Flaky on the outside, soft and lightly sweet all the way through, these pumpkin parathas taste like fall in a way that's hard to describe until you've had one warm off the griddle. Jaggery goes right into the dough for a deep, caramel-like sweetness, and a little cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron make them smell like something worth waiting for. This one goes back to my childhood, and to my mom.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry
A Recipe Rooted in Tradition
Growing up, my mom made a similar dish called Dangar Ghari (pumpkin puri in Marathi). These fried pumpkin flatbreads were our favorite travel snack; they stayed soft and flavorful for days. I remember her packing them on our family trips, and we would happily snack on them as we explored new places.
Now, I've given her traditional recipe my own twist by making parathas instead of deep-fried puris. The result is just as delicious and nostalgic, in a slightly different form.
My Fall Family Ritual
Every fall, when my mom visits, we go pumpkin and apple picking together. She loves the hayrides, sipping warm cider, and picking the biggest pumpkins she can find! Her joy and energy are infectious, and cooking with her always fills my heart (and kitchen!) with warmth.
When she's not here, I carry on our little tradition. I usually buy small pumpkins, peel and pressure cook them, and make my own homemade pumpkin purée for recipes like breads, pies, pancakes, and these parathas.
Tips
- Homemade Pumpkin Purée: Pressure cook peeled pumpkin chunks for 5-6 minutes, then mash until smooth.
- For extra flakiness: Roll the dough like a laccha paratha to create crisp layers.
- Make ahead: Store the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days. Roll and cook as needed.
- Serving idea: Drizzle ghee while cooking and dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving for kids.
Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin purée: I get the best flavor and color from homemade purée. I steam or pressure cook peeled pumpkin cubes and mash them until silky smooth. Canned works in a pinch, too. Just be sure it is 100% pure pumpkin and not pie filling.
- Whole wheat flour: Chapati or roti atta is my go-to. It brings a lovely nutty taste and keeps the parathas hearty and wholesome.
- Jaggery: I love the gentle sweetness and depth it adds. Use jaggery powder or grate a jaggery block finely so it blends right into the dough. Brown sugar is a fine substitute if you do not have jaggery.
- Spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and saffron turn simple pumpkin into something special. Freshly ground cardamom and nutmeg give the brightest flavor, and a few strands of saffron add beautiful color and a delicate aroma.
How to Make Pumpkin Parathas
★ Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and let me know, or snap a quick pic and upload it-I love seeing your creations. If you're on Instagram, tag @ministry_of_curry so I can check it out. Your feedback means so much to me and makes all the time I spend perfecting each recipe totally worth it. Thank you!
Recipe
Pumpkin parathas {flatbreads}
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups peeled, cubed pumpkin or 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, if skipping step 1
- 2½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup grated jaggery
- ¼ teaspoon saffron
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup whole wheat flour for rolling parathas
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee
Instructions
- If making homemade pumpkin puree: Add the peeled, cubed pumpkin to a stainless steel bowl. Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot and place the trivet inside, then set the bowl on top. Pressure cook for 6 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release. Let it cool, then mash until smooth.Short on time? Canned pumpkin puree works too, just make sure it's 100% pure pumpkin, not pie filling.
- Mix pumpkin puree, grated jaggery, saffron, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, and salt. Make pliable dough by adding whole wheat flour. Add oil to the dough and knead it for a few more minutes. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll each ball using some wheat flour into a 6-8 inch thin circle. Apply ghee to the rolled bread and then fold up to form layers and then fold it circular to form a disk. Parathas can also be made without layering by simply rolling the balls into 6 to 8-inch round parathas.
- Now roll these discs (or the dough balls without layering) once again using dry flour to 6-8 inch circle. Put the rolled paratha on a hot griddle and cook on both sides over medium-high heat. Apply ghee on both sides.
- For extra sweetness, dust some powdered sugar over the paratha and serve hot or at room temperature with a glass of chilled milk or hot chai.
Nutrition
♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.
Rajinder nath says
Great pumpkin. Pratha recipe. Archana. I shall soon make those prathas.
Thanks.