Caribbean Pumpkin Stew with Pork
A hearty Caribbean stew featuring tender pork simmered with seasonal pumpkin and aromatic spices, delivering comforting flavors perfect for a weeknight meal.
Advert
Cook mode
Keep everything you need at arm’s reach - scaled servings, tidy checklists, and timers that stay on task.
Overview
This Caribbean Pumpkin Stew with Pork combines tender chunks of pork with sweet, seasonal pumpkin and a fragrant blend of spices. Slow simmered to meld the flavors, this dish is perfect for chilly evenings when comfort food is just what you need. Rich, hearty, and filled with autumnal spices, it epitomizes Caribbean home cooking at its best.
Why you’ll love it
- Uses seasonal pumpkin to add natural sweetness and nutrition
- Richly spiced with allspice, thyme, and Scotch bonnet for authentic Caribbean flavor
- Simple ingredients come together in one pot for easy cleanup
- Perfect as a comforting weeknight meal or delicious leftovers
Ingredient notes
- Pork shoulder: Ideal for stewing due to its marbling and tenderness after slow cooking.
- Pumpkin: Use firm, seasonal pumpkin varieties like kabocha or sugar pumpkin, peeled and cubed.
- Scotch bonnet pepper: Adds authentic heat and flavor—use carefully or substitute with habanero or omit for less heat.
- Spices & herbs: Ground allspice, fresh thyme, and garlic are key to the aromatic profile.
- Stock: Chicken or vegetable stock enriches the stew base.
Serving & storage
Serve hot, ideally with steamed rice, flatbread, or fried dumplings to soak up the flavorful broth.
Advert
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before serving.
This stew also freezes well for up to 3 months—cool completely before freezing and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Advert
Chef tips
- For a milder stew, remove the seeds from the Scotch bonnet pepper before adding or substitute with a milder chili pepper.
- Brown the pork thoroughly to enhance the depth of flavor in the stew.
- Do not stir the stew vigorously once the pumpkin is added to prevent it from breaking down too much.
- Leftover stew tastes even better the next day after flavors have melded.
Ingredients
- 700 gpork shoulder, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes
- 400 gpumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 2 tbspvegetable oil
- 1 mediumonion, finely chopped
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1scotch bonnet pepper, whole (pierced with a knife) or halved
- 1 tspground allspice
- 2 sprigsfresh thyme
- 1 mediumgreen bell pepper, chopped
- 400 mlchicken stock
- 1 tspsalt, or to taste
- ½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 1 tspbrown sugar
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Advert
Equipment
- large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- wooden spoon
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- measuring cup
Nutrition per serving
- Calories420
- Protein35 g
- Carbs18 g
- Fat20 g
Step-by-step
Step 1
Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.Step 2
Add the pork cubes and brown them on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pot.Step 3
Remove the browned pork and set aside. In the same pot, add the chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes.Step 4
Add minced garlic, chopped green bell pepper, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.Step 5
Return the browned pork to the pot. Stir in the ground allspice, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, fresh thyme sprigs, and the whole or halved Scotch bonnet pepper.Step 6
Pour in the chicken stock, bring the stew to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.Step 7
After 60 minutes, add the cubed pumpkin to the stew. Continue to simmer uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin and pork are tender but not falling apart.Step 8
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and Scotch bonnet pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.Step 9
Serve the stew hot, garnished with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley if desired. Enjoy with steamed rice or your choice of side.
Advert
Tags
Advert
Related recipes
Slow-Cooked Caribbean Pumpkin and Beef Stew
A hearty and comforting Caribbean-inspired stew featuring tender beef chunks slow-cooked with seasonal pumpkin, aromatic spices, and root vegetables. This dish highlights traditional flavors and utilizes pressure cooking to achieve rich depth in a time-efficient manner, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Jamaican Beef Stew with Dumplings
A hearty Jamaican beef stew simmered with seasonal root vegetables and aromatic spices, served alongside traditional boiled dumplings. This comforting dish showcases classic Caribbean flavors and embraces a slow-cooked technique perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal.
Slow-Braised Caribbean Jerk Pork with Coconut Rice Grain Bowl
A comforting grain bowl featuring slow-braised Caribbean jerk-spiced pork shoulder paired with fragrant coconut rice and a medley of fresh seasonal vegetables. This dish highlights the richness of Caribbean flavors using a slow braising method to deepen taste and tenderize the pork, served over a vibrant bed of coconut-infused rice for a balanced weeknight meal.