Pumpkin Curry Ramen Recipe

Red curry paste, creamy coconut milk and garlic are the foundation of our Curry Ramen Recipe, subtle hints of pumpkin, ginger and sweet brown sugar round it out. To give this ultra comforting soup heartiness we throw in meaty shiitake mushrooms, butternut squash and shredded chicken. Comfort in a bowl.

Pumpkin Curry Ramen Recipe

Mornings have been rough. Really rough. I’m not a morning person at all by nature, so it’s hard enough for me to get up as is. Throw in the fact those early hours have become increasingly darker with each passing day and I’m pretty much still in a coma come 7am.

It also doesn’t help that along with darker days come colder days. Colder days where I just want to pull the covers up over my eyes and hide for the better part of the day while slurping this Pumpkin Curry Ramen Recipe. But oh wait, I have three children.

In these strange transitional days where our bodies are still adjusting to the cruel changes in Mother Nature, my body starts craving transitional foods as well. Give me a piping hot bowl of soup on a cool and rainy fall evening, and you might as well have just given me a fuzzy blanket and roaring fire to warm me from the inside out. Heck, give me a bowl of soup on a blazing summer afternoon, and I’ll still transport myself to a cozy place.

In the summertime my soup consumption subsists solely on lighter, broth-based soups, and in the wintertime, heartier good-for-the-soul soups that will fill up my meat-loving husband.

This version of ramen (check out our others here and here) gives me all the warm and fuzzies but won’t weigh me down. It’s full of spicy (but not hot) red curry paste, savory notes of pumpkin, plenty of garlic and ginger, and just a touch of sweetness from brown sugar. The velvety texture of coconut milk is impossible to miss and of course, the ramen noodles make this easy soup totally slurp-able.

Ingredients in Pumpkin Curry Ramen

Oil. Because we use coconut milk later on, I love to use coconut oil to saute all the veggies. It doesn’t have a super high smoke point so if you’re prone to burning things you may want to use olive oil or peanut oil.

Aromatics. We use the basics here a LOT of onion, garlic and just a hint of ginger.

Mushrooms. When it comes to Asian cooking of any kind, I almost always lean towards shiitake mushrooms. They have more flavor than a button mushroom but are still slightly mild with a really lovely texture.

Butternut Squash. Because it’s squash season, I threw in some cubed butternut squash but I also like to use sweet potato in its place.

Curry paste. For this soup use your favorite red curry paste. I don’t like for you to have to search high and low for ingredients so good old Thai Kitchen red curry paste works great.

Coconut milk. I used light coconut milk but full fat or coconut cream will work too.

Chicken broth. Low sodium!

Pumpkin. I know this seems like a strange ingredient to add to soup but

Ramen. Okay I’ve used a few different types of ramen for this curry ramen soup and they all work great. You can use instant ramen noodles, fresh ramen noodles or dried ramen noodles. When I’m trying to be a little healthier I’ll use these brown rice ramen noodles which are pictured here. Whatever you use, pay attention to the cooking time. The brown rice noodles are PERFECT when you serve them exactly according to the cooking time on the package. After they sit in the soup a while, they start to break and become soggy.

Let’s make Curry Ramen Soup

IF there’s a soup that’s going to warm you from the inside out, it’s this. We start with the base trio of sliced sweet onion, minced garlic and ginger. Once we soften the aromatics, we throw in a heap of sliced shiitake mushrooms (my favorite!) , sliced fresno chile or jalapenos for heat and diced butternut squash.

And then….there’s the broth. A broth that will leave you weak in the knees, both for the unbelievable flavor and lingering spiciness left on the tongue and back of your throat. It will leave you unable to stop slurping even though the built up heat is screaming for a cool drink of water. The innate heat comes from red curry paste and the aforementioned Fresno or jalapeno peppers, whereas coconut milk and pureed pumpkin cools everything down and adds just a touch of sweetness and depth of flavor.

Once the broth has simmered a bit, nestle in a raw chicken breast to cook OR throw in shredded pre-cooked chicken. (A great way to use up leftover Roast Chicken!)When the chicken is cooked through, remove, shred and add back into the soup along with the uncooked ramen noodles. Simmer until the noodles are soft and pliable, ladel into bowls and garnish with a handful of cilantro and extra thin sliced chiles.

What if I don’t like things too spicy?

If you are a wimp about heat, don’t fret, just cut down the amount of chiles or leave them out altogether, you could even add in a little bit more coconut milk or pumpkin puree to cool it down even further.

Can I make Curry Ramen in advance?

Like many soups, this can easily be prepared days in advance. Make everything the day before, but don’t add the noodles or the butternut squash until you’re ready to serve. When you’re about 15 minutes shy of eating, throw in the diced butternut squash, Bring to a simmer. When the squash is soft, add in the noodles. Cook until pliable. Serve immediately.

Tips and Tricks

• Don’t overcook the noodles.
• Remove the chicken when it reaches 165 degrees, otherwise it will be overcooked.
• Add a splash of lime juice at the end for a little bit of acid