Recipe: Slow Cooker Vegan Pumpkin Curry
I go back and forth on what I think is the most useful piece of equipment in my kitchen. My cast iron skillet is always high on the list, as is a good Dutch oven.
But these days, as it gets colder, I think my slow cooker is definitely in the top spot. When you realize that you can make wonderful dishes like this vegan pumpkin curry while you are gone, it’s easy to see why the slow cooker is #1.
See those lovely cubes of fresh pumpkin? That is seriously the hardest part of this recipe. Peeling and cubing a fresh pumpkin is not the easiest thing to do, but it’s well worth it.
→ Grocery Store Tip: A general rule of thumb for peeling gourds like pumpkins is to add about a pound to the size that you actually need. So, if you need two pounds of pumpkin, cubed, then you should buy a 3 to 4 pound pumpkin.
Once the pumpkin is cubed, it’s literally just everybody in the pool! You stir the ingredients together in the slow cooker insert and put it on low heat for 2 to 3 hours until the pumpkin is tender. I like to drain off some of the cooking liquid after it’s done, and then also blend a portion of the remaining vegetables and broth so the curry is nice and thick.
Scoop this delicious curry over some rice and garnish it with some fresh cilantro if that’s your thing! This is a really great meal on a crisp fall day. Don’t be too afraid of peeling a pumpkin. It’s worth doing for a delicious vegan curry like this!
Slow Cooker Vegan Pumpkin Curry
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
(3 to 4 pound) baking pumpkin
- 1/2
medium white onion, chopped
- 1
whole red pepper, chopped
- 2 tablespoons
red curry paste
- 2 teaspoons
turmeric
- 2 teaspoons
paprika
- 1 teaspoon
ground cumin
- 2 cups
water
- 1
(14-ounce) can coconut milk
Salt and pepper
Cooked basmati rice, to serve
Chopped cilantro, to serve
Instructions
Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into quarters or sixths and then use a paring knife or a very sharp and sturdy vegetable peeler to carefully peel the pumpkin. Cut it into roughly 1/2-inch cubes. (You should have about 2 pounds of cubes.)
Combine the pumpkin, chopped onions, chopped red peppers, spices, water, and coconut milk to a slow cooker. Cover it and cook the curry for 2 to 3 hours on low heat, until the pumpkin is tender.
If the curry is thinner than you'd like, you can scoop out 1 to 2 cups of the liquid and discard (or save for something else!). You can also blend half of the remaining curry in a blender or food processor until smooth, and stir it back into the curry to make a thicker curry. (Let the curry cool slightly before blending to avoid splatter burns.)
Season the curry with salt and pepper. Serve over cooked basmati rice and garnished with cilantro.
Recipe Notes
If you wanted to make a really good fall soup, blend up the entire batch of curry until smooth. It's great served smooth with a dollop of coconut cream.