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The sweet flavor of pumpkin teams up with tender chunks of pork, herbs and spices, creating an amazing, mouthwatering one-pot meal in this pumpkin and pork stew
Celebrate the flavors of Fall! This is the perfect weather for a comforting one-pot meal of hearty Pumpkin and Pork Stew. Our savory stew will warm your heart and tummy on the coldest of days.
There is no skimping on the amount of pumpkin in this stew and those pumpkin chunks absorb that killer sauce while cooking. Lean chunks of pork add the protein and so much flavor. We gave the pork cubes a good browning which increases the flavor even further.
FLAVORS IN OUR PUMPKIN AND PORK STEW:
The flavors in this savory soup include the pumpkin and pork, aromatics of onion and garlic, plus grated ginger root. Sweet red bell pepper and thin lemon slices add additional flavor, plus gorgeous color. A warm spice combination of cinnamon and cumin give off an amazing aroma as this pumpkin and pork stew simmers long and slow in the oven.
A FEW FACTS ON PUMPKINS:
- Pumpkins are low in calories
- Inexpensive
- Fun to grow
- Pumpkins grow in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors
- The big orange Jack-O-Lanterns are the most popular for Halloween.
- Pumpkins are a great source of beta-carotene
HOW TO SELECT A PUMPKIN FOR COOKING:
- Choose a pumpkin that is firm and heavy for it’s size
- The vines should be dry and turning yellowish
- A green stem indicates the pumpkin has recently been harvested
- The skin of the pumpkin should have hardened
Our pumpkin and pork stew makes a substantial one-pot meal served with a crusty loaf of bread. And it just keeps on getting more delicious with leftovers the next day!
- Soup pot
- Soup ladle
- Chef’s knife
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MORE IDEAS FOR PUMPKIN:
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Pumpkin and Pork Stew
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt/pepper
- 3 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger root, grated
- 3 cups chicken broth, homemade if possible
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 pound pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large sweet red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, I used Aleppo flakes
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 large bay leaf
- 3 thin slices of lemon
- Fresh sage sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- In a Dutch oven (or large oven-proof pot), set over medium-high heat, add the oil and when it is warm, add a portion of the pork cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Brown the pork in batches and remove it to a paper towel-lined plate as they brown. Continue browning until all the pork has been browned, adding additional oil a tablespoon at a time as needed.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and a couple of tablespoons of water. Cook the onions, stirring often, just until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stir and cook for 30 seconds. Return the browned pork cubes to the pot and add the chicken broth, tomato paste, tomatoes, pumpkin, and red bell pepper.
- Stir in the pepper flakes, cumin, cinnamon, and sage leaves. Add the bay leaf and the thin slices of lemon. Place the lid on the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 hours, tilt the lid slightly, allowing the liquid to thicken a bit, and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
- Transfer the pot from the oven, and remove and discard the lemon slices and the bay leaf. Ladle the stew into shallow bowls and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- To ease in cutting that tough pumpkin or squash skin, par-bake it whole at 400°F — just long enough to soften it up a little. Or, stab the skin in several places with a fork and microwave it for 3 minutes to soften up.
- Prepare this one-pot meal a day in advance as the flavors will meld together and enhance the taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Hi there, I’m thinking of making this ahead of time for the deer hunting camp. Can it be frozen and reheated once cooked?
Yes, it can. You may need to add a little extra broth when you reheat it. Thanks for the question and happy hunting.
I took this recipe as a base, and added an diced apple, some tumeric and coriander. It is so good, all i need is some crusty bread with butter to dip in the soup
Alexis, your creative ideas sound delicious! I’m happy to hear that this recipe worked for you and I appreciate your comments and feedback.
Hi! Any recommendations about how to make this in an Instant Pot/pressure cooker?
Brown the pork cubes in the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the bits cleaned off the bottom. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on high pressure for 35 to 38 minutes. Let the pressure do a natural release for at least 10 minutes. That gets the pork nice and tender but it cooks the pumpkin a bit softer than I like, although some people like the pumpkin that soft.
Hi! Can this be done in a crockpot on low or high setting with different cooking length? Seems like it would be good in slow cooker. Thanks!
Yes, you can cook this in a crockpot on low for 6 hours.Thanks for the question
Have this cooking right now. My husband just came in and said the kitchen smells delicious. And it does.
I used a bit less pork as there are just the 2 of us. But I did throw in some bones for stock, which I will remove before serving.
Going to serve with a baked potato and petit pois. Thanks again!
Moving onto your broccoli and chicken recipe this weekend.
Hi, Annie! You will love this pork stew! It has so much flavor and those bones will intensify the flavor. Thanks for your comments, the broccoli and chicken recipe is a great choice. Enjoy!