This vegan pumpkin curry with coconut milk is ready in 25 minutes and so delicious I could dive right in! Creamy, a little nutty from the peanut butter and gently spicy – the perfect cosy autumn dinner.
I love making my pumpkin curry with Hokkaido pumpkin (also called red kuri squash), because you don’t have to peel it. We like to eat it with fluffy homemade flatbread, but of course it’s also good with rice.
What’s new in this recipe?
It was about time my pumpkin curry got an update. I’ve found that I prefer making it with Hokkaido pumpkin. I’ve also simplified the recipe and dropped the apricots and peas, both got a bit lost flavour-wise anyway.
If those were exactly what you loved about it, don’t worry: the recipe hasn’t changed that much. Simply add 6 chopped dried apricots along with the other ingredients. Frozen peas go in just before the end, as they don’t need long.
Ingredients for vegan pumpkin curry with coconut milk
My basic curry sauce is made from curry powder, stock and coconut milk. The coconut milk makes the curry lovely and creamy.
My pumpkin curry isn’t an authentic Indonesian recipe, as usual, it’s inspired fusion cooking. But I’ve borrowed a few tasty ingredients from Indonesian cuisine to round it off:
- Peanut butter makes the curry nutty and even creamier – almost a peanut curry.
- Ketjap manis (kecap manis) is a sweet, dark soy sauce.
- Sambal oelek is a spicy chilli paste.
You can now find these ingredients in most supermarkets, or otherwise in Asian grocery stores.
Which pumpkin works best for curry?
My favourite is Hokkaido, because you can eat the skin. But you can also make this pumpkin curry with butternut squash, any other cooking pumpkin or sweet potatoes. Butternut squash does need peeling first, though.
You can of course add other vegetables too, for example spinach.
Flatbread or pumpkin curry with rice?
Curry is classically served with rice, and that works perfectly here too. But we think fluffy homemade flatbread goes even better with it.
I usually bake a whole stack of spelt pita wraps at once and freeze them. When the curry is almost ready, I simply warm them up in a pan.
Pumpkin Curry with Coconut Milk
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 300 g Hokkaido pumpkin cubed
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 120 ml water
- 1 tablespoon veggie broth
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons Ketjap Manis
- 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 1 handful of red cabbage chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons peanuts
- 4 flatbreads
Instructions
- First, gather all your ingredients and prepare them in the right amounts. That makes it so much easier and more fun and you're less likely to forget anything.
- Sauté onions and ginger in a little plant oil in a medium pot at medium to high heat a moment, then add garlic and curry powder. Add pumpkin and stir well.
- Then add coconut milk, water, veggie broth, peanut butter, ketjap manis and sambal oelek. Stir well, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes at medium temperature. Stir from time to time to make the starch from the pumpkin thicken the sauce.
- Wash and dry cilantro, then chop the leaves. I like to use a salad spinner.
- Garnish with red cabbage, cilantro and peanuts.
- Serve with flatbreads or cooked rice.
Nutrition
FAQ
Do you need to peel Hokkaido pumpkin for curry?
No, Hokkaido skin softens as it cooks and can be eaten. Just wash the pumpkin thoroughly, scoop out the seeds and cut it into cubes.
Can I replace the Hokkaido pumpkin with something else?
Yes, butternut squash or sweet potatoes work just as well in this curry. You can also use any other cooking pumpkin you happen to have at home.
What goes well with pumpkin curry?
Rice or flatbread such as naan or my spelt pita wraps. They’re perfect for mopping up the curry sauce.
How can I make the pumpkin curry spicier?
My recipe isn’t very spicy. If you like it really hot, season the curry with extra sambal oelek at the end.
Can you freeze pumpkin curry?
Yes, the curry freezes well in portions. The pumpkin gets a little softer after thawing, but it tastes just as good.
Is this pumpkin curry gluten-free?
Yes, as long as you use gluten-free ketjap manis, stock and curry powder and serve the curry with rice. You’ll find a really delicious recipe for gluten-free flatbread at The Loopy Whisk.
More tasty recipes
You’ll find the recipe for my fluffy spelt pita wraps here – perfect with this curry.
Love peanuts as much as I do? Then you have to try my peanut sauce.
If you love cosy autumn pumpkin dishes, you might also like my favourite pumpkin recipes.
