Sweet, caramelised pumpkin, chickpeas, coconut cream, with crunchy almonds in an aromatic curry base made with pineapple, ginger, and more! This pumpkin, chickpea and coconut curry is one of the most fragrant and delicious curries you’ll ever make!
This recipe is adapted from and inspired by Jamie Oliver’s recipe for fragrant squash curry. I include a few extra ingredients and make a few swaps, but the core recipe is more or less the same. If I ever want or need to cook a vegan dish (that’s also gluten-free!), this is my go-to. And everyone who I’ve made it for has loved it, whether they are vegan or not!
I stumbled across this recipe years ago. I was looking for a vegan dish to make during Lent but still wanted something flavourful and hearty! I now make this dish every year for our family’s Slava (posna/fasting Slava), which is a Serbian Orthodox holiday honouring the family’s patron saint. We have so many guests for our Slava and this pumpkin chickpea coconut curry is definitely a crowd-pleaser! It’s also one my go-to meals to make a big batch of, and take to church for periods of fasting. But you will love it no matter the occasion – wanting a flavourful, aromatic, delicious curry is occasion enough!
Ingredients
This pumpkin chickpea and coconut curry is a celebration of fruits and vegetables! Of course, we’ll need pumpkin (the best for this is butternut, for its sweetness and nuttiness). You’ll also need chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, spinach, almonds, coconut cream (not milk!!!), and tinned pineapple. Yep, pineapple! The acidity and sweetness you get from the pineapple in the curry sauce base is phenomenal – and adds the most beautiful fruity, sweet, sour flavour to the dish and works so well with the rich coconut cream!
You could use coconut milk instead, like the original recipe does. But I prefer coconut cream for the extra thickness it gives the curry, plus I find it tastes more coconutty! And its full of healthy, stable saturated fats.
Apart from this you’ll need some olive oil (or coconut oil), onion, garlic, ginger (told you it was a delightfully fragrant dish!!!), coriander powder (or seeds), fenugreek powder (or seeds) and curry powder.
How to Make this Pumpkin, Chickpea and Coconut Curry
For such a flavourful, aromatic dish, its pretty straightforward and easy to make! Because so many of the ingredients pack so much flavour, so much of the flavour-building is done for us!
The most important part of the recipe is the caramelised pumpkin. It is truly the start of the show. You cut the pumpkin into cubes with the skin on, and roast until caramelised. The skin becomes soft and edible, and actually prevents the pumpkin from turning to mush in the curry, and helps hold its shape. Please do not be tempted to throw in the raw pumpkin into the curry and simmer it – the caramelisation is going to intensify the flavour and sweetness of the pumpkin due to the Maillard reaction. This is what happens during caramelisation, and it takes the flavour of the dish to a whole new level.
While the pumpkin roasts away, make the curry base by frying off onion, garlic, ginger and spices in coconut oil. I’ve used powdered spices here out of pure convenience – but you can use seeds instead! Then throw in the cherry tomatoes and pineapple and cook until the tomatoes blister and the pineapple caramelises. Blitz all this in a blender along with coconut cream until smooth.
Pour this delicious, aromatic curry base back into your pan, along with chickpeas (along with the liquid), and as much pineapple juice as you’d like that was left in the tin (but I usually just use it all!). Simmer until thick, throw in the cooked, caramelised pumpkin, place the spinach in for a minute or two until wilted, and top with crunchy toasted almonds. Simply delicious!
How to Serve
When serving up this pumpkin chickpea and coconut curry, I like to make a big pot of coconut rice (or plain rice) to go with it. It would also pair beautifully with naan bread or any other flatbread. On occasion I’ve also topped this with a few grilled/pan-fried prawns in coconut oil when serving this for our Slava, and it works a treat – especially if you want the extra protein!
However you choose to enjoy it, it truly is such a flavourful, hearty, comforting dish!
I really hope you love this recipe xxx
Pumpkin, Chickpea and Coconut Curry (Vegan)
Ingredients
Method
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Preheat your oven to 220°C fan. Wash and scrub your pumpkin, cut in half, and scoop out the seeds. Cut into bite-sized chunks (roughly 2-3cm pieces), leaving the skin on. Place the pieces on a tray, drizzle on 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, and pop in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until caramelised and soft.
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Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat, and throw in your onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they are soft. Then, throw in your coriander powder, curry powder, and fenugreek powder. Mix through for 30-60 seconds.
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Throw in your cherry tomatoes (whole), and your pineapple. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until the tomato skins begin to blister and the pineapple is softened. Take off the heat, pour into a blender along with all the coconut cream, and blend until smooth.
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Pour this back into your pan, on medium heat, and throw in your chickpeas (along with the water!). Bring to a simmer, and let it slowly bubble away for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has nicely thickened.
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Throw in your cooked pumpkin, and stir. Adjust for salt and pepper, and add any reserved pineapple juice to taste, and to desired consistency (I usually use it all)!
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Place your spinach in the pan, stir through, and pop the lid on for a 4-5 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted. Meanwhile, toast your almonds in a dry pan on low-medium heat, constantly stirring for 2-3 minutes or until a lovely brown.
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Scatter the almonds on the curry, and serve with a hot bowl of coconut rice. Enjoy!
