I made this pumpkin red lentil curry at a friend’s house for lunch a couple months ago, just to throw something together. I wanted something nutritious, easy to eat a lot of, and tasty without being spicy or too acidic. We all loved it so I tested it a few more times since to get the quantities down – it’s a thick, filling, meal in a bowl kind of dinner with no need for any extras. No rice or bread needed. Big chunks of pumpkin are the star here, adding hits of sweetness, and stirring in some fresh or frozen herbs brightens it up nicely.

Recipe Rundown: Pumpkin Curry

• Texture: fairly soft, with a bit of toothsome pumpkin due to it being cut into large pieces.
• Flavour: a little sweet, but mostly a deeply savoury flavour from the slowly cooked onion and toasted curry powder. I prefer a curry powder with coriander and turmeric at the top of the ingredient list, but use your favourite. See below for spice substitutions.
• Difficulty: very easy, a great weeknight meal. This has been a go-to recipe for us all autumn because of how quickly it comes together with minimal ingredients.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin: I always use hokkaido. Choose a pumpkin or winter squash with a firm, starchy flesh and preferably one that doesn’t need to be peeled for ease of cooking.
• Lentils: red, split or whole. Note that split red lentils will need less cooking time.
• Herbs: parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), fresh or frozen. This is a great recipe for those little boxes of finely chopped frozen herbs that are so practical in the colder months (or if you freeze your own herbs).
• Coconut milk: a standard can, full fat. I think this would be fine with a lower fat coconut milk, but I haven’t tested with it.
• Curry powder: I’ve started using curry powder a lot since I don’t currently have my own place and can’t carry a lot with me. If you prefer to use individual spices, add 1 teaspoon each turmeric and ground coriander, ½ teaspoon each cumin and ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon hot pepper (the hot pepper is optional).

For more red lentil recipes, try my lentil pancakes, carrot red lentil soup, and lentil bolognese.

Step by Step Photos

Step 1: cook the onion for about ten minutes, then add the pumpkin, ginger, and garlic and cook for another five.

Step 2: stir in the curry powder and cook for another minute.

Step 3: add the coconut milk, bring to a simmer, and add the lentils.

Step 4: simmer until the lentils are cooked, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

How to Store

Storage: keep cooled curry in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Freezing: transfer fully cooled curry to an airtight container on the same day of cooking and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. If reheating in a pot, add a splash of water.

Expert Tips

• Be sure to stir: this is a thick curry and has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot as the lentils cook. To prevent this, stir frequently while it’s simmering and add a splash of water if things get really stuck – if it’s sticking too much, the heat is too high and should be reduced.
• Season to taste: it’s fairly sweet so you might feel that it needs a bit of acid to balance it out, depending on personal preference. A splash of apple cider vinegar (about a teaspoon) or the juice of half a lemon will add this if needed.
• Weigh with seeds: the pumpkin is weighed with the seeds in, so that you can estimate the size based on the whole pumpkin. An average hokkaido bought from the shop weighs about 1500 grams and this uses half of that.
• Add the curry powder twice: this adds depth and I recommend sticking with it. Most of the spices are toasted before adding the coconut milk, and an extra dash is added at the end to boost the overall flavour.

More Seasonal Curries

Chickpea Pumpkin Curry
Red Lentil Curry
Lentil Mushroom Curry
Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

If you make this Pumpkin Red Lentil Curry or any other vegetarian dinner recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.