Tofu Pumpkin Curry
on Sep 23, 2021, Updated Dec 04, 2021
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy tofu pumpkin curry with red peppers and kale is made with a can of pumpkin puree, light coconut milk, red curry paste and ginger.
If you’re interested in another recipe with pumpkin puree, try this pumpkin chili or pumpkin pasta with baby spinach.
Even though many people are firmly in pumpkin season with their spiced beverage of choice starting in August, I like to wait until fall is official.
And now I am feeling major bring on the pumpkin kind of vibes.
Of course, I love pumpkin sweets, but nothing beats using a can of pumpkin puree for dinner instead of limiting it to dessert.
Just how a can of tomatoes always comes in handy, a can of pumpkin can be used for soups, risottos and curries like this one.
That’s because pumpkin goes really well with chilies and things that are spicy. You can think of pumpkin curry as a meal that will keep you warm because it brings the heat in more ways than one.
This tofu curry is total healthy comfort food.
Add Red Curry Paste For Flavor and Spice
Used to flavor many Thai dishes, red curry paste is a combination of red chilies, spices, garlic, ginger, shallots, lemongrass and more.
You can find it in the Asian food section at the grocery. It’s an important ingredient in this recipe because it is the base flavor for the curry.
How To Prep The Tofu
When you open a package of tofu, you will see that it is a block sitting in liquid. And it’s important to remove as much of that liquid as possible.
To do this, pat the tofu dry with a towel. Then wrap it in a dry towel and put a cast iron pan or cutting board on top of it. That weight will push out more liquid.
If you cook tofu a lot like I do, you can buy a tofu press, which is a gadget that will do the same thing. What’s great about the tofu press I have is that I can put in the block, stash it in the fridge and the press catches all the liquid in a basin. It’s very compact and convenient.
Once the tofu is pressed, you can cut it into cubes.
The Ingredients
You will need these ingredients for the pumpkin curry:
- Tofu: Because it is easy to cut into cubes and holds its shape, extra firm tofu is best for the curry.
- Pumpkin: The recipe calls for one can of pumpkin puree.
- Red Curry Paste: This combination of chilies and spices gives the curry its signature flavor.
- Coconut Milk: I use light coconut milk because that with the pumpkin puree is enough to make the curry turn out silky and rich.
- Onions: As the onions sauté, they really soften and end up blending right in.
- Red Peppers: For veggies, I include red bell peppers in the pumpkin curry.
- Garlic & Ginger: Even though there is garlic and ginger in the curry paste, I always make sure to add fresh minced garlic and ginger.
- Kale: Once the curry is nearly finished, I stir in kale for dark leafy greens.
- Cilantro & Lime: To finish the curry, I sprinkle it with cilantro and serve it with lime wedges.
- Rice: A scoop or two of brown rice is great to pair with the curry.
How To Make Pumpkin Curry with Tofu and Pumpkin Puree
- Press the tofu. Pat the tofu with a towel. Then wrap it in another dry towel and put something heavy on top of it like a cast iron pan to press out the liquid. After that, cut the tofu into cubes.
- Cook the tofu. Heat vegetable oil in a pan and lightly brown the tofu on all sides. Move the tofu to a plate.
- Sauté the vegetables. Start by sautéing the onions until soft and then add the red peppers to the pan.
- Add the aromatics. Things get very fragrant when you add the minced garlic and ginger, red curry paste, salt and pepper.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree and coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer to really let the flavors meld.
- Add the kale. The heat from the curry will lightly wilt the kale in minutes.
- Add the tofu back into the curry to complete the dish.
- Sprinkle with cilantro.
- Serve with brown rice and lime wedges.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Baked Pumpkin Risotto
Fresh Pumpkin Pasta
Pumpkin Wild Rice Salad
Pumpkin Ice Cream
Tofu Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients
- 1-14 ounce block extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1-15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1-13.5 ounce can light coconut milk
- 2 cups chopped curly kale
- Chopped cilantro and lime wedges for serving
- Brown rice for serving
Instructions
- Pat the tofu dry with a towel. Wrap it with a dry towel and place a cast iron pan or cutting board on top to remove more liquid. Let stand for 15 minutes. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the tofu and sauté until lightly golden, about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
- Add the onions to the pan. Sauté until they start to soften and turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Then add the red peppers and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, red curry paste, salt and pepper. The mixture will turn fragrant in about 30 seconds.
- Then add the pumpkin puree and coconut milk, gently stirring to combine. Once the curry reaches a simmer, cook it for 8-10 minutes, letting it start to reduce.
- Stir in the kale. Give it a couple minutes to wilt and then add the tofu to the curry.
- Top with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges and rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really enjoyed this recipe! We’ve often made chicken Thai curry in the past, but have been reducing our meat intake lately. I was hesitant about the pumpkin at first, but really loved how it thickened up the dish, making it feel hearty. This is now on our list of go-to recipes. Thank you so much!