Pumpkin Curry Fried Rice
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My curry fried rice recipe combines fluffy rice, tender pumpkin, and warm curry spices in one quick and flavorful dish. It’s ready in 20 minutes and a delicious way to use leftover rice.
I’ll be honest- whenever I have day-old rice that needs to be transformed into a quick dinner, I usually lean into my air fryer fried rice. Recently, though, I tried the most delicious curry-flavored pumpkin fried rice at a local Asian restaurant, and I knew I had to recreate it at home.
Pumpkin and curry work so well together, so when testing this recipe, I had to get the balance just right. Too much pumpkin makes the rice soggy, while curry powder alone can leave the dish tasting one-dimensional. The trick was to season the pumpkin well and cook it until tender, so it would hold its shape when tossed through the rice.
The result is savory, lightly spiced fried rice with fluffy grains, tender pumpkin, and plenty of flavor in every bite. It’s one of the reasons my partner and I cook pumpkin year-round.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- A fun twist on fried rice. The combination of curry and pumpkin is unexpected, but the flavors work really well.
- Ready in under 20 minutes. It’s the kind of dinner I make when I want something homemade but don’t feel like spending ages in the kitchen.
- Easy to make a meal. I’ll often add grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu to turn it into a complete dinner.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into curry fried rice, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Sesame oil and vegetable oil. I like using a combination of both. The vegetable oil helps cook everything evenly, while the sesame oil adds flavor. I tested this with only sesame oil once, and the flavor was far too overpowering.
- Onions, peas, and corn. My go-to vegetable combination. They add color, texture, and a little sweetness without competing with the curry flavor.
- Pumpkin. Cut into small, bite-sized pieces so it cooks quickly and mixes evenly through the rice.
- Vegetable stock. I cook the pumpkin in stock rather than water because it adds extra savory flavor and balances the pumpkin’s natural sweetness.
- Long grain rice. Day-old rice is best. Freshly cooked rice tends to be too soft and can turn mushy when stir-fried. I usually use leftover basmati rice, but any long-grain rice works.
- Soy sauce. Use gluten-free or low-sodium soy sauce as needed.
- Curry powder. I kept it simple and stuck with a store-bought blend, but you can make your own mix.
Variations
- Add aromatics. Stir in a few cloves of minced garlic and a teaspoon of grated ginger along with the onion.
- Add protein. I’ll often toss in leftover grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu, or a fried egg to make it a complete meal.
- Switch up the vegetables. Grated carrots, green beans, bell peppers, and zucchini all work well here.
- Turn up the heat. Add a pinch of chili flakes, sliced fresh chili, or a drizzle of sriracha before serving.
- Use cauliflower rice. For a lower-carb option, swap the rice for cauliflower rice. Just reduce the cooking time slightly so it doesn’t become watery.
How to make curry fried rice
Step 1- Saute. Add both oils to a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, cook for one minute, then add the pumpkin. Cook for 5 minutes, flipping regularly.
Step 2- Steam the pumpkin. Add the vegetable stock and cover the pan with the lid. Cook until the pumpkin is tender. Transfer half of the pumpkin to a plate.
Step 3- Build the rice. Add the peas and corn and cook for several minutes, then add the cooked rice, soy sauce, and curry powder. Mix to combine, then add the remaining pumpkin and cook until warm.
Step 4- Serve. Remove the pan from the heat and serve with garnishments.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use cold rice. This is the secret to great fried rice. Freshly cooked rice tends to clump together, while chilled rice stays fluffy and separate when stir-fried.
- Don’t overcook the pumpkin. I cook it until it’s just tender so it keeps its shape when tossed through the rice. Overcooked pumpkin will break down, making the rice mushy.
- Have everything ready before you start. Once the rice hits the pan, the recipe moves quickly, so I like to prep all the ingredients beforehand.
- Cook over high heat. High heat helps the rice develop those lightly toasted, restaurant-style bits without becoming soggy.
Storage instructions
To store: Keep leftover curry fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
To freeze: Let the rice cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
Reheating: Add a splash of water and microwave for 30-60 seconds, stirring halfway through, until hot. You can also reheat it in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, which helps bring back some of the fried rice texture.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but chill it first. If I don’t have leftover rice, I’ll spread freshly cooked rice onto a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze it until cold. This helps remove excess moisture and gives it a much better fried rice texture.
You can, but you’ll lose the sweet-and-savory contrast that makes this curry fried rice unique. If you’d like to replace it, try diced sweet potato, butternut squash, or extra vegetables like carrots and bell peppers instead.
More rice recipes
Curry Fried Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1/2 pound butternut pumpkin chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 1/2 cup frozen corn thawed
- 4 cups cooked long grain rice I used basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Place a large wok over medium heat. Add the sesame oil and vegetable oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for a minute, until fragrant, before adding the pumpkin.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the pumpkin begins to brown lightly around the edges. Add the vegetable stock and cover the wok with a lid. Cook until the pumpkin is fork-tender and most of the stock has been absorbed.
- Transfer half the pumpkin to a plate.
- Add the peas and corn and cook for several minutes until heated through. Add the cooked rice, then the soy sauce and curry powder, and mix until combined. Continue cooking until the rice is hot throughout and lightly golden in spots. Add the remaining pumpkin back into the wok and gently toss until warm.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with sliced green onion and sesame seeds. The finished rice should be fluffy.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally updated June 2022
Pumpkin is only available at Halloween!
Would Butternut Squash be OK?
Yes, absolutely 🙂 I use butternut squash all the time 🙂
Good morning this recipe looks delicious
Such a great dish! I LOVE fried rice, but have never thought to add pumpkin. Pure genius!
Thanks so much, Elaine!
I love curry and rice!
I have never tried curry, but I’d really like to try it one day. My favorite meatless meal is veggie chili, I could eat it every day.
Oh awesome! What a cool giveaway. That saute is something I would have not thought about putting together, but my does it look good!
My favorite meat-free meal is oven baked macaroni and cheese. We always add sweet peas to it to add some color and flavor. Our kids actually prefer it with the peas.
I love this rice dish, it looks delicious
Thank you, Denise!
I love seasonal pumpkin flavors..and my favorite non meat dish would probably have to be vegetarian tofu stir fry.
You can never go wrong with tofu- Yum! 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway, I would love to try this recipe
cricketlady29@hotmail.com
Please do- IT’s delicious, Ashley 🙂
I would love to win! Tis the season of the pumpkin! 🙂
It sure is! 🙂
Pumpkin obsessed right now!! This recipe looks like it has such great textures!
It really does- Thank you, Ani!
Delicious flavor combinations
Thank you! 🙂
I’d love to try Green Giant’s sautes. My favorite meat free dish is 3 cheese lasagna.
Ohhhhhhhh I am craving that now!
This recipe looks awesome! I love curries and I didn’t know that green giant had those blends. Sounds great!
They are SO good- Be on the lookout for them 🙂
Unfortunately, I don’t have a crockpot 🙁 but I can still make this somehow, right? 😀
But I LOVE anything curry–especially with eggplant! My favorite meatless meals are a tofu stir fry or anything with tofu lol!
This isn’t made in a crockpot 🙂
I love pumpkin and I love curry flavors! Sadly, I’m the only one in my family who really does though so I don’t make curries for my parents a lot. I enjoy curry flavors in traditional dishes and on roasted veggies! My favorite meatless meal is some sort of grain bowl with greens, roasted (normally with curry flavors) veggies, and some version of this tahini dressing that I love to make! It goes well with anything really!
That’s a good thing- More curry for you 😀
My favorite meatless dish is baked ziti with no ground beef.
Oooo baked ziti is always a winner- Especially with extra sauce and cheese 🙂
Looks sooo tasty! Can’t wait to check out all the other flavor options!
They have an amazing range 🙂
I haven’t seen these products yet, but I love anything THAI and this sounds delish! Curry and coconut milk go together so well! I’ll be on the lookout….
Cheers! You’ll love it!
my favorite thing (okay one of them!) when i visited austrailia was pumpkin! i had an amazing pumpkin burger & enjoyed a few salads with roasted pumpkin! so goood.
YES! It really is on everything there!
This is such a strange-sounding dish! I may just have to print it off for that reason alone.
I haven’t really had much curry, but I think I’ve enjoyed what I have had. I’d like to explore it more. As for meatless meal, I don’t know. I’m not sure I eat any of those. lol
Definitely try curry- It’s delicious!
I am such a carnivore, as you well know! But I do actually eat a lot of veggie meals – pretty much all of my breakfasts are. I love an egg shashuka or veggie moussaka in particular. Oh and curry, yes please!
Ohhhhh YES!
I think someone needs to make a peanut butter and pumpkin dish. I’m not sure what exactly that would mean…but I would try it for sure! How do you cook the pumpkin in AU? Is it mashed? Fried? Roasted?
All kinds of ways, it’s really good in soup and roasts 🙂
I’m usually a sweet pumpkin fan, but I could totally get on board with this recipe! As long as I make it with the one brand of curry powder that I know is safe for me and won’t send me to the ER with a giant rash and swollen face lol.
Oh geebuz. I’ll be making you this with that powder! 🙂
Hello supper!
YES! 😀
Mm mm mmmm. I love all things curry, as long as it’s not too spicy.
You’ve gone against the grain and towards the coconut flour!
WHAT? Jess. I’m offended. You need to work on your spice tolerance 😀
Anything with beans! Pinto beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole…. I have not experimented with curry, so I don’t really have a favorite. Thanks for the opportunity!
You are so welcome 🙂
I love pumpkin so I totally appreciate all the recipes you have been posting lately! Never too much pumpkin in my life!
Right? thank you, Paige!
I wouldn’t dream of ruining this with tofu or fish. Bleh. It looks amazing exactly as is. I love the color and you know I adore all the veggies.
🙂 Thanks buddy. I’ll make this for you next time!
Arman, this looks incredible! I am not a curry person, but you may have convinced me to give it a try and pumpkin is always a winning ingredient.
YES! Come on over and we can have a curry party with Alexis! 🙂
This looks good! Why is pumpkin a staple vegetable there? Do you they grow year round?
We sure do 🙂
What a great dish Arman. Love the pumpkin, curry and the coconut milk combo! This is a real winner.
Thanks so much, Allie! 🙂
And now I’m craving this preposterous creamy pumpkin curry rice for breakfast, thankyouverymuch. Seriously, Arman, this looks amazing! Well played, my friend!
Thanks so much, Julia. Will totally trade you for some pumpkin pie 😉
I love this! These veggie sautes look like an easy way to make a healthy dinner on busy nights!
Exactly! Less than 20 minutes, tops! 🙂
I love anything with curry. I mean ANYTHING! I make a mean curried pear rice!
Oh that sounds incredible- What a flavor combination!
I love red curry!
It’s a good one that one 🙂
I can never get enough of curry! In fact, I’m having some tonight. 🙂
Oh I’m jealous!
Ooooh this one looks good. I need those sautes in my life! You know as well as I do that if it takes more than 20-30 minutes, I’m not cooking it haha.
You need shares in Trader Joes haha! 🙂
I don’t think to use pumpkin often in savory dishes, but I would love to try it a top a Subway sandwich 😉
I love curries and this looks delicious.
Hahaha do it!
These Green Giant sautés would be a big hit with my family – and my stomach of course. Too bad we’re talking about the other side of the world again.
You know I’m a full-fledged [ha!] vegetarian so I’d never be able to choose just one favourite dish. Curry is one of my fast and easy go-tos, though.
It’s so good, right?!
Oh man, you nailed this one, Arman. Like seriously nailed it! Pumpkin totally deserves to be in more savory dishes, but for some reason my mind always goes to desserts when I think of pumpkin. Hmmm…my mind often goes to desserts all of the time anyways, so that could be part of the problem. But great way to use the skillet Sautes!
Cheers mate! It really does right? Although Target’s halloween section is another story….
Coconut, pumpkin, and curry? I can dig it! looks delicious and best of all…EASY! The giveaway sounds awesome too! Fingers crossed. 🙂 And in regards to your invitations to come down and be a taste tester? Next time I’m in NYC I would LOVE to meet up!
OH I’m in Columbus now for a little while- Come hang with me and Alexis!
I will definitely have to try this dish – it looks delish!!!! And I’ll have to be on the lookout for the Green Giant sautes.
YES! They are SO good!
Meatless (and grain-free) everyday in my house! Curry is just one of many loved flavors (just did a carrot curry soup the other day). We love tofu or tempeh topped with a spicy peanut butter sauce; zoodles with a kale pesto; sweet potato noodles with a coconut alfredo sauce.. mummmm
Oh that sounds absolutely delicious- Spicy peanut butter sauce is one of my favorites!
My daughter is vegan so we do eat a lot of meat-less meals! I love stir fried tofu with different vegetables and also a bowl of bean and vegetable soup in the winter.
Oh that sounds delicious!
I love that pinking can go savory – you can always have the fudge for dessert 🙂 favorite meatless meal – that’s tough! I do need to get into curry more – it gets neglected.
It’s so delicious- One of my favorite spices of all time 🙂