Pumpkin Tofu Curry

Pumpkin tofu curry is a delicious vegan recipe that pairs Thai flavours with a creamy coconut sauce for the perfect meat-free dinner. This healthy pumpkin curry is hearty, packed with protein, and so much better than takeaway!

This pumpkin tofu curry is the ultimate vegan fall comfort food. It's creamy thanks to the coconut milk sauce and hearty thanks to the tofu.

What's even better, it's ready in under an hour.

Besides being quite delicious, this tofu coconut curry is also nourishing. The tofu will load you up on protein, while the pumpkin is high in vitamin A and C.

You'll also get a good amount of healthy fat from coconut milk, which helps you feel full for longer.

I like to serve this pumpkin curry over basmati or jasmine rice, but it also works great with brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.

What do you need to make pumpkin tofu curry?

Firm tofu — Many people think that tofu is bland, but if you cook it right and pair it with a flavourful sauce, it's truly delicious. I press all my tofu, even if it's extra firm, because that's the best way to cut it into cubes that won't fall apart when you fry them. For this recipe, I used the organic tofu from Cauldron.

Vegetable oil — Any vegetable oil would work here. I typically use canola oil, but you can substitute it with coconut oil if you want. For an oil-free version, saute the veggies in some vegetable stock instead.

Vegetables — You can also add some chopped broccoli, cauliflower florets or carrots. Some zucchinis and chopped sweet potatoes are some other great ideas if you're looking to add even more texture to the curry.

Coconut milk — Full-fat coconut milk is best for this recipe because it gives the curry a thick, creamy consistency and a hint of sweetness at the same time. You can substitute it with low-fat coconut milk, but the curry won't be as creamy.

Pumpkin — I use fresh pumpkin or butternut squash for this curry, which I cut into 1-inch cubes. Small and sweet pumpkin varieties are great here, but if they're not in season, butternut squash works just as well.

How to make the curry

• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large, deep pan and fry the tofu cubes for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until slightly golden. Remove the tofu from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and set it aside.
• Heat the rest of the vegetable oil in the same pan and fry the onion for 3-4 minutes until it softens. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for another minute until fragrant.
• Stir in the green beans and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Next, stir in the Thai red paste and cook for another minute.

• Add the vegetable stock, coconut milk, and pumpkin and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is fork-tender.
• Stir in the lime juice and baby spinach and cook for another 2-3 minutes, covered, until the spinach wilts.
• Stir in a handful of chopped coriander and serve over rice or quinoa.

Recipe notes and tips

• Feel free to use other veggies that are in season to create your own version of this Thai pumpkin curry.
• Some Thai red curry pastes can be quite spicy, so make sure you taste them first so you can adjust the quantities accordingly. I typically use the Thai red paste from Blue Dragon and the three tablespoons I recommend in the recipe card below result in a mild curry.
• If you're counting calories or you're looking for a low-carb side for this delicious Thai veg curry, serve it over cauliflower rice.

If you liked this pumpkin tofu curry, you may also like some of my other easy vegan curry recipes:

Vegan Thai Red Curry with Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry

Easy Lentil and Chickpea Curry

Kala Chana Masala (Black Chickpea Curry)

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