Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup Recipe
This absolutely bomb Thai pumpkin curry is a soup that comes in swinging with coconut milk, red curry paste, and aromatic lime leaves. Top with a spoonful of spiced pumpkin seed tadka and fresh cilantro, and you’ve got texture, color, and that “Oh snap — I actually made this” look of disbelief on your face while your spouse goes back for their third bowl.
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 213kcal
Cost: 11
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup shallot or red onion, diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup carrot diced
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 8 lime leaves
- 2 15 oz. cans pumpkin purée
- 4 cups unsalted vegetable stock or water
- 13.5 oz. coconut milk full-fat
- 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
Optional Pumpkin Seed Tadka:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 inch ginger peeled and julienned
- 6 dried Thai chilies
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Garnishes:
- Coconut milk
- Fried shallots
- Cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat for 90 seconds. When the oil is hot, add the shallot, celery, and carrot. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the red curry paste and lime leaves, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until the curry paste is fragrant and well distributed.
- Stir in the pumpkin purée and vegetable stock (or water). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk, rice vinegar, coconut sugar, and tamari. Remove the lime leaves if desired.
- For the optional tadka, warm olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat for 90 seconds. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Cook for 45 seconds until they begin to pop.
- Stir the pumpkin seeds, ginger, chilies, and salt into the hot oil, and remove from heat.
- Serve the soup hot, with a drizzle of coconut milk, fried shallots, a spoonful of the tadka, and cilantro leaves.
Notes
🍲 Paste Blooming: Cook the red curry paste with shallots, celery, and carrot over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes, stirring so it gets some direct contact with the pan. This releases the aromatics and makes the soup flavorful from the first spoonful.
🥥 Your Coconut Milk Brings All the Boys to the Yard: Add coconut milk at the very end and turn off the heat while stirring it in. This keeps the milk from separating and cools the soup slightly so it’s ready to eat immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 372mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3390IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg