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Overhead view of baked pumpkin Thai red curry served with jasmine rice, green beans, bok choy, sliced red chilli, fresh herbs, and creamy curry sauce on a white plate with gold cutlery on a white timber table.

The Ultimate Baked Pumpkin Thai Red Curry

5 from 1 vote
This is your go-to recipe for The Ultimate Baked Pumpkin Thai Red Curry. It features sweet, caramelised roasted pumpkin wedges smothered in a luxuriously creamy and aromatic red curry sauce, served over fluffy jasmine rice. A hearty, flavour-packed vegetarian main that’s surprisingly easy to make and perfect for both weeknights and entertaining.
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour
Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: South East Asian, Thai
Keyword: baked pumpkin curry, easy red curry recipe, roasted pumpkin curry, Thai pumpkin curry, vegetarian Thai curry
Servings: 4
Author: Kate Brodhurst

Ingredients

PUMPKIN

  • 1.2kg piece Jap pumpkin
  • Oil, for coating
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

thai red curry sauce

  • 1 tablespoon neutral or coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 400ml can good quality coconut cream
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves, lightly crushed in your hands
  • 1 long red chilli, cut into 2cm pieces
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 165ml can coconut milk
  • 150g green beans, trimmed and halved lengthways
  • 1 bundle baby pak choy, trimmed

TO SERVE

  • Steamed jasmine rice
  • Coriander sprigs
  • Finely sliced kaffir lime leaves
  • Sliced red chilli
  • Fried shallots

Instructions

  • Roast the Pumpkin: Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray. Cut pumpkin into 4 wedges (leave skin on). Place on tray, drizzle with oil, rubbing in to coat evenly all over and season well. Bake for 50-60 minutes, turning once, until golden and tender.
  • Make the Curry Sauce: About halfway through pumpkin cooking, heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in coconut cream, kaffir lime leaves, and red chilli. Bring to a gentle boil.
  • Add fish sauce and brown sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Pour in coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Finish & Serve: Stir green beans and pak choy into the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bright green and just tender.
  • Divide rice among bowls. Top each with a pumpkin wedge. Spoon the curry sauce and vegetables over the top. Garnish generously and serve immediately.

Notes

  • COOKS NOTES:
    Oven Temps:     Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
    Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup =  250 ml.
    Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
    Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
  • Curry Paste: I highly recommend Maesri brand for the best, most authentic flavour. It's affordable (around $2.10 for a 114g can at Woolworths) and you can freeze any leftover paste in a zip-lock bag. For more variety, check Asian grocers for larger tubs and other flavours like Penang or yellow curry.
  • Coconut Cream | Coconut Milk: Use a good-quality coconut cream, like Ayam brand, it makes the sauce luxuriously thick. Avoid generic "homebrand" options, as they tend to be watery. For a lighter sauce, you can swap the 165ml can coconut milk for vegetable or chicken stock.
  • Vegetables: This recipe is very flexible! Swap the beans and pak choy for what you have: zucchini, asparagus, broccolini, or capsicum all work perfectly.
  • Chilli: For less heat, deseed the chilli or use less.