Easy Peasy Homemade Pumpkin Curry With Tofu

This homemade pumpkin curry with tofu recipe was developed out of sheer panic. I received a pumpkin in my CSA box and had no idea what the heck to do with a gigantic pumpkin in a household of two.

It sat on my counter for two weeks until I finally decided to just puree the damn thing so it didn’t go bad. Since I’m not a huge sweets lover, I noodled on what to do with pumpkin puree for quite a bit. Pumpkin butter? Nah, I never use jam-like things. Pumpkin pie? It’s good but I don’t want to eat a whole pie by myself. Pumpkin curry? Now that’s interesting…

Pumpkin curry was the winner by a landslide. And I can tell you, I’m so happy with the result. It’s both easy and yummy! Read on to recreate this homemade pumpkin curry recipe for your next meal.

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Curry with Tofu

I’m an avid meat eater, but every once in a while I get a craving for a plant-based meal. I love how this homemade pumpkin curry has a good amount of heat, but it has this sweet and earthy under note thanks to the pumpkin. I also don’t know what inspired me to put celery in this dish, but it adds a dimension I’ve never had in curry before and I dig it.

Before you begin cooking, here are some tips to help you recreate this easy pumpkin curry.

Getting crisp tofu

My go-to protein for vegetarian dishes is tofu. I love using it in curries and stir fries because it picks up the flavor so well. However, I’ve made a lot of really sub-par tofu in my life.

I know why. Tofu is super moist, but you need it to be really dry in order to get a nice brown crust when frying. I’ve tried various methods for achieving the desired tofu texture. I used a “dry fry” recipe I found that ended up being successful. One time.

Another method is to put a weight on the tofu and let it seep out the water onto paper towels for at least 30 minutes. This definitely helps, so I recommend always doing it. But still, I wanted more crisp.

This time, I had a burst of inspiration: What if I tried to dry the tofu in the oven before I fried it? I figured the heat would help evaporate some of the moisture, so I gave it a try.

The result? It worked. I was able to get the best brown on tofu that I’d ever gotten. That crisp, golden brown on the outside that gives way to that spongy soft tofu interior.

So, embrace the extra tofu steps in the recipe below. You won’t regret the resulting homemade pumpkin curry with tofu!

Preparing the pumpkin

Pumpkin can look intimidating, but it’s quite easy to make. Just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits, and roast with the flesh side up until soft. I also recommend seasoning with salt and some olive oil to aid in flavor.

Sugar pumpkins are the type you’ll want to use for this recipe. While you can cook just about any pumpkin, these are known to have the best flavor.

Optional substitutions

If pumpkin isn’t available in the grocery store, this recipe works really well with squash or sweet potato puree. I made it as a butternut squash curry last time and it was just as good. Plus you can usually get these cubed in the freezer aisle!

While this recipe doesn’t call for any vegetable stock, if you have some on hand you can deglaze the veggies with it before adding the coconut milk. Just be ready for a more broth-y curry and the need to add more salt, brown sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce to taste.

In terms of veggies, you can really add whatever you want into this. Green beans? Sure. Sweet potatoes? Yeah! This truly is flexible. You can even add meat if you’d prefer!

What not to substitute: I recommend using store-bought curry paste for this because curry powder will make it taste less like an Asian curry, which is what this recipe is going for.

I also don’t recommend cutting the coconut milk, as that is key for making this taste and feel like curry. You should also avoid light coconut milk. You need the full fat version because the fat from the coconut milk and pumpkin go beautifully together to make a rich curry!

Tofu pumpkin curry recipe card

Table of contents

serves 4 | active time: 25 minutes | total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package extra firm tofu
• 1 Tbsp. + 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 small sugar pumpkin (butternut squash or kabocha squash also works)
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ~1″ ginger, skin removed and minced
• 1 head of broccoli (about 3-4 cups), cut into 1″ florets
• 1 large red bell pepper, halved and sliced with seeds and ribs removed
• 5 celery stalks, leaves removed & cut into 1/2″ half moons
• 1, 13.5-oz. can of full fat coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. green curry paste (or more if you like heat)
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. fish sauce (to make a vegan pumpkin curry, omit this or replace it with this amount of extra soy sauce or tamari)
• Cashews, lime wedges, green onions, and cilantro for serving (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Remove the tofu from its package, pat dry, and season generously with about 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper (2-3 grinds from a pepper mill should do). Wrap it in paper towels and put a hefty cast iron on top. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to allow excess liquid to leach out.

Step 2

Preheat the over to 350℉. Slice pumpkin in half and remove seeds and stringy bits, making sure to keep the solid flesh intact. Brush the flesh with extra virgin olive oil and season with ~1/2 tsp. salt. Bake with flesh side up on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes or until you can easily slide a fork through the flesh and skin. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit until it’s cool enough to touch.

Step 3

Remove and discard the skin of the pumpkin. Put the flesh in a bowl and mash it with a potato masher or spoon until it’s as smooth as you can get it. You can also use a handheld immersion blender or food processor to get it even smoother. Measure about 1 cup of pumpkin puree and set aside. Reserve the rest for another use.

Step 4

When the tofu is as dry as you can get it, place it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake it in the oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping once. This step is important to remove even more moisture from the tofu. When it’s done, chop it into ~1/2″ rectangles.

Step 5

Heat the coconut oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until bits begin to brown, 5 minutes.

Step 6

Add the garlic, ginger, and season the onion mixture with about 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 7

Add the celery and peppers. Cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with about 1/8 tsp. salt.

Step 8

Add the broccoli and cook until bright green, about 3 minutes. Season with about 1/8 tsp. salt.

Step 9

Meanwhile heat a separate nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Once warm, add the tofu pieces and dry fry without oil. If you’re nervous you can add a touch of vegetable oil, but it’s typically not needed. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Make sure not to overcrowd the tofu or stir too much, as that causes steaming instead of browning. Set aside.

Step 10

Meanwhile, whisk the coconut milk, curry paste, brown sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce in a separate bowl. Add the mixture and the 1 cup of pumpkin puree to the vegetables in the wok. Stir to combine.

Step 11

Bring to a boil, turn down the burner to medium heat, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 12

Add the tofu to the vegetable curry and stir. Cook stirring for 2-3 minutes to heat the tofu.

Step 13

Serve the pumpkin tofu curry with white or brown rice and optional toppings like cashews, lime wedges, green onions, and cilantro. Squeeze with lime juice and enjoy!

Note: This curry tastes even better the next day, so feel free to put it in the fridge overnight to let the flavors meld!

More fall recipes to try

Looking for even more yummy recipes to make during the cozy season? Here are others that you’ll love just as much as this homemade pumpkin curry with tofu!

• Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Thai Curry
• The Best Sourdough Thanksgiving Stuffing Ever
• Creamy Coconut Carrot Parsnip Soup
• Sunchoke Alfredo Sauce: A Healthy Take on the Classic
• Kale, Celery Root, and Apple Power Salad
• Cauliflower, Celery Root, and Apple Soup
• My Mom’s Secret Homemade Applesauce Recipe
• Cheddar-Crusted Chicken with Apple Compote
• Butternut Squash and Carrot Mash with Sage-Crusted Pork