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    Home » Festive Asian Recipes » Thanksgiving

    Published: Nov 11, 2022 · Modified: Dec 31, 2022 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    11 Asian & Chinese Pumpkin Recipes 2023

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    Delicious and easy Asian & Chinese pumpkin recipes from Xinjiang stir-fry to Thai pumpkin soup, perfect for bringing you a bountiful harvest over the Lunar New Year or for a fresh take on a traditional Thanksgiving ingredient.

    Beef and butternut squash stir-fried with cumin.
    Did you know that pumpkin is a type of squash?
    Jump to:
    • Thanksgiving/ Friendsgiving
    • Chinese New Year
    • Nutrition
    • How to Cut
    • How to Store
    • Soups
    • Mains
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • 💬 Comments

    Everyone knows that pumpkin is a staple of American Thanksgiving (and Halloween)- it's a type of squash that is native to North America- but it's also eaten on other special occasions such as Lunar New Year.

    Fun fact: Besides the bright orange pumpkin flesh, its shell, pumpkin seeds, leaves and flowers are also edible once cooked. The roasted seeds make a delicious snack and pumpkin leaves are part of Korean cuisine.

    FYI Korean and Japanese cooking often use a particular type of pumpkin/ winter squash, Kabocha Squash, which has a sweet flavor in their cooking- click the link for more information and recipes.

    Thanksgiving/ Friendsgiving

    A pumpkin dish is a staple on the Thanksgiving table. These Asian & Chinese pumpkin recipes are great if you're bored with the classic menu!

    We usually end up with tons of leftovers after the holidays, so if you've had enough of pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin buns, the porridge and soup recipes below are good alternative ideas for any extra pumpkin puree you have on hand after making your pumpkin pie.

    Note: If you're here for Thanksgiving ideas, here are some delicious Asian Thanksgiving recipes, alternative non-traditional Thanksgiving recipes as well as ideas on how to use up leftover roast chicken and turkey.

    Chinese New Year

    Chinese New Year is commonly associated with lucky dishes such as dumplings and whole fish, but some people eat pumpkin for CNY too.

    There's a belief that dreaming about pumpkins means you'll have a good harvest and some associate eating it ("kum kua" in Cantonese) with "You're the best" (ding gua gua in Mandarin Chinese), so this would certainly be a good time to eat golden brown, delicious Chinese pumpkin cakes (it's delicious with sesame seeds sprinkled on top) as well as Nan Gua Bing, a savory pumpkin cake that only requires a few ingredients.

    Other CNY recipes

    Chinese cuisine dishes that are typically found on the CNY table include:

    • uncut noodles for long life, such as mee siam goreng, mee siam kuah, stir-fried bihun vermicelli and so on
    • whole chicken e.g. one-pot soy sauce chicken
    • Chinese peanut cookies for a fertile year
    • jujube longan tea- families used to make this before they could buy cheap fizzy drinks!
    •  vegan and vegetarian CNY recipes
    • general Chinese New Year dishes

    If you're not sure where to start, here's an easy Chinese New Year menu plan.

    Nutrition

    3 heaped tablespoons (i.e. about 80g of pumpkin) make up 1 portion of your 5 a day.

    Pumpkin contains Vitamin C. Other associated health benefits potentially include:

    1. better skin
    2. better eye sight
    3. improved immunity
    4. reduced risk of metabolic syndrome such as diabetes
    5. cancer prevention

    Moreover, the natural sweetness of the pumpkin means that you can use less sugar than normal in a pumpkin recipe.

    Note: this information is for entertainment only and not meant as medial, diet or health advice. Please consult a qualified medical professional instead for such purposes.

    How to Cut

    You will need a sharp knife to cut through the tough edible skin. Insert a sharp knife into the outer skin and slice through to reveal the bright orange flesh.

    Scoop out the stringy insides, and cut the flesh into smaller pieces to cook.

    Tip: Place a wet cloth under the cutting board so that it stays in place.

    How to Store

    Uncut pumpkins can be kept for quite a while at room temperature, preferably a cool and dark place. (Make sure there are no soft spots.)

    If you've leftovers after cutting your pumpkin, cover it with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Some pumpkins are huge though. If it's too large to fit in the chiller, divide it into thin slices then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

    It can also be frozen for for up to 3 months- line the pumpkin slices in a single layer, and put it in the freezer. Once frozen, they can be jumbled up in a ziplock bag without sticking to each other (for easy defrosting.)

    Soups

    Chinese Pumpkin Soup

    A bowl of Chinese soup with pumpkin, scallops, carrots, jujubes and seaweed in a white bowl.

    This delicious pumpkin carrot soup is so easy to make, it's great for an easy weeknight dinner! (No need for an immersion blender or slow cooker!)

    Chinese Pumpkin Soup with Carrots
    A deliciously savory dish, this Chinese Pumpkin Soup with carrots is also very nutritious and really easy to make in a few simple steps! (Basically, cut + steam!)
    Check out the steamed Chinese pumpkin soup here.
    A hand holding Chinese pumpkin soup served in a small pumpkin and white bowl.

    Thai-inspired Vegan Soup

    Aromatic from the lemongrass and ginger, creamy from the coconut milk, this is a delicious warming winter squash soup.

    Thai inspired Vegan Pumpkin Soup
    Delicious, warm and comforting, this Thai-inspired vegan pumpkin soup by Vegan Punks is a great fusion dish!
    Click here for a pumpkin soup with Thai flavors.
    Close-up of Thai curry pumpkin soup.

    Mains

    Chinese Pumpkin Porridge

    A bowl of warm orange Chinese pumpkin porridge next to fall decor.

    This delicious Kabocha Squash recipe is also a great way to use up leftover pumpkin puree (not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened!)

    Tip: although you can use regular pumpkin, I recommend Japanese pumpkin for this recipe as it results in a more appetising orange colour.

    Chinese Pumpkin Porridge
    Adapted from the recipe of a Michelin star Chinese restaurant (in a 5-star hotel) to make it possible for daily weeknight dinners!
    Check out the pumpkin puree congee here.
    A bowl of bright orange leftover pumpkin puree Chinese porridge jook.

    Pumpkin Rice

    A scoop of Chinese pumpkin rice with some red chili, dried shrimp and coriander.

    A very simple recipe is to add some pumpkin cubes to your rice cooker the next time you cook rice. Drizzle some sesame oil and minced garlic on top, and you're good to go!

    Chinese Pumpkin Rice
    This Chinese Pumpkin rice is a super easy and flavorful rice cooker recipe: the soft pumpkin cubes melt in your mouth, contrasting with the firm bite of the white rice grains. Moreover, it only takes 10 minutes to prepare and the rest of the work is up to your rice cooker!
    Click here for the Chinese rice cooker rice recipe.
    Close-up of a bowl of brown coloured rice with pumpkin cubes, red chili, coriander and dried prawns.

    Instant Pot Pumpkin Chicken Curry

    A colourful bowl of pumpkin chicken curry.
    Instant Pot Pumpkin curry with chicken
    The beauty of this Iheartumami recipe is that it is paleo, whole30, keto friendly and super easy to make if you have an instant pot!
    Click here for the pumpkin curry recipe.
    Someone scooping up pumpkin chicken curry from a white plate.

    Stovetop Chicken Curry

    Someone scooping up thick pumpkin chicken curry with white rice.

    This is my favorite way to eat pumpkin as the cooked pieces simply melt in your mouth. The savory flavors and easy cooking method make it a great addition to any family meal.

    Easy Pumpkin Chicken Curry from Scratch
    This easy pumpkin chicken curry is made of juicy, tender chicken morsels simmered in a deliciously aromatic sauce that is full of warm spiced flavor. It's well- spiced but not spicy and can be bulked up with healthy veggies, all in one pot. Plus it's super flexible: it can be made with coconut cream, regular cream, pumpkin puree or none of the above!
    Click here for the homemade chicken curry recipe.
    A plate of jasmine rice and chicken pumpkin curry with coriander.

    Xinjiang-style Stir Fry

    Beef and butternut squash stir-fried with cumin.
    Did you know that pumpkin is a type of squash?
    Beef and Pumpkin stir-fried with cumin
    Inspired by Xinjiang flavours, this Iheartumami beef and pumpkin is stir-fried with cumin, and every bite is full of flavour- not to mention that it's paleo and Whole30 as well. You can also use butternut squash if you don't have pumpkin!
    Click here for the pumpkin stir-fry.
    Beef and butternut squash stir-fried with cumin.

    Sides

    Pumpkin Bread

    You can also add mashed, steamed pumpkin to your mantou dough to get delicious, orange steamed mantou buns.

    For regular Western-style pumpkin dough , try this easy pumpkin bread recipe from King Arthur Baking. The perfect side dish for your Friendsgiving table!

    Baked Mini Pumpkins

    4 mini stuffed pumpkins with 2 bowls of rice

    This savory side dish is as delicious as it is pretty! Make sure not to scoop out too much of the pumpkin, or the skin will break if cooked for too long!

    Mini pumpkins stuffed with shiitake mushrooms and baked
    Mini pumpkins make great serving platters- they can be stuffed and baked like in this 4.92-starred The Devil Wears Salad recipe, or used to double boil soup and desserts.
    Click here for the Thedevilwearssalad baked pumpkin recipe.
    4 mini stuffed pumpkins with 2 bowls of rice

    Roasted

    The easiest way to cook pumpkin is to cut it into cubes, and roast with cinnamon, brown sugar (or maple syrup) and a pinch of sea salt.

    Gochujang Squash

    Close-up of gochujang butternut squash baked fries.

    Whilst this recipe originally calls for butternut squash, pumpkin is a great substitute too as the rich flavor of the gochujang sauce is very flexible.

    You can also mix it with kabocha, sweet potatoes and carrots, though you'll need to be mindful of the different cooking times and cut the sizes accordingly.

    Note: you can get Gochujang at the Asian grocery store or online.

    Easy Gochujang Butternut Squash recipe
    An easy 5-ingredient gochujang butternut squash recipe that is bursting with flavour. The hardest thing about this roasted Asian butternut squash recipe is cutting the squash!
    Click here for the gochujang squash recipe.
    Close-up of gochujang butternut squash baked fries.

    Desserts

    Nan Gua Bing

    Someone tearing a soft Chinese pumpkin pancake apart.

    Chinese Pumpkin Cake is a great introduction to Asian snacks and Chinese dessert as it is soft, chewy and so easy to make, you'll get it right the very first time! It only requires gluten-free flours so is perfect for those with celiac disease.

    You can fry it as is, or coat it in bread crumbs to give it a crisp exterior and gooey inside.

    Note: deep frying is traditional but I usually shallow fry the cakes in a pan to use less oil.

    Chinese Pumpkin Cake
    Crisp on the outside but soft, gooey and chewy on the inside, Chinese Pumpkin Cake or Nan Gua Bing is a must-make dessert in fall! If you've ever felt intimidated by the thought of making your own Asian street snacks, try this easy Chinese recipe to give you confidence! It's simple enough to make perfectly the very 1st time!
    Click here for the Chinese Glutinous Pumpkin Cake recipe.
    Many fried orange pancakes with sesame seeds in a bowl on baking paper.

    What is your favourite Asian food that contains pumpkin? I'd love to know if any of these recipes make it onto your holiday table! For more delicious recipes, click here to subscribe for my newsletter.

    I have other recipes you may like here! :)

    • Traditional Chinese Peanut Cookies (CNY)
    • 20 Asian Shrimp Recipes (Chinese New Year)
    • 12 Chinese New Year Abalone Recipes
    • Thai Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Abalone

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Trina says

      August 12, 2022 at 12:25 pm

      Love the stuffed mini pumpkins! Delicious and pretty

      Reply

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    Greedygirlgourmet eating 2 sandwiches in Scotland

    Hi I'm Zhen also known as GGG! I couldn't boil water till I was 18 but after living abroad (in St. Andrews then London) for 11 years and having to cook for myself, I now love cooking for friends and family. Learning to cook late, I make sure my recipes go into enough detail for those new to Asian cuisine or who love a test kitchen approach to cooking!

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