffed. I used cauliflower rice which worked well with it! I’m usually a real rice girl but this might have helped me move on. This week I’m doing your teriyaki tofu bowls and I mixed rice and cauliflower rice together to see what I thought of that. ??♀️. Thank you for putting these recipe’s together. I’m newly into a full time job after years of flexibility, so making one of your lunches for my whole week has been super helpful!!!!
That is so nice to hear, Angie!! I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes and that they are making you feel good! I hope you are enjoying your new job!
So, so good! I used yellow curry paste because I didn’t have red and used pumpkin pieces instead of purée. My kids aren’t too friendly with super spicy food so I also left out the chiles. A great meal that’s full of flavour and easy to make. Will add to my staples. Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
I made this and left out both the curry paste and the chiles as I don’t love spice. I also added 1.25 cups of Acini de Pepe pasta in the last 7 minutes and cooked them in the curry. The pasta soaked up a lot of the liquid and made it like a thick pasta. It was incredibly yummy! Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
My kids haven’t learned to like spicy foods yet. Any suggestions for a substitute for the red Thai curry paste? Or something to help cut the heat?
I would just use a little less of it!
Just a question- you mention tomatoes and lime juice- but they aren’t on the ingredient list. Typo or optional items?
typo! Thanks for catching that! It’s fixed now 🙂
I had to come straight home from work and make this- but I’m a little confused- you mention a can of tomatoes in the blog but not in the recipe. Also, you mention lime juice in the recipe but not how much. If you could clarify, that would be awesome! I have it on the stove now and I’m kind of winging it!
I’m so sorry I didn’t see this until now!! I just fixed the recipe but I hope you figured it out! Tomatoes go in with the pumpkin and lime juice goes in at the very end just before serving
Note that the can of tomatoes mentioned in the narrative of the recipe is not listed on the list of ingredients in the recipe or in the preparation instructions. It’s a delicious recipe, and I know to add tomatoes in curry recipes, but others may not.
Thanks so much for pointing that out! Just fixed it!!