Two words: Pumpkin Curry.
Friends, this fall has me going crazy over all things apple and squash, and this curry may be one of my favorite curry recipes to date! Shall we?
Origins of Yellow Curry
Yellow curry, also known as gaeng garee, is a Thai curry with Indian influence (source). It typically includes spices such as turmeric, cumin, and coriander (source).
Turmeric is what gives yellow curry its vibrant color. This magical spice has been used in India for nearly 4,000 years and has gained popularity throughout the world in part due to its vast medicinal uses (source).
How to Make Pumpkin Yellow Curry
This simple curry requires just 1 pot to make! It all starts with gorgeous pumpkin, which is peeled, seeded, and cubed into bite-size chunks.
The flavor comes in waves thanks to ingredients like curry paste, chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and shallot – a.k.a. the curry dream team.
For vegetables, I went with vibrant red bell pepper and broccoli. That’s all you really need!
And to keep the curry creamy and rich, I opted for light coconut milk, which complements the spicy flavors perfectly.
For a healthy fat and EASY protein, I went with roasted cashews (something I always have on hand). But, if you aren’t into cashews or can’t do nuts, you could also add Quick Crispy Tofu, include Red Lentils, or simply serve over quinoa.
I hope you all LOVE this curry! It’s:
Creamy
Subtly spiced
Pumpkin-y
Vegetable-rich
Hearty
Satisfying
Comforting
& Delicious!
Make this curry for hosting guests this winter and fall or when you need a satisfying dinner on the table fast. It would be an especially great dish to make ahead and pack for lunches throughout the week, as it reheats beautifully!
It’s delicious on its own, but it would also pair well with my Thai Spring Rolls, 20-minute Asian Kale Salad, Coconut Curried Greens, Coconut Curried Lentils, or even Thai Iced Tea!
If you try this curry, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see how your curry turns out. Cheers, friends!
1-Pot Pumpkin Yellow Curry
Ingredients
CURRY
- 1 ½ Tbsp coconut oil (or avocado or grape seed oil // sub water if avoiding oil)
- 1 medium shallot (minced)
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 small red chili or serrano pepper (stem + seeds removed // thinly sliced)
- 1 large red bell pepper (thinly sliced lengthwise)
- 3 Tbsp yellow (or red) Thai curry paste (I prefer Thai True brand)
- 3 ½ cups peeled and cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
- 2 (14-ounce) cans light coconut milk (sub full-fat for extra creamy texture or 1/2 of the coconut milk for vegetable broth for thinner curry)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar (plus more to taste // or sub stevia to taste)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 healthy pinch sea salt (~1/4 tsp)
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos (or sub tamari or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- 1 cup chopped broccoli
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2/3 cup roasted cashews* (lightly salted or unsalted are best)
FOR SERVING optional
- Fresh basil or cilantro
- Lemon juice
- Brown rice (method), Coconut Quinoa, or Cauliflower Rice
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil, shallot, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add bell pepper and curry paste and stir. Cook for 2 minutes more. Then add pumpkin and stir. Cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add coconut milk, maple syrup or coconut sugar, turmeric, sea salt, and coconut aminos and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Once simmering, slightly reduce heat to low and cover. You want a simmer, not a boil, which should be around low to medium-low heat.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to soften the pumpkin and infuse it with curry flavor.
- At this time, also taste and adjust the flavor of the sauce/broth as needed. I added more maple syrup for sweetness, sea salt for saltiness, and a bit more curry paste for a more intense curry flavor. Don’t be shy with seasonings – this curry should be very flavorful.
- Once the broth is well seasoned and the pumpkin is tender, add broccoli, lemon juice, and cashews and cover. Simmer for 3-4 minutes more over low to medium-low heat.
- Optional: Scoop out half of the broth/sauce and half of the pumpkin (try to exclude the broccoli) and blend until creamy and smooth in a blender for a thicker, creamier curry. Return to pot and warm for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve as is or over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. This dish gets elevated with the addition of fresh lemon juice and Thai or regular basil or cilantro for serving.
- Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Notes
*Recipe inspiration from Food Network.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without sides/toppings, calculated with coconut oil.
Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)
Eliza says
I made this as written but added tofu as suggested. I needed to up the spices but that’s okay, I usually do. This was very tasty and with some minor changes I am keeping this recipe.
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Eliza! xo
Aliza says
This recipe is terrific, quick to make and perfectly balanced, so yummy!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Aliza. Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Amy says
I was skeptical about pumpkin and curry BUT this was delicious!! Perfectly balanced.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Amy! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Mona says
Made this again. This time I followed the recipe, as I was feeling lazy. Equally delicious.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mona. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Lara says
This recipe is fantastic! Highly recommend! We added tofu and fish sauce but kept everything else the same. I have made it numerous times and will continue to do so.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Lara!
Mona Temchin says
Love your recipes! This was yummy. I made the coconut quinoa (with light coconut milk) which turned out so much fluffier then my usual way of cooking quinoa. It did badly need salt though. I used pink Himalayan salt in a grinder, which is my go to salt. I used delicata squash, but roasted it in the oven first (1 inch slices on a baking sheet with vegan butter, salt, pepper at 425 degrees). Made half the recipe (enough for 2 meals for me), but mistakenly used the full 3 tbs of curry paste (Mekhala yellow). That was ok though; it was nice and flavorful. Out of bell pepper and broccoli so left them out. But added some cauliflower with the coconut milk; also a can of chickpeas. Used half a jalapeño, as I thought the Serrano would be too hot for me. I used full fat coconut milk. Used Bragg’s aminos in place of coconut aminos. It came out so good. The roasted delicata squash lent a sweetness to the sauce. Filling and delicious.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mona. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Mitzi says
Omg, it is delish! I’m new to cooking and made this with butternut squash. I used 1 can full fat coconut milk and 1 can pumpkin (instead of the second can.)
A bit more than the called for cup of broccoli!
During the simmer phase I added 1 can of rinsed garbanzo beans. Omg, it is heavenly! Thank you so much!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mitzi. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Patty says
Great recipe. Love curry, but never made it before. Still came out great, and easy to make. This was done on the spur of the moment, so some substitutions. Added half cup red lentils, with the butternut squash. Thank you for well thought out and clear recipe.
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thank you for sharing, Patty! xo
Maria says
Delicious. Made this yesterday. Used Thai green curry as it was the one I had and used kale instead of broccoli. Absolutely delicious.
Thank you for the recipe.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Maria!
Rebecca says
This was very close to the curries I’ve had in restaurants! I loved it. A few subs based on what I had at home, including sweet potatoes for squash. My recommendation is to taste as you add the aminos, lemon juice, etc, to get it where you want it. I actually liked it better before the aminos (I used soy sauce and only half) and lemon juice.
Thanks for the review and for sharing your experience, Rebecca!
Debbie says
Any chance you can give a quick easy recipe for the Thai paste? I’m unable to find a kosher one and would love to just make one. Thx so much!
Hi Debbie, we have a recipe for red curry paste here! Hope this helps!
Heidi Vickers says
The recipe was SUPER SPICY – almost inedible!! I had to add another can of coconut milk and more maple syrup to tone it down. I think next time I will omit the serrano pepper. Once I toned it down it was delicious which is why I gave 4 stars
Thanks for sharing your experience, Heidi. Curry pastes can very greatly in heat, as can fresh peppers, maybe you just got some extra spicy ones? Glad you managed to salvage it!
C Hazard says
So delicious! It took me a bit longer to make due to peeling the pumpkin and adding some extra ingredients, but it was worth every minute. I added a tbsp of fish sauce and miso paste- wowie zowie! Will add more pumpkin next time!
Yum! So glad you enjoyed. Thanks for the great review!
Kim says
How big is a serving? You say there are 4 servings in total, but I am curious how much that is. Thank you! It smells AMAZING!!!!
Hi Kim, We don’t have a precise measurement, but would estimate about 2-3 cups per serving. Hope that helps!
Olaf the Viking says
Just delicious. Full of flavour and so easy to make. Another winner from you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Olaf!
Michaela says
I made this exactly as the recipe stated (minus the serrano pepper), and it tasted bitter. Not sure why! Maybe it was the pumpkin I used?
Hi Michaela, sorry to hear that! Is it possible you used a carving pumpkin or another variety that isn’t intended for eating?
Lisa says
It was possibly the turmeric. I made it tonight and definitely had a bitter flavor from it.
Carolyn Rutherford says
Absolutely delicious! Our new favourite curry. 😍
Woohoo! Thanks for the review, Carolyn!