I know, I know, combining pumpkin, pork, and peanuts in a low carb dinner recipe sounds like crazy talk, but I promise you I haven’t gone off my rocker! (much.) You guys are just going to have to trust me on this one!
Mr. Hungry was skeptical too, but he loved this dish – maybe even more than I did!
It all started when I was trying to come up with some fresh ideas for using pumpkin in savory low carb soup recipes a couple of weeks ago.
In Latin American cuisine, they sometimes combine pumpkin with beef, and that’s what got me thinking along these lines – though I decided to go with pork for this recipe.
I wanted it to be easy, so making this a slow cooker recipe was a no brainer. I also needed some bold flavors to complement the pumpkin, and I’ve already done the Pumpkin Chipotle Soup, and the Pumpkin Cardamom Soup in the Fall Ezine, so I wanted something new.
I’m not exactly sure when the idea of mixing some peanut butter into it hit me, but once it did I couldn’t get it out of my mind. After I got over the weirdness of it, I suspected that with the right flavors added (ginger, habanero, allspice, etc.), I could achieve a peanut satay sauce kind of feel, but with a pumpkin twist.
Imagine my excitement when: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. *she typed modestly*
Seriously though, the resulting ambrosia has a curry-like quality that is somehow spicy, creamy, salty, and sweet all at the same time – and with subtle nutty overtones. The fresh cilantro and chopped peanut garnish on top makes it so vibrant, and adds a beautiful texture as well.
You can eat this on it’s own, but I really, really loved it served over some finely chopped and lightly cooked cauliflower to add some body to it. Even Mr. Hungry, who hates cauliflower and isn’t a fan of leftovers either, ate this for lunch a couple of days in a row!
It’s really THAT good! Promise!
For you allergy sufferers, this is both dairy and egg free! If you have a peanut allergy, you could substitute almond butter and chopped almonds for the peanut butter and chopped peanuts. I think the flavor difference from that substitution would be very subtle, and still super delicious.
Are you brave enough to try it? I hope so! Be sure to report back and let us know what you think if you do!
Print
Low Carb Pumpkin, Pork and Peanut Stew
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A delicious low carb stew of pumpkin, pork, and peanuts that is delectably rich and satisfying. Destined to become a new family favorite!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs country style pork ribs (boneless)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 tsp habanero pepper, minced
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom see example
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice see example
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar substitute
- 1 tsp lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped cilantro and peanuts to garnish
Instructions
- Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. In a heavy bottomed saute pan, sear the pork on all sides until golden brown. Remove the pork from the pan and place it in a crockpot. Add the garlic, onion, habanero, olive oil and peanut butter to the pan you cooked the pork in. Cook for a minute or two, or until your onions are translucent. Add the white wine and cook down for about one minute. Add the water, stock, ground cardamom, ground allspice, sugar substitute, and pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then pour over the pork in the crockpot. Cook for 4 hours on high, or until the pork is tender and falling apart. Remove any fatty bits and break the pork up into bite sized pieces with a fork. Stir in the lime juice just before serving, and adjust seasoning for salty or sweet to your preference. Serve over riced cauliflower and garnish with lots of fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Notes
Approx nutrition info per serving (not counting garnish or cauliflower):
451 calories, 33g fat, 4g net carbs, 28g protein
Nutrition
- Serving Size: A heaping one cup serving
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Jenny says
I made this tonight and the whole fam approved. Served with both rice and cauliflower rice. I didn’t have the habanero which was ok as I’m not sure the kids would have liked it. I added a heavy dose of cayenne to my bowl and it was perfect. Will make again
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
So happy to hear that people are still making this recipe – and of course enjoying it! Thank you for taking the time to rate and comment to let me know it was a hit!
Jacki says
I’ll be making this tonight! I don’t digest pork well so I’m subbing turkey thighs. Has anyone else tried using turkey?
Lauren says
Have you tried it without any sugar substitute? Is it totally needed?
Trish says
Hi I made this and it was fantastic. I really liked the flavor but would now like to make a vegetarian version. Do you have a recommendation for something vegetarian to replace the pork?
★★★★★
Karen says
I just made this for the first time.. I made it in my pressure cooker.. I left out the 2 cups of water.. And o used cashew butter and cashew on top instead.. I also used tenderloin because I didn’t see any boneless ribs. It still was nice and juicy from the pressure cooker. I didn’t read the comments before I cooked.. I think the only thing I would do next time is maybe use a butt or the ribs if I can find them. Oh! I also used spaghetti squash! That was one of my favorite parts.. The sweetness from the squash brightened it up!
★★★★★
Ashleigh says
Absolutely amazing! I have been looking for a good substitute for the pork and pumpkin chili I love so dearly ever since I went low carb. You have satisfied a very deep craving. Now can I just tell my husband I didn’t make dinner and keep it all for myself?!
Seraphina says
This looks good! I don’t really like pork so trying to find ways of preparing it that may be good… If I don’t have a crockpot, how would you recommend cooking this?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Simmer it slowly on the stove, covered until tender. Or you can bake it in the oven covered at about 350 degrees for around 3 hours or until tender. Hope you like it! You can also try it with chicken thighs (it will take less time to cook too) if you’re not a fan of pork!
Kim Hardesty says
Oh, wow! This looks so good! I can’t wait to try it. Fabulous combination.
Koshie says
Hi, Nat!
Pork butt will work great; a nice well-marbled fatty pork shoulder will do too and I think pork stew meat should be just fine also!
Mellissa Sevigny says
What Koshie said! I was going to recommend pork butt or shoulder as well, just cut it into a few big chunks before cooking so it will cook through and get tender in the slow cooker within 4-6 hours. Enjoy!
Nat says
Hi Melissa,
I’d love to give this a try. We don’t have country style pork ribs where I live. Can you recommend another, similar, cut? Thanks!!
Kelly says
Could this be made with pork tenderloin?
Mary says
I made this last night….the flavor is delicious!! The only thing I didn’t care for was how runny it was. I was expecting more of a “stew” consistency but the sauce is like soup. I suppose I could thicken it with something….your picture doesn’t look like your sauce turned out runny – what was the consistency of your stew?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sometimes I thicken soups and sauces with 1/4 – 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum Mary – or you can cook it down uncovered for another half hour to an hour to reduce and thicken it! Since I served mine on the cauliflower, it felt (and looked in the photo) a lot more like stew or curry when I ate it. It’s been a couple of weeks so it’s hard to remember if it was really soupy when I made it or not. I remember it being pretty thick though once I shredded all of the meat. Try reducing it or adding some xanthan gum if you have some left!
Jacque says
This reminds of some of my favorite Africn recipes–main difference was the addition of chopped tomatoes and chunks of pumpkin instead of puréed. No cardamom either, but it’s a spice I like a lot so I’ll definitely include it. I have ribs and puréed pumpkin in my freezer (and a pie pumpkin sitting in my pantry). The temperature is dropping and your recipe will be perfect this weekend. Thanks, Mellissa!
Shayna says
Would substituting jalapeno for the habanero change the flavor too much? I have a couple of extra spicy jalapenos from my CSA that need some purpose.
Mellissa Sevigny says
You’d get the heat Shayna, but I do think the jalapenos would change the flavor – habaneros are smoky and fruity. I would recommend just adding red pepper flakes for heat (1/2 tsp should do it) and leaving out the jalapeno. That said, you could try it with the jalapenos (prob 1 Tbsp, chopped) and see how it comes out! Let us know what you think!
Debbie says
Wow! This is a wonderful mix of flavors that will definitely be worth a try. Thanks so much for your fresh ideas and hard work. Fabulous photography, too!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Debbie! I hope you like this one when you try it – it’s so flavorful, we’ll definitely make this recipe over and over again!
Sarah says
I’m going to give this a try today. Thanks for a recipe that includes an inexpensive cut of meat for the slow cooker. My budget has been tight this week.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I love country style ribs for that reason too Sarah! Plus they work perfectly in the slow cooker and get so tender! Hope you like this – please let me know how it comes out! :)
purelytwins says
this looks great!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much, it really is a winner!