Instant Pot Pumpkin Curry
Published 10/5/2021 • Updated 9/19/2022
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The most creamy, delicious Pumpkin Curry recipe is made right in your Instant Pot for a quick and easy healthy meal.
Pumpkin Curry in the Instant Pot
One thing that I love about curry is that you can pack in the veggies! This Thai pumpkin curry recipe is vegetarian (technically vegan!) and made in your pressure cooker.
It comes out nice and creamy and so flavorful you’ll want to eat this for all 3 meals.
The curry paste featured in this pumpkin curry recipe is red Thai curry paste. So, there is a Thai curry flare that’s accompanied by coconut milk and fresh lime juice. Seriously to die for!
Why You’ll love it!
- Vegetarian
- Veggie-packed
- 30-minute meal
- Seasonal
The Veggies
- Pumpkin: this recipe calls for around 2 cups of cubed pumpkin. You can cube it yourself or buy it pre-cubed.
- Onion: onion is important for the base of the flavors in this recipe. We used yellow onion.
- Potatoes: russet potato adds great texture and volume to this curry. Feel free to swap for Idaho or red potatoes.
- Carrots: carrts add a bit of sweetness.
- Garlic: garlic is part of the flavor base of the curry sauce. We used minced, but you can use crush or paste.
- Cherry tomatoes: we love that cherry tomatoes add great color and a burst of flavor.
- Spinach: fresh spinach is added right at the end and steamed right in your Instant Pot.
- Peas: we used frozen peas for this recipe. They’re added in with the spinach at the end.
Don’t have pumpkin?
Don’t have pumpkin, but still want to make this? Try using sweet potatoes or butternut squash instead. Both will work perfectly subbed 1:1.
The Curry Sauce
Of course, every pumpkin curry deserves a stellar curry sauce. Ours features Red Thai Curry Paste, but you can also use green if that’s all you can find.
- Coconut milk: make sure to buy full-fat coconut milk. It’s much more flavorful than the “lite” kind.
- Red Thai curry paste: instead of adding a variety of spices, Red Thai curry paste does the job. It’s flavorful and one of our favorite ways to flavor a curry. It’s also what makes this Thai Pumpkin Curry.
- Broth: broth is used to thin out this recipe. We used chicken broth, but if you’re looking to make this recipe vegan or vegetarian, feel free to use veggie broth.
How to Make Pumpkin Curry in Instant Pot
- Sauté onions and garlic: use the Instant Pot’s sauté feature to cook onion and garlic in olive oil.
- Mix curry sauce: meanwhile, combine coconut milk, broth, red Thai curry paste, and nutmeg together until combined.
- Add veggies: add pumpkin, potato, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and serrano pepper and mix. Then, pour in the curry sauce and mix again.
- Pressure cook: cover Instant Pot and turn the valve to seal. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
- Quick release: when the timer goes off, quick release your Instant Pot. Then, mix the pumpkin curry.
- Add spinach and peas: add in the fresh spinach and frozen peas and mix again. Cover the Instant Pot and let the veggies steam for 5 minutes.
- Mix and serve: Mix the pumpkin curry one more time. The pumpkin should be partially still in tact, but about half of it will soften into the sauce making it super thick and creamy. Serve and enjoy!
We suggest serving this delicious curry with white jasmine rice, quinoa, or brown rice.
Topping Ideas
Every bowl of curry deserves tons of toppings. Here are some ideas:
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Pepitas
- Hot sauce
- Green onions
Variations & Add-Ins
Make it spicy: looking to make this spicy? Feel free to add a spicier pepper such as jalapeño or hot sauce.
Add a protein: There are a few ways to add protein to this pumpkin curry. You can add in a can of garbanzo beans or any other bean or mix in some shredded chicken right at the end.
Add more veggies: Even though there is a decent amount of veggies in this recipe, you can also add pretty much any other veggie to this curry. Here are some ideas:
- Bell pepper
- Sweet potato
- Broccoli
Storage
Got leftover curry? Let it cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Instant Pot Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups cubed pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes (or butternut squash)
- 1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into half-moons
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 serrano pepper, sliced
- 1 15-oz. can full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup broth, any kind
- 3 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 2 cups frozen peas
Toppings
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Turn on your Instant Pot’s saute feature and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- When the olive oil is fragrant, add the onion and garlic to the pot and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Sauté the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes and then add the fresh ginger to the pot and stir the ingredients together. Cook for around 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour the broth and coconut milk into a bowl with a pour spout. Whisk the curry paste and nutmeg into the broth and coconut milk until they have dissolved.
- Add the pumpkin, potato, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and serrano pepper into the Instant Pot and then pour the curry mixture over the vegetables.
- Sprinkle the rest of the salt over the vegetables and stir.
- Cover the Instant Pot and seal the valve. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, quick release the pressure from the Instant Pot.
- Uncover the Instant Pot and mix. Make sure that the pumpkin is fork-tender. Add the spinach and peas into the pot, stir, and cover the Instant Pot. Let stand covered for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt and the peas to cook.
- Uncover the Instant Pot. The pumpkin will end up being partially intact. Some of it will soften into the curry sauce, which is what makes this recipe nice and thick. Add lime juice and stir all the ingredients until combined and serve immediately over white rice and topped with fresh cilantro.
Tips & Notes
- Nutrition information does not include rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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