Creamy and spicy Thai Pumpkin Curry is a feast of comforting flavors and textures! Made with purple or Massaman curry paste and topped with crispy tofu, this vegan curry recipe options pumpkin, veggies, ginger, herbs, and coconut milk, making it a scrumptious and nutritious protein-rich meal.
Child, it’s chilly outdoors! Include me to heat up with some good-for-us consolation meals: Pumpkin Curry. Loaded with contemporary veggies, therapeutic garlic and ginger, creamy coconut milk, and spicy purple curry paste, there’s a lot to like about this nutritious and warming dish.
Made with vegan curry paste, no fish sauce, and topped with sizzling and crispy tofu, this plant-based meal is stuffed with satiating protein to fill you up. The tender and candy pumpkin completely enhances the spicy curry sauce, offering a pageant of flavors that can heat you from the inside-out!
For extra tasty kabocha squash recipes, take a look at my Ethiopian-Spiced Kabocha Squash Soup and Kabocha Squash Caramelized Onion Unfold.
What’s Pumpkin Curry?
Pumpkin curry is a Thai or Indian dish with cooked pumpkin and a spiced, typically creamy sauce.
This pumpkin curry recipe is Thai-influenced and made with coconut milk, reasonably spiced purple or Massaman curry paste, garlic, ginger, Thai basil, and cilantro.Although it may be made with animal protein, this recipe is vegan and topped with crispy tofu for a hearty end.
What Pumpkins Are Greatest for Pumpkin Curry Recipes?
Kabocha squash (often known as a Japanese pumpkin) is historically utilized in Thai pumpkin purple curry, so that’s my prime suggestion when it’s in season. It’s starchy, candy, and tender. Just like a candy potato, however even starchier. In any other case, you should utilize different candy, consuming pumpkins and squash, reminiscent of sugar pumpkins, butternut squash, or acorn squash.
Pumpkin Curry Elements
Curry Paste: Crimson or Massaman curry add fragrant warmth and taste to the Thai pumpkin curry recipe. For a reasonably spicy curry, use the total 3 tablespoons. To make it extra delicate, begin with 1 tablespoon and add extra to style.
Kabocha Squash: This winter squash is historically utilized in Thai pumpkin curry. Its starchy texture and candy style make it the most effective squash for curry. Search for it at your native Asian grocery retailer. For those who can’t discover kabocha, substitute it with white or orange candy potatoes or butternut squash.
Recent Greens: Recent candy purple pepper, carrots, broccoli, and Chinese language broccoli add diet, shade, and sweetness.
Canned Greens: Child corn and bamboo shoots add sweetness and crunch! Drain them nicely earlier than including them to the curry.
Aromatics: Sliced onion, garlic, and ginger add pungent and candy dimension to the Thai pumpkin purple curry. Use contemporary garlic and ginger each time doable, although pre-chopped can work in a pinch.
Coconut Milk: Provides a creaminess that balances the curry paste’s warmth. I favor full-fat milk for its richness, however mild coconut milk additionally works.
Herbs: Recent Thai basil and cilantro add basic Thai natural notes. For those who can’t discover Thai basil, candy Italian basil can substitute however will add a barely totally different taste.
Lime: When juiced, this provides a shiny, tropical end. Merely delish!
Further Agency Tofu: This crispy protein provides heartiness and endurance to the vegan purple curry. Press the tofu for firmer, crispier tofu if desired.
Tofu Seasonings: Tamari or soy sauce add savoriness to the tofu. Use tamari to make the recipe gluten-free. If baking it, cornstarch and oil make it ultra-crispy!
Find out how to Make Pumpkin Curry
Make the Crispy Tofu
- Air-Frying Directions: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F with the air frying basket put in. In a mixing bowl, toss the tofu cubes with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari. Switch the coated tofu to the air fryer tray and unfold it into an excellent layer. Air fry for quarter-hour, flipping midway by.
- Baking Directions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a mixing bowl, toss the tofu cubes with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari and 1 tablespoon of coconut or avocado oil. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the tofu and toss once more to coat. Unfold the coated tofu evenly onto a baking sheet and bake for half-hour, till crispy.
Make the Thai Pumpkin Curry
Whereas the tofu cooks, make the curry!
- Sauté onion and peppers. In a big skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high warmth. Add the onions and pepper to the skillet, and sauté till the onion begins to melt, about 3 minutes.
- Add aromatics. Add the garlic and ginger and proceed to sauté for one more 2 minutes or so, till the onions are translucent.
- Stir in curry paste. Scale back the warmth to medium, add the curry paste, and stir nicely to interrupt up the curry paste as a lot as you possibly can.
- Add liquids and greens. Add the carrots, kabocha squash, coconut milk, water, child corn, and bamboo shoots. Stir nicely to mix.
- Cook dinner. Deliver the curry to a simmer and cook dinner for quarter-hour, till the squash is barely tender.
- Add remaining veggies. Add the broccoli and Chinese language broccoli, and proceed to cook dinner for 10 minutes till the broccoli is tender however nonetheless shiny inexperienced and the squash and carrots are fork-tender.
- Stir in herbs. Stir in a lot of the Thai basil leaves and cilantro, reserving some for garnish.
- Serve! Spoon the curry over rice and prime it with the crispy tofu. Stir it in or depart it on prime of the curry for serving. Garnish with contemporary herbs and lime juice, and revel in sizzling!
Air Frying vs. Baking the Tofu
Each cooking strategies produce crispy and savory tofu, although air-frying is faster (quarter-hour) and baking is longer (half-hour). Moreover, baking requires oil and cornstarch to supply crispy tofu.
Now that I’ve my air fryer, I favor to make the tofu in there for comfort, however I nonetheless bake it if the air fryer is in any other case in use or soiled.
Jenné’s Recipe Professional-Suggestions
- Press the tofu if desired. Further agency tofu crisps up properly with out being pressed, so although you are able to do so for additional crispiness, you don’t must. If urgent, place the drained block of tofu between a number of sheets of paper towels, place it on a dinner plate, and prime with a heavy pan (reminiscent of a forged iron skillet) for half-hour.
- Prep the elements prematurely. The cooking time strikes rapidly. Guarantee it’s clean and hold from burning elements by having the veggies reduce, garlic and ginger minced, elements measured, and cans opened earlier than you activate the stovetop.
- Serving strategies. Serve pumpkin Thai curry sizzling, spooned on freshly steamed jasmine rice (or coconut jasmine rice!), and topped with crispy tofu, Thai basil leaves, cilantro, and lime juice.
Recipe Variations
Attempt your personal twist on this Thai pumpkin curry by making any of the next substitutions!
- Swap Nuts: For a faster vegan pumpkin curry that’s nonetheless wealthy in protein, prime it with roasted cashews, peanuts, or almonds. A handful of chickpeas can also be scrumptious!
- Spicy: Fulfill the spice lovers in your life by utilizing the total 3 tablespoons of chile paste. For additional warmth, sauté a sliced jalapeño or Serrano pepper with the garlic and ginger.
- Swap Up the Veggies: You should use almost any mixture of your favourite hearty greens on this pumpkin purple curry, reminiscent of yellow or orange candy pepper, cauliflower, inexperienced peas, or eggplant. You may substitute candy potato, butternut or honeynut squash for the kabocha if wanted!
Storage Instructions
- Refrigeration: Leftover pumpkin tofu curry retains coated in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Leftover tofu will be saved in a separate hermetic container for as much as
- Freezing: The curry and tofu can be frozen in separate freezer-safe containers for as much as 3 months. Defrost them in a single day within the fridge, or heat the curry over low warmth on the stovetop, stirring gently periodically, till sizzling.
- Reheating: Heat the curry gently within the microwave or stovetop till sizzling. Re-crisp the tofu cubes in an air fryer preheated to 350°F or a 400°F oven for 3-5 minutes.
Incessantly Requested Questions
Some however not all Thai curry pastes are vegan. If a paste doesn’t embrace animal elements (reminiscent of shrimp paste or fish sauce), it’s vegan. A preferred vegan model is Thai Kitchen purple curry paste. Mae Ploy, one other fashionable model, comprises shrimp paste so shouldn’t be vegan-friendly.
If Thai curry is made with vegan curry paste, vegan fish sauce, and no animal protein, it’s often vegan. Since some curry pastes comprise animal elements (see the above query), some vegetable curries will not be vegan-friendly. If eating out, at all times ask your server for vegan choices.
Sure, for gluten-free curry, use tamari as an alternative of soy sauce.
Extra Vegan Curry Recipes
Crispy Tofu
- 1 14 oz block additional agency tofu, cubed (urgent optionally available)
- 3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, if baking the tofu
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or avocado oil, plus 1 tablespoon if baking tofu
- ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
- ½ purple bell pepper, seeds eliminated and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1- inch piece of contemporary ginger, minced
- 3 tbsp purple curry paste, or massaman curry paste (use much less paste if you need much less spice)
- 1 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into skinny medallions
- ½ small kabocha squash, seeds eliminated, peeled, and cubed (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup child corn, drained
- ½ cup sliced bamboo shoots, drained
- ½ small head of broccoli, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 2 stalks chinese language broccoli, chopped (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup contemporary Thai basil leaves, entire or chopped
- ½ cup contemporary cilantro, chopped
- 2 limes, for garnish
- Cooked steamed rice for serving, reminiscent of this coconut jasmine rice
Stop your display from going darkish
Crispy Tofu Preparation
Air-Frying Directions: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F with the air frying basket put in. In a mixing bowl, toss the tofu cubes with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari. Switch the coated tofu to the air fryer tray and unfold it into an excellent layer. Air fry for quarter-hour, flipping midway by.
Baking Directions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a mixing bowl, toss the tofu cubes with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari and 1 tablespoon of coconut or avocado oil. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the tofu and toss once more to coat. Unfold the coated tofu evenly onto a baking sheet and bake for half-hour, till crispy.
Pumpkin Curry
Whereas the tofu cooks, make the pumpkin curry.
In a big skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high warmth. Add the onions and pepper to the skillet, and sauté till the onion begins to melt, about 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and proceed to sauté for one more 2 minutes or so, till the onions are translucent.
Scale back the warmth to medium, add the curry paste, and stir nicely to interrupt up the curry paste as a lot as you possibly can.
Add the carrots, kabocha squash, coconut milk, water, child corn, and bamboo shoots. Stir nicely to mix.
Deliver the curry to a simmer and cook dinner for quarter-hour, till the squash is barely tender.
Add the broccoli and Chinese language broccoli, and proceed to cook dinner for 10 minutes till the broccoli is tender however nonetheless shiny inexperienced and the squash and carrots are fork-tender.
Stir in a lot of the Thai basil leaves and cilantro, reserving some for garnish.
Spoon the curry over rice and prime it with the crispy tofu. Stir it in or depart it on prime of the curry for serving. Garnish with contemporary herbs and lime juice, and revel in sizzling!
- Refrigeration: Leftover pumpkin curry retains coated in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Leftover tofu will be saved in a separate hermetic container for as much as
- Freezing: The curry and tofu can be frozen in separate freezer-safe containers for as much as 3 months. Defrost them in a single day within the fridge, or heat the curry over low warmth on the stovetop, stirring gently periodically, till sizzling.
- Reheating: Heat the curry gently within the microwave or stovetop till sizzling. Re-crisp the tofu cubes in an air fryer preheated to 350°F or a 400°F oven for 3-5 minutes.
- Press the tofu if desired. Further agency tofu crisps up properly with out being pressed, so although you are able to do so for additional crispiness, you don’t must. If urgent, place the drained block of tofu between a number of sheets of paper towels, place it on a dinner plate, and prime with a heavy pan (reminiscent of a forged iron skillet) for half-hour.
- Prep the elements prematurely. The cooking time strikes rapidly. Guarantee it’s clean and hold from burning elements by having the veggies reduce, garlic and ginger minced, elements measured, and cans opened earlier than you activate the stovetop.
- Serving strategies. Serve pumpkin Thai curry sizzling, spooned on freshly steamed jasmine rice (or coconut jasmine rice!), and topped with crispy tofu, Thai basil leaves, cilantro, and lime juice.