Kaddu ki Sabzi (Pumpkin Sabzi)

Updated: December 18, 2023, By Swasthi

Kaddu ki sabzi is a delicious Indian dish made with pumpkin, spices and herbs. It is a very easy and simple to make dish & goes well with rice, quinoa, roti, poori or even with bread. This kaddu recipe uses no fancy ingredients and is made with pantry staples. It just takes about 25 minutes if you have the cut pumpkin ready.

Kaddu ki Sabzi - Pumpkin Sabzi



Pumpkins are loaded with nutrients & are available through out the year so we use them often at home. I usually buy the whole pumpkin and use it to make various dishes like this pumpkin halwa, kaddu ka kheer and this pumpkin curry which is a favorite at home.

This kaddu ki sabzi tastes mildly hot, spicy, flavorful and delicious. This dish is cooked on a low flame so pumpkin absorbs all the amazing flavors from the spices.

In India, kaddu ki sabzi is made in so many ways. It is one of those veggies which is most commonly eaten during the religious fastings so a lot of people don’t use onions, ginger or garlic to make this pumpkin sabzi.

However I make this not for any occasion but for our regular meals so I use onions and ginger. Sometimes I use only tomatoes instead of onions and sometimes I use both. It turns out great that way too. But cooking kaddu on a low heat is what makes this dish simply delicious.

You can substitute pumpkin with Butternut squash.

pumpkin for sabzi

Photo Guide

How to make Kaddu ki Sabzi (Stepwise Photos)

1. Heat a heavy bottom pan with 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil turns hot, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. The seeds will soon splutter, reduce the heat to low and add 1 teaspoon grated or crushed ginger (or ginger garlic grated). Saute for 1 minute until it begins to smell good.

add cumin and ginger to hot oil

2. Add 1¼ cup chopped onions (1 medium onion) and ¼ teaspoon salt. If you don’t want to use onions, you can omit them.

add onions and salt to make pumpkin sabzi

3. Saute until the onions turn golden. Add ¾ cup chopped tomatoes if you want. I have not used here. Saute them well until soft and mushy.

golden fried onions

4. Add 2 to 3 cups kaddu (chopped to ¾ inch pieces). Saute for about two to three minutes.

kaddu for stir frying

5. Add the following spices:

  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (adjust to taste)
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
add spices to make sabzi

6. Mix everything well and fry for another two to three minutes.

saute pumpkin with spices

7. Cover and cook on a low flame till the pumpkin becomes tender. If the pumpkin dries out, sprinkle a few tablespoons water or as needed. I do not add any water.

cook on a low heat

8. Taste test and add more salt if needed. If you want you can add 1 teaspoon kasuri methi and 2 to 3 pinches of amchur (dried mango powder). I prefer to squeeze some lemon juice while serving, so leave out amchur. Garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves.

Garnish with coriander leaves

Serve pumpkin sabzi with roti, quinoa, rice or even with bread.

kaddu ki sabzi recipe

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

kaddu ki sabzi

Kaddu ki Sabzi (Pumpkin Sabzi)

4.97 from 53 votes
Kaddu ki sabzi is a Indian side dish made with pumpkin, spices and herbs. It goes well with rice, roti or any flatbreads.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings3
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 2 tablespoons Oil
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ginger (grated or crushed or ginger garlic)
  • 1¼ cup (1 medium) onions (fine chopped, optional)
  • ¾ cup (2 small) tomatoes (fine chopped, optional)
  • 2 to 3 cups pumpkin (cubed to ¾ inch)
  • teaspoon salt (divided, adjust to taste)
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (adjust to taste)
  • teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek, optional)
  • ½ to ¾ tablespoon lemon juice or (¼ teaspoon amchur)
  • 1 tablespoon coriander leaves (fine chopped to garnish)


Instructions

How to make Kaddu ki Sabzi

  • Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they begin to splutter, turn the heat to low and stir in the ginger.
  • Saute for a minute and add chopped onions. Sprinkle half of the salt.
  • Regulate the heat to medium and saute until the onions turn golden. This takes some time but it is important to cook them until golden.
  • Add tomatoes and saute until they turn soft and mushy. Stir in the pumpkin and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Sprinkle red chili powder, turmeric, little more salt and garam masala. Saute for about 2 to 3 minutes until you begin to smell the spices.
  • Cover and cook on a low to medium heat until kaddu is tender but not mushy. If the pan is too dry sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons water as you cook.
  • Taste test and add more salt, kasuri methi and amchur if using. Garnish kaddu ki sabzi with coriander leaves and sprinkle lemon juice (if not using amchur). Serve with rice or any flatbreads.


Notes

  • You can make this without onion and tomato both or use any one of them as per your preference. If you don’t use onions, cut down the garam masala and chili.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Kaddu ki Sabzi (Pumpkin Sabzi)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 136 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 1g
Sodium 269mg12%
Potassium 405mg12%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 6727IU135%
Vitamin C 16mg19%
Calcium 44mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
i like your food item recipes..really very good..thank you so much..keep it up always

How do you store cut kaddu? My husband bought a large kaddu and don’t know if I can even store it. Please help

5 stars
One of my favorite kaddu sabzi. Quick and always tasty! It’s in my regular dinner rotation during the pumpkin season. Thank you

5 stars
Followed the recipe as written except to add a little tomato paste. Turns out delicious and so easy to make.

I went to an Indian restaurant a few years back and ha a dish that sounds similar to this one but it had some sort of a white sauce drizzled over it which wasn’t just yogurt.
Can you think of what it could have been since you have such a vast amount of knowledge?

I just stumbled across your fabulous website site tonight and I’m so excited to try many of your gorgeous recipes, I’ve been mesmerized for the past 3 hours and bookmarked MANY!!!

Thank you in advance.

5 stars
This is an amazing recipe. I am going to try it with ginger replacing the garlic and tomatoes replacing the onions. Can you recommend any other vegan recipes that would fit the Buddhist no-onion-no-garlic diet?

Thanks, much appreciated

Hello. If I wanted to add curry leaves when would be the best time in the steps? Thanks

Good morning.
I am just curious. Why in Indian pumpkin recipes, garlic is often omitted? I must agree the ginger and onion combination is really good, but still I wonder why not put some garlic too.
BTW, I love this very easy and delicious recipe. Thanking you as always as I cook in my kitchen. ?

4 stars
Nice recipe.. I had white pumpkin too.. so can this recipe be used on white pumpkin?

5 stars
Simple recipe producing delicious results. We added fried cashew to complement it and it came out well.

4 stars
Excellent, delicious recipe.