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This easy one-pot pumpkin curry is the perfect fall comfort food for the cold season! A fragrant Indian inspired veggie curry made featuring warming spices, fresh veggies, chickpeas. Pumpkin purée in the curry sauce makes it so creamy! Perfect for weeknights! Jump to Recipe
We’re in the midst of squash/pumpkin season and while I love using pumpkin puree for all by bakes and cakes, I do also enjoy our favorite fall baking ingredient in savory dishes. During the cozy season, I love adding canned pumpkin puree to soups, curries, as a natural thicking agent and to add that gorgeous orange color. I mean look at those bowls of pumpkin curry! Don’t you want to hug them?
Canned pumpkin purée and creamy oat milk, heavily seasoned with Indian spices make a sweet and satisfying curry sauce for the chickpea curry. It’s a rich, creamy fall-centric curry that you can eat on its own, or serve over steamed rice, quinoa or couscous. If you want to incorporate different vegetables, go ahead. I love to stir in some spinach, but baby kale or sliced green beans add the same color effect. Just add your leafy green during the last few minutes of cooking, letting them soften in the sauce.
As with any curry, the key to this dish is building layers of flavor! In this pumpkin chickpea curry we begin with browning some ground spices in hot oil to kick-start those Indian aromatics then add some onions, garlic and ginger. You can use any other squash purée or mash instead of pumpkin.
Your kitchen will already smell spectacular by now, and all that’s left to do is stir in some oat milk, pumpkin puree, chickpeas, and veggies of your choosing. Now simmer until the veggies are cooked. Season with a squeeze of lime, and your curry is served! I love this with rice but you can opt for any other grain or cauliflower rice.
Pumpkin Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp paprika, or use 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 to 1 tsp curry powder, or use garam masala or Berbere or Jamaican curry powder
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced.
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, or squash mash
- 1 1/2 cup oat milk, or other thick non dairy milk such as coconut milk, or cashew milk
- 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup other veggies such as butternut squash,, sweet potato, green beans, etc
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms, or veggies of choice
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup packed chopped spinach.
- lemon juice and pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Plate a skillet over medium heat, add the oil.
- Add the paprika, coriander, cumin, curry powder, and mix well. Cook the spices until they get fragrant and bubbly.
- Add in the onion, garlic, and ginger until the onion starts to turn translucent.
- Add in the pumpkin puree and mix in, add in the non dairy milk, and mix in, add the chickpeas, bell peppers, mushrooms, veggies, salt, and mix in.
- Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the veggies are tender to preference. Fold in the spinach and take off heat.
- Add a good dash of lime juice, and some pepper flakes for garnish, and serve with rice, or other cooked grains.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to add any other veggies such as butternut squash, peas, baby corn, sweet potato, green beans, etc
- If you don’t have any ground spices you could use 1 tbsp of curry powder or Thai curry paste instead. Obviously, the flavor will not be the same, especially if you take this to the Thai direction. You would fry it in oil just like the spices.
- Instead of the cumin and coriander, you could also add some garam masala if you have some in your pantry.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients:
- The base of this curry is made by frying some warming spices like cumin, coriander, paprika, and curry powder in some oil. This is called tempering and is a great way to maximize the spices seasoning potential.
- To the spices, we add onion, garlic, and ginger – the Indian trinity.
- As for veggies, I went with chickpeas, red bell pepper, thinly sliced mushrooms, and spinach ( see tips for alternatives)
- Adding pumpkin puree adds some nice orange hue to this vegan pumpkin chickpea curry, makes it super creamy , and the sweetness from the pumpkin means that there’s no need to add sugar to the sauce.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice brighten and lighten this vegan pumpkin curry up and help balance out the sweetness and richness of milk and pumpkin. You could use lemon instead if you cannot find lime.
Tips:
- Feel free to add any other veggies such as butternut squash, peas, baby corn, sweet potato, green beans, etc.
- If you don’t have any ground spices you could use 1 tbsp of curry powder or Thai curry paste instead. Obviously, the flavor will not be the same, especially if you take this in the Thai direction. You would fry the paste in oil just like the spices, then add onions, ginger, and garlic.
- If you’re looking for a more Thai-style curry, try this Sweet Potato Curry
- Instead of the cumin and coriander, you could also add some garam masala if you have some in your pantry.
- This dish can be made ahead of time and is freezer-friendly.
- Not a fan of chickpeas? Add 10 ounces (284g) cubed firm or extra-firm tofu instead. White beans or lentils are another great addition to get that plant-based protein.
How to make Pumpkin Chickpea Curry
Place a skillet over medium heat, add the oil.
Add the paprika, coriander, cumin, curry powder, and mix well. Cook the spices until they get fragrant and bubbly.
Add in the onion, garlic, and ginger until the onion starts to turn translucent.
Add in the pumpkin puree and mix in, add in the non dairy milk, and mix in, add the chickpeas, bell peppers, mushrooms, veggies, salt, and mix in.
Cover and cook for ten minutes, or until the veggies are tender to preference. Fold in the spinach and take off heat.
Add a good dash of lime juice, and some pepper flakes for garnish, and serve with rice, or other cooked grains.
HOW TO STORE THIS CURRY:
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4days. You can also freeze this for up to 3 months.
Excellent recipe, I loved the spices combination. Thank you!
yay!
This was delicious! Probably the best curry I’ve ever made. Used coconut cream.
I’m so happy to hear!
This was easy, delicious, and filling. It’s also a perfect way to introduce these flavors to a toddler!
Wonderful!
I made this chick pea pumkin curry for my luch at work. To the vegetables already mentioned I added roasted squash and peas. I serve this on black rice with collards.
It makes enough for my 5-6 nights of work. It is delicoius. Thank you Richa!
nice – lunch break to look forward to
Have made today using the pumpkins left over from halloween, it’s a cold wet November evening and this is perfect as a seasonal curry. It’s rich and comforting and will definitely make again.
good idea – when life gives you pumpkins…… make a curry!
We made this last night and it was delicious! My Omni husband took seconds and said definitely make it again. We used coconut milk as the non-dairy milk. I may have added more Garam masala, and I think lemon juice (or tamarind?) is important to cut the sweetness of the pumpkin and coconut milk.
Yes add either to taste. I use some lemon as garnish as the fresh lemon cuts the flavor as well
Nice recipe.
I never have make pumpkin curry.
So, I bake the pumpkin in the oven first then I mashed it on fry pan add spices, more veggies and a can of lentil. It was delicious. Would try other recipe next.
Thank you; glad that you liked it.
Vegan pumpkin Curry is a favourite! I’ve made it 4 times recently, none exactly the same depending on what vegetables are on hand, and its been amazing each time. Love it!
that’s great – 4 times!!
So delicious and easy! I’m going to make a double batch again next week!
Hi Richa, I made this today and have to say that it is delicious. I used just chickpeas, didnt add any veggies. The curry is creamy and has such a smooth and buttery texture, thanks to the pumpkin and coconut milk. I made a different spin on this a few days ago with whole masoor as well, with red and yellow peppers. Loved that as well. Definitely making these many more times. Thanks for this recipe.
This is delicious! So yummy and healthy. The pumpkin adds such a nice creaminess.
thanks for popping in ♡