As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, there’s nothing quite like the comforting embrace of a warm, hearty meal. This pumpkin curry is the perfect dish to welcome the autumn season, combining the rich, earthy flavors of pumpkin with a medley of spices that will warm you from the inside out.

I’ll admit - I’d never had pumpkin curry before I met Wade. However, it has since become one of my favorite autumn dishes! This recipe is a remnant of the time that Wade spent living in Guyana while he was serving as a missionary for our church. In addition to loving the flavors of the dish, I also love tasting this little piece of his past life. It’s amazing how food can be a way of bringing people closer together and sharing memories!

I think you’ll find (as I have) that there’s simply so much to love about this combination of fresh pumpkin, tomatoes, coconut, and garbanzo beans.

As you savor each spoonful of this pumpkin curry, you’ll see that it’s more than just a meal—it’s an experience. The comforting aroma, the vibrant colors, and the harmonious blend of flavors all come together to create a dish that is both soul-soothing and invigorating. Get ready to enjoy this beautiful season with a beautiful blend of autumn flavors!

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE

♡ The SYMPHONY of FLAVORS! Garam masala, turmeric, coriander seed, cinnamon, and more!

♡ The VEGAN protein! While I do love meat, it is nice to have a vegan meal every so often just to switch things up… (Wade would strongly disagree with that sentence).

♡ The CREAMY coconut! It’s just sooo good. I prefer the lite coconut milk (it’s less fatty), but feel free to go for the full-fat version.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST PUMPKIN CURRY

1) Buy the PIE PUMPKINS!! These pumpkins are sweeter and easier to peel than the big jack-o-lantern pumpkins. Additionally, pie pumpkins are less stringy and contain fewer seeds than bigger pumpkins which means that pie pumpkins are more “meaty” than some of their other pumpkin friends. It’s seriously so much easier to use the pie pumpkins… trust me, we’ve tried both ways :)

2) Try smashing / SLIGHLY blending everything once it’s all cooked. You’ll want to leave it slightly chunky, but it is fun to get a pumpkin curry mash of sorts. The pumpkin mash is also (according to Wade) slightly more authentic.

SERVING IDEAS

- Fresh Lemon Juice

- Fresh Cilantro

- Brown or White Rice

STORAGE

Pumpkin curry stores best in an airtight container in the refrigerator! Be sure to try out the Snapware glass containers, which are great for both the fridge and freezer!

PUMPKIN CURRY INGREDIENTS

- Fresh Pumpkin: The star of the show! Enjoy this little taste of autumn :)

- Bay Leaf: An added flavor boost!

- Garbanzo Beans: An amazing (and entirely vegan) source of protein! Besides being absolutely delicious, garbanzo beans are also nutrient-packed, high in fiber, and relatively inexpensive!

- Onion: Added flavor!

- Minced Garlic: In addition to adding great flavor, garlic has also been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol in some people.

- Canned, Diced Tomatoes: Ties everything together and provides an amazing tomato flavor for the curry broth.

- Fresh Ginger: This awesome little root has incredible flavor to complement so many dishes, while also having the potential to help relieve inflammation and calm the stomach!

- Olive Oil: This is a MUCH healthier alternative to butter. This isn’t one of those healthy tricks that end up tasting worse! Olive oil is associated with many health benefits including decreased inflammation, protection against cancer, and lower risk of heart disease. Be sure to buy extra virgn olive oil if you want to maximize the health benefits of this oil!

- Salt, Chili Powder, Cinnamon, Garam Masala, Ground Coriander Seed, Cumin, Turmeric: The PERFECT combination of spices for this recipe!

- Water: Important in helping the pumpkin to cook properly! If all the water boils out and your pumpkin still isn’t soft enough, you may need to add another ½ cup of water to the curry so you can continue cooking.

- Coconut Milk: A DELICIOUSLY creamy addition! Curry is rarely complete without coconut milk (in our opinion)... You just can’t go wrong with this amazing ingredient!

- Lemon Juice: We love this little bit of acidity that helps bring balance to the dish!

- Brown Sugar: A touch of added sweetness! This is totally optional (and you can also add a little bit more if you’d like to :))

HOW TO…

I like to start prepping the pumpkin before I start cooking anything. I think it makes the cooking process go more smoothly. Begin by peeling the pie pumpkin and chopping off the stem and the blossom end on the opposite side of the pumpkin.

Cut the peeled pumpkin in half and begin scooping out the seeds. Sometimes I’ll save the seeds to roast later… either for a little snack or for a curry topping once the curry is finished cooking!

Chop the pumpkin into small, bite-sized pieces. You’ll need 4 cups of cubed pumpkin for this recipe. I’ll often throw in a little extra pumpkin just for good measure :)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced onion and the bay leaf. Sauté the onions in the oil for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions start turning a golden-brown color.

Add in the minced ginger and garlic and continue to cook the onion mixture for another 1-2 minutes.

At this point, you’ll want to add all the spices in with the onions, ginger, garlic, and bay leaf. This includes: 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander,and ¾ teaspoon turmeric.

Stir the mixture for about a minute, or until the onions are well coated in spices.

Add the pumpkin and tomatoes to the onions and continue to cook over medium heat for another 2-3 minutes.

Add in 1 cup of water, the drained chickpeas, and the coconut milk. Place a lid on the pan and allow the curry to cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very soft. You’ll want to stir the curry every 5 minutes throughout this process so it doesn’t burn.

Once the pumpkin is soft, add in 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix well and remove the curry from the heat.

Serve the curry with brown rice, fresh lemon, toasted pumpkin seeds, and/or fresh cilantro leaves. You are sure to enjoy this delicious pumpkin curry recipe!

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Directions: