Vegetarian Pumpkin Curry - this Thai curry is made with chickpeas, black beans, coconut milk, garlic, olive, oil, tomatoes. Spiced with Thai red curry paste and honey. Served over quinoa. Meatless, vegetarian, gluten free, healthy dinner.
I am so excited to add this vegetarian pumpkin coconut curry full of Thai flavors to my regular rotation! Simple, flavorful, healthy, easy to make - this pumpkin curry is a wonderful weeknight meal that I can quickly and easily make right after I come home from work.
I can't even begin to describe how good this Thai coconut curry is! When I made this pumpkin curry I was just curious to see if the Thai flavors worked well with the pumpkin. Well, here I am, making this curry for the second time, and, yes, the pumpkin-Thai combination works amazingly well!
This curry has a touch of coconut milk, red curry paste, a little bit of honey - all the basic ingredients you need to make a simple and flavorful Thai curry. Not only is it amazingly tasty, it is also vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, very low in fat and calories! And full of nutrients, thanks to pumpkin! I'd say it's a pretty good recipe to have in your repertoire!
To make it even healthier, I am serving this vegetarian pumpkin curry over quinoa, which is gluten free and high in protein!
Cooking notes on types of red curry paste:
Keep in mind, that different brands of red curry paste have different levels of spiciness, so start with only 1 tablespoon of red curry paste to see if it's too spicy for you. Then add 1 more if you like. Also, please note that this is a SAVORY recipe, and the honey here is used to balance the flavors and not to sweeten the curry. That's why I add the honey only in the very end, after seasoning the curry with salt. That way you use honey to balance the flavors in the same way you use a touch of sugar to balance the acidity of tomatoes in a homemade tomato sauce. So, start only with 1 tablespoon of honey (after seasoning the curry with salt), and then add another one (or 2) if you like. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Thai Pumpkin Coconut Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 cup pumpkin puree , from the can or homemade
- 1 cup tomatoes , from the can
- 1 cup vegetable stock or water
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 15 oz black beans , from the can, rinsed and drained
- 7.5 oz garbanzo beans , from the can, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste (use less or more of the paste, depending on how spicy it is, and then add more, to taste)
- 3 tablespoons honey or, use agave nectar or maple syrup for vegan version
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
Instructions
- In a large pot or skillet, cook chopped onion and minced garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat until soft.
- Add pumpkin, canned tomatoes (chop them up into smaller chunks), vegetable stock (or water), coconut milk, black beans, and garbanzo beans (both beans should be rinsed and drained). Add 1 tablespoon of red curry paste, stir everything well, and season with salt and pepper. Taste your curry, season with more salt if needed. Add another tablespoon of red curry paste, if desired. (Note: various brands of red curry paste have different degrees of spiciness. Be careful not to add too much of red curry paste if it is of a spicier variety).
- I find it important that you start adding honey only after you’ve seasoned the curry with salt, because we’re using honey here not to really sweeten the curry but to balance the flavors. Add 1 tablespoon of honey (after seasoning with salt), taste your curry. Add another tablespoon (or 2) of honey if it suits your taste.
- Bring to boil, make sure to stir all ingredients well together to combine flavors and spices. Reduce to simmer and cook for 15 minutes on very low simmer.
- Serve with quinoa, garnished with chopped green onion.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Such gorgeous and colorful curry, Julia, did I see green scallions?! Love them! Quinoa is my favorite! Not a huge fan of honey, but I can imagine using raw sugar or a pinch of grated apple in the curry!
I love the combo of pumpkin and garbanzo beans! Never used them together in a curry, but you know I will! Inspired dish - thanks.
What a gorgeous meal Julia! I love pumpkin and curry together. Great post!
what a gorgeous meal! i love that you serve this w/ quinoa instead of rice too. yum!
Looks delicious!
Sounds so comforting! Coconut milk tends to make any hot dish perfect for cold weather…
This looks amazing! I just need to get some pumpkin puree from the store, then we can get cooking!
This looks and sounds amazing, Julia!
Love the combination of flavors and to pair it with Quinoa is a glorious idea.
This looks wonderful Julia! I love throwing vegetarian meals into the dinner rotation, but they have to be full of flavor like this one. Pinning!
Love this healthy meal idea, Julia! Perfect for autumn and to satisfy that comfort food craving. Thank you for sharing!
What an enticing meatless dinner recipe! Loaded with seasonal flavor and warming spices this will satisfy the hungry after a long day!
I love this perfect, vegetarian meal Julia! Love the pumpkin, and all of the bold, comforting flavors!
What a gorgeous, healthy dish, Julia!
Oh this is lovely, so colorful and full of marvelous flavors and so much goodness. 🙂
Filling, nutritious and very tasty!