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Thai Chickpea Pumpkin Curry

Name: Thai Chickpea Pumpkin Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped yellow onion; 3 cloves garlic (chopped); 1 jalapeno (seeded and chopped (optional for spice)); 1 cup diced red pepper; Drizzle of oil or broth to sauté; 1 can fired roasted diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce ); 3 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 2 cups chopped cauliflower; 1 can lite coconut milk (13.5 ounce); 1 can pumpkin puree (15 ounce ); 1 can chickpeas (15 ounce, drained and rinsed); 2 cups fresh spinach; 1 tablespoon lime juice; 4 cups Jasmine rice; Fresh cilantro

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on August 9, 2025

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My easy Thai Chickpea Pumpkin Curry is the perfect one-pot meal that’s full of spicy and savory flavors from chickpeas, coconut milk, and pumpkin. It’s ready in under an hour and can easily be prepared the day before for a quick midnight meal!

An orange surface with two white bowls filled with white rice and topped with curry and forks in the bowls.

This is by far the best plant-based curry I have made since our family favorite sweet potato chickpea curry! . I honestly didn’t think anything could top that one until I raided my pantry on a busy Wednesday night and pulled this together. Ha!

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storage Directions

❓Recipe FAQs

🥣 More Healthy Thai Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

It all started with some leftover chickpeas from making these vegan falafel burgers at our neighbor’s cookout. In true busy mom fashion, I started throwing in whatever I could find – veggies, tomatoes, spices, herbs, aromatics, pumpkin puree, coconut, and Thai curry paste – and before I knew it, I had a pan full of delicious mouthwatering flavors!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

There are so many flavors and textures going on here that it is seriously hard to resist. The combination of coconut milk and pumpkin puree creates the perfect thick, creamy base that gets spiced up with fire-roasted tomatoes, jalapenos, cumin, smoked paprika, and red Thai curry paste, while the vegetables add tons of nutrients, texture, and color. It’s pure comfort food in a bowl! Even my youngest son, who usually turns his nose up at anything remotely spicy, gave me the clean bowl of approval.

What makes this curry even better is that everything goes into one pot, which means less cleanup (always a win in my book!). I start off by creating a spiced aromatic base with onion, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, curry paste, and spices. Let that bubble and simmer for a few minutes until the kitchen smells so good the neighbors might accidentally drop by! Then, in goes the cauliflower, coconut milk, and pumpkin puree for 15 minutes to create the creamy sauce. And lastly, I add the chickpeas, spinach, and lime juice to tie all those flavors together.

My Thai curry recipe is vegan and gluten-free, making it perfect for entertaining friends with different dietary needs, and the leftovers (if there are any!) taste even better the next day as the flavors intensify. Last week, I served this Thai chickpea curry to my bestie 3 days after making it, and the flavors were even more incredible. The fact that there were actually leftovers on day three leads me to suspect that my husband didn’t have his usual late-night curry raids! Ha.

🥘 Ingredients

This Thai chickpea pumpkin curry recipe is made with whole food ingredients, and the flavor comes from a rich blend of spices and seasonings. Here is what I used:

Vegetables: I chop up onions, garlic, jalapeño, red bell pepper, cauliflower, and spinach. They add freshness and a nice variety of textures to the curry.

Tomatoes and Pumpkin: I use roasted diced tomatoes and pumpkin purée to make the base thick and flavorful.

Protein: I add chickpeas for a hearty texture and to make the curry more filling. They also pair really well with the creamy sauce.

Liquids: I pour in lite coconut milk and vegetable broth so the curry has a rich sauce to simmer in.

Seasonings: I stir in Thai red curry paste, cumin, smoked paprika, sea salt, and a squeeze of lime juice for a warm well-rounded flavor.

🔪 How To Make

I am confident you will love making this Thai chickpea pumpkin curry recipe again and again. I’ll show you step by step how easy it is to make in no time.

Sauté the aromatics: I cook the onion, garlic, and peppers in a little olive oil or broth over medium heat until they start to soften and smell fragrant.

A pan with chopped peppers and onions being sauteed by a wooden spoon.

Add the flavor base: I stir in the tomatoes, then mix in the curry paste, salt, cumin, and smoked paprika until everything is well combined.

A wooden spoon mixing tomatoes, peppers and onions in a pan.

Make the curry sauce: I mix in the cauliflower, coconut milk, pumpkin, and broth, then let it simmer.

A wooden spoon mixing a red curry with chickpeas and cauliflower in a pan.

Finish the curry: I add the chickpeas, spinach, and lime juice, then cook just until the spinach wilts and everything is warm and flavorful.

A pan with curry that has chickpeas, cauliflower and spinach in it on an orange surface.

Serve the curry: I ladle it into bowls and serve it warm, usually with rice or naan on the side so everyone can scoop up the sauce.

Curry over white rice in a cream bowl topped with cilantro and lime slices.

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for making this Thai chickpea pumpkin curry is to let it simmer slowly once you add the liquids. I tell my kids all the time that good food takes patience, and this is the perfect example. If the heat is too high, the coconut milk can separate, and the sauce won’t be as creamy. I keep the heat low to medium and just let it bubble gently while I set the table or make rice. This way the flavors have time to mix together, and you end up with a smooth, rich curry that tastes like you spent all day making it.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Use fresh aromatics: I like to use fresh onion, garlic, and jalapeño because they give the curry a much deeper flavor than the pre-minced kind.
Bloom the spices: I always let the curry paste and spices cook for about a minute before adding any liquid. It helps the flavors become richer and more fragrant.
Cut veggies evenly: I try to cut my cauliflower and peppers into similar sizes so they cook at the same time. This way nothing ends up undercooked or too soft.
Adjust spice level: I taste as I go and add extra curry paste or jalapeño if I want it hotter. If it’s too spicy, I stir in more coconut milk to balance it out.
Finish with acid: I squeeze in the lime juice right at the end. It brightens up all the flavors and makes the curry taste so fresh.

📖 Variations

This Thai chickpea pumpkin curry is one of my family’s favorite dinners, and I love how easy it is to change it up. If you want to try something new, here are a few tasty ways I make it different from time to time.

Green curry version: I swap the red curry paste for Thai green curry paste and add 1 cup of sliced zucchini. This is my favorite one!

Extra veggie curry: I mix in 1 cup of green beans or broccoli with the cauliflower. It adds more color and crunch to each bite.

Protein boost: I add a block of cubed firm tofu or 1 cup of cooked lentils. It makes the curry more filling and adds extra plant-based protein.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Usually, I serve curry with jasmine rice, but with this chickpea curry, I’ve been switching it up with this rice cooker 4-ingredient cilantro lime rice recipe to add a burst of freshness, or I cook up a big batch of quinoa. Check out my recipe on how to cook quinoa on the stove for perfect fluffy grains every time!

Every Thursday we have a curry night with a group of friends, and when it’s my turn to host, I like to create a full-on spread! Starting the evening off with a creamy pumpkin and sweet potato soup and serving a fresh, zesty citrus salad with avocado and feta to complement the rich curry flavors. Then, finishing off with a slice of vegan pumpkin pie or vegan chickpea blondies.

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: I store any leftover curry in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezing: I let the curry cool completely, then spoon it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: I warm the curry on the stove over low heat, stirring often until hot. If it has thickened, I add a splash of broth or coconut milk to loosen it.

❓Recipe FAQs

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Absolutely. When I have a fresh pumpkin on hand, I peel it, cut it into cubes, and steam or boil it until it is nice and soft. Then I mash or blend it before adding it to the curry. It takes a bit more time than opening a can, but the fresh flavor is worth it, especially in the fall.

How do I make this curry less spicy?

If I am making this for the kids or anyone who is sensitive to spice, I just use less curry paste and leave out the jalapeño completely. I also pour in a little extra coconut milk to mellow the flavors without making it bland. This way it stays flavorful, but it’s gentle enough for everyone to enjoy.

How can I make this curry creamier?

When I want my curry extra creamy, I add an extra half cup of coconut milk or stir in a tablespoon of peanut or cashew butter. This makes the sauce rich, velvety, and so comforting. It is perfect for dipping warm bread or naan into.

🥣 More Healthy Thai Recipes!

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