This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Cozy Pumpkin Chickpea Curry with canned pumpkin pureé, creamy coconut milk and a quick pumpkin seed pesto. Serve over rice with warm naan for a simple fall dinner in just about 30 minutes.
Pin this now to find it later!
Pin ItWhy you’ll love this recipe
Temperatures are finally starting to drop in Austin so that means I want big bowls of warm, healing food. This Pumpkin Chickpea Curry is perfect, it’s SO easy to make and tastes like fall in a bowl. I toast the pumpkin puree with all the spices and a little olive oil or ghee so it takes on this wonderful toasty flavor. Coconut milk makes the sauce rich and creamy, but not overly heavy. And chickpeas only need about 15 minutes of simmering time to become melt-in-your mouth tender.
I like to also make a pesto with toasted pumpkin seeds, cilantro, olive oil and lemon for a little extra zing, but this part is optional (but recommended!!)
I hope you love it. Happy cooking!
Ingredients
Olive oil. Used to soften the onion and bloom the spices. Ghee works too and adds a buttery flavor. Another neutral oil would be just fine too.
Yellow onion. Dice it small so it melts into the curry.
Kosher salt. Added with the onion to season it from the start and help it soften faster.
Garlic and fresh ginger. Grate the ginger on a microplane so it disappears into the sauce. Jarred ginger paste works in a pinch.
Garam masala. A warm Indian spice blend, usually includes cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin and black pepper. Blends vary by brand, so a new jar may taste a little different.
Ground coriander. Adds a citrusy, slightly floral note that pairs well with the pumpkin.
Turmeric. Adds an earthy flavor and deepens the golden color. I have learned the hard way many times that it stains, so wipe up spills on counters and wooden spoons quickly.
Pumpkin purée. Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, that would be a very different dish. Homemade purée works but will likely have a higher water content, so plan to cook it down a few minutes longer.
Full-fat coconut milk. Makes the sauce creamy and rich. Shake or stir the can first, since the cream separates. Light coconut milk gives a much thinner sauce.
Chickpeas. Two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed. They soften as they simmer and absorb the flavor of the sauce.
Basmati rice and/or naan. For serving. Many store-bought naans contain dairy, so check the label if you’re keeping the meal vegan.
How to make Pumpkin Chickpea Curry
Step 1: Soften the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned.
Step 2: Bloom the aromatics and spices. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, coriander and turmeric. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Just a quick toast, burnt spices taste bitter.
Step 3: Cook down the pumpkin. Stir in the pumpkin purée and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring often. It’s ready when it has darkened slightly, thickened and smells toasty.
Recipe tip: Don’t rush the pumpkin. Canned purée has a lot of water and a raw, squashy flavor straight from the can. Cooking it in the spiced oil drives off some of that water and lightly browns the purée. That gives the finished sauce a deeper, toasted flavor instead of tasting like plain pumpkin.
Step 4: Simmer the curry. Add the coconut milk, chickpeas and 1/2 cup water and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s done when the chickpeas are soft and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools, so don’t reduce it too far.
Step 7: Serve. Spoon the curry over basmati rice or serve it with naan. Top each bowl with a spoonful of pumpkin seed pesto and a squeeze of lemon.
Pumpkin seed pesto
Again, optional but recommended!
The pumpkin seed pesto is just cilantro, olive oil, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), a garlic clove and a pinch of salt and sugar. I use my Vitamix blender to pulse it altogether but you can also use a food processor. You can even chop everything by hand.
Make sure you give your cilantro a rough chop before blending and include the stems, they’ve got lots of flavor!
Serving ideas + modifications
- Serve with basmati rice or naan, classic. Roasted baby potatoes would also go well with the creamy curry sauce.
- Add veggies: Simmer the chickpeas with a veggie like spinach, baby kale, green beans, small florets of cauliflower or broccoli, red bell pepper, carrots or peas.
Storage
Store the curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the pesto separately for up to 3 days in a sealed jar or press plastic wrap over the bowl.
The curry thickens in the fridge. Reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
The curry freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. The coconut milk may look slightly separated after thawing, but it comes back together with stirring as it reheats. Don’t freeze the pesto with it.
More cozy fall recipes
Chipotle Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Beans
Made this recipe? I would love to hear what you think in the review section down below! Also, make sure to tag @wandering_chickpea on Instagram with your creations and save this recipe on Pinterest for later
Pumpkin Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup pumpkin pureé
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 15 oz cans chickpeas
- Cooked basmati rice and/or naan , for serving
Pumpkin seed pesto
- 1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus more for serving
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil or ghee in a large pot over medium heat. When shimmering, add the onion and salt. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger and spices. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the pumpkin pureé and cook for 3-5 minutes until it's reduced and has a nice toasty smell.
- Add the coconut milk, chickpeas and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the chickpeas are soft and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Serve with naan or rice and top with a spoonful of pumpkin seed pesto.
Pumpkin seed pesto
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until they turn golden brown and begin popping.
- To a blender or food processor, add the cilantro, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, sugar and a hefty pinch of salt. Blend until mo. Taste and adjust salt and lemon as needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
