Thai Pumpkin Red Curry Instant Pot

I love that this curry has many veggies—pumpkin, peppers, onions, and broccoli—or you can change it with veggies of your choice. The addition of coconut milk makes it so creamy and satisfying. This is definitely a winner dinner! I took this curry to a get-together at my friend’s place, and everyone enjoyed it. Have you tried store-bought Thai curry paste? It is the best way to make these restaurant-style Thai curries. Yes, you can make them from scratch, but there are just too many ingredients to gather, and I prefer (and respect!) the convenience of these store-bought ones. Trust me, you will not compromise on the taste and can make the curry at home in less than 30 minutes. My favorite is the Maesri brand for a vegan red curry paste. More delicious recipes that can be made with pumpkin or squash –

Vegan Chickpea Squash Fritters Pumpkin Feta Salad Roasted Pumpkin Soup Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Pumpkin Carrot Soup Pumpkin Dal

And if you have the seeds after using the pumpkin, make these delicious roasted air fryer pumpkin seeds.

Why You’ll Love Thai Pumpkin Curry?

Creamy Satisfying Comforting Full of veggies Easy to make

Ingredients

Pumpkin (or butternut squash): Use pie pumpkin, kabocha squash, or butternut squash for this recipe. Bell Pepper and Broccoli: I added these veggies, but you can add other vegetables of choice, such as sweet potato, green beans, mushrooms, zucchini, or carrots. Aromatics: Onion, ginger and garlic Coconut Milk: It helps to make a creamy, rich curry sauce. Red Curry Paste: My favorite is Measri brand curry paste. It is vegan and gluten-free. Flavorings: I used soy sauce (or fish sauce if you are not vegetarian), rice vinegar, salt, and brown sugar. Add kaffir lime leaves for a punch of flavor. Finishing: Sprinkle some lemon or lime juice to brighten up the flavors. Garnish with roasted unsalted cashews and chopped cilantro or some thai basil leaves.

How to make Thai Pumpkin Curry in Instant Pot?

Start by cutting the pumpkin into about 1.5-inch cubes. This step might take the most time (I know peeling a pumpkin is not many people’s favorite activity). Slice the onions and bell peppers and cut the broccoli into pieces. Before pressure cooking, we will add only 1/4 can of the coconut milk and cook the pumpkin with onion, ginger, garlic, curry paste, and seasoning. Pumpkin cooks quickly, and we don’t want it to be mushy. Hence, we will cook it for just 2 minutes at high pressure and then quick-release.

After pressure cooking, stir in the other veggies, kaffir lime leaves, and the coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes. I added cashews to the curry, but they are completely optional if you want to make this curry nut-free.

Garnish with lemon juice (this is a must-do). Then sprinkle some cilantro or basil leaves.

Serve this pumpkin curry with jasmine rice. You can also cook rice in the Instant Pot. Here is my tried-and-tested recipe for instant pot jasmine rice. Note: I don’t recommend pot-in-pot rice with this curry, as we are pressure cooking for very little time, and the rice can remain uncooked.

Stovetop Method

Heat a Dutch oven or large pan on medium-high heat and add oil. Then add onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the can of coconut milk. Mix in the red curry paste. Add salt, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar, and stir. Add in the pumpkin cubes. Bring to a simmer on medium heat. Then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the pumpkin is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add the sliced red peppers, broccoli, cashews, kaffir lime leaves and lemon juice. You can add water if needed to adjust the consistency of the curry. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn off. Garnish with cilantro or Thai basil leaves. Serve with jasmine rice or coconut rice.

Do not overcook: If this curry is overcooked, the veggies will completely break down and become pureed. Make sure to follow the suggested cooking times. Add greens: You can add greens such as kale or spinach to this curry. I recommend stirring them in after the curry is almost cooked. Add heat: Add some Thai chili or serrano peppers along with the onions to add heat to this curry. Add protein: Add firm or extra firm tofu to this curry after the pumpkin is almost cooked. Simmer for a few minutes after adding tofu so it can soak in the curry flavors. You might also want to add more coconut milk and Thai curry paste to compensate for the increased ingredients. To add chicken, check out my pumpkin chicken curry recipe.