Packed with South Asian spices and healthy chickpeas, this delicious warm and cozy Apple Pumpkin Coconut Curry will keep you well fed all winter long.
[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. I recommend products because I find them helpful or interesting, and as always all thoughts and opinions are my own.]
Jump to Recipe
Apple Pumpkin Coconut Curry
I don’t know about you all, but comfort food is everything to me right now. I just want every meal to leave me cozy and content, especially as the temperatures begin to drop. With fresh roasted pumpkin, local sweet apples, and a mix of delicious South Asian spices, this Apple Pumpkin Curry fills all the boxes for a warming, delicious dinner. Coconut milk and hearty chickpeas round out the dish. Serve over rice or with slices of naan for an easy, healthy weeknight meal.
Choosing Your Apples
I am always amazed at the sheer variety of apples out there! This year, I made an effort to seek out (and record) what some of my favorite varieties are. I’ve even started to learn some of the lingo thanks to an amateur apple expert and a local orchard owner. I’ve learned that Ginger Golds are my current fav, sweet and juicy with a nice soft bite and thin skin. These and Jonas Golds are what I used in this recipe, but feel free to use any juicy sweet apple you can get a hold of. Fuji would work quite well, and for more a tart route, grab some granny smiths. All will be good!
The Perfect Pumpkin
Depending on the time of year, you might find yourself overwhelmed with the types of pumpkin for sale. Many are edible, and I love buying heirloom varieties that double as lovey décor until they get eaten.
I recommend using a fleshy, fresh eating pumpkin for this recipe – Look for pumpkins labeled fairy tale, cinderella, cheese, or burpee ideally, but green kabocha squash (pictured here) are tasty in a curry like this too. If none of these are available, you could use a pie pumpkin in a pinch, or swap in butternut squash. The flavors will all be delicious together.
Easy Apple Pumpkin Coconut Curry
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons salt, divided
- 2 Jonas Gold or Ginger Gold apples, cored and diced small (about 2 cups)
- 1 pound pumpkin, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 chili peppers, diced
- 1 (14 ounce can) crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14 ounce can) tomato puree
- 1 (14 ounce can) pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
- 1 14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Shredded coconut and toasted pumpkin pepitas, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- With your multi-pot or slow cooker on the sauté setting, heat the coconut oil. Toss the apple and pumpkin in 1 tablespoon salt and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the all of the dried spices to the apple and pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Toast for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the diced peppers and sauté 2 minutes more. (If using a slow cooker without a sauté setting, perform this and the previous step in a non-stick pan over medium low heat and then transfer to the slow cooker).
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, pumpkin puree, chickpeas, maple syrup, and water to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour in the slow cooker.
- Stir in the lime juice and remaining salt (to taste). Cover and cook on high for an additional hour, and then remove the lid and continue to let the mixture simmer for another half hour to an hour until the flavors meld and the mixture thickens. Carefully taste at this point (it will be hot!), and adjust seasonings to taste.
- Serve over rice or with naan bread, sprinkled with pepitas and coconut if desired.
Like what you see? Please consider contributing to Feast In Thyme on Patreon, a crowd-funding platform designed to show your support to independent artists, writers, podcasters, and more. Even the smallest donations are more than appreciated, and all monies raised goes toward supporting this website, expanding our skill sets, and – most of all – continuing to build a wonderful community around a love of every day entertaining and delicious recipes.