You will fall in love with this autumnal, heart-warming, and delicious curry made with really simple ingredients. Inspired by our own Peanut Curry, we wanted to develop something seasonal with Thai flavors that were easy to prepare. This Thai-style Butternut Squash and Chickpea curry was just perfect and what we were looking for.

Why should you try this recipe?
Feels like autumn. I declare myself a fall lover. When summer is ending, and we are getting ready for cooler days, a bit of rain, and autumnal vibes, I simply love it. This recipe feels like autumn. It comes with delicious flavors and seasonal ingredients that make a hearty and comforting meal.
Easy to make. Making a fantastic curry is not difficult, and this recipe is proof of it. You won't need uncommon ingredients and the cooking method is fairly simple.
Hearty and comforting. We all have days when we need a comforting homemade meal. Because everything tastes better when is made from scratch.
A different way to cook Butternut Squash. For this recipe, we use half of the butternut squash to blend in the sauce, and for the other half, we cut it into cubes to add to the curry. We love using this squash in two different ways for the same dish.
Our Butternut Squash Curry is:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free (if using tamari instead of soy sauce)
- Fall and winter recipe
- Thai-inspired curry
- Mildly spicy
- Hearty
- Flavourful

How to make the best Butternut Squash Curry
Our Butternut Squash curry recipe uses simple ingredients and can be easily made following a few steps.
Ingredients
- Butternut Squash. Am I the only one who gets excited when the butternut squash season officially starts? It's such a versatile vegetable. You will need a medium-size butternut squash for this recipe.
- Shallots, garlic, carrot, and ginger. These four ingredients add delicious flavors to the curry sauce. You can substitute shallots for yellow onion and if you don't have fresh ginger, you could use ginger powder as well.
- Chickpeas. Adding chickpeas to this butternut curry is our way of adding protein to the meal. We love the texture that adds to the dish as well. We use canned or jarred chickpeas.
- Vegetable stock. We use vegetable broth but you can as well use water and add more salt to taste.
- Red Curry Paste. We use a tablespoon of our homemade red curry paste to give our curry a delicious Thai flavor. You can use yellow curry paste or massaman curry paste, they both work really well for this recipe. If you want to use a store-bought curry paste, we recommend this brand which doesn't use shrimp paste or fish sauce.
- Coconut milk. Choose coconut milk or coconut cream that contains the most amount of coconut, as it will be creamier. This will ensure you get a delicious coconut butternut squash curry. Full fat coconut milk is creamier than light coconut milk, but both will be good for cooking this curry. Instead of coconut milk, you can use soy cream, almond milk, or oat milk.
- Soy sauce or tamari. We use a little bit of soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free) to add saltiness and umami.
- Toasted cashews, fresh coriander, and lime for garnishing.

Step-by-Step Method
- Peel and cut the butternut squash into cubes. Transfer to a baking tray or baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil and salt, and bake for about 35-40 minutes at 200C (400F). The butternut squash cubes need to be fork-tender.
- While the butternut squash is roasting, add some coconut oil to a frying pan and stir-fry chopped carrot, shallots, ginger, and garlic.
- Once the butternut squash is roasted and the veggies are ready, transfer just half of the diced butternut squash and all the stir-fried veggies to a blender jug with the stock. Blend until you have a smooth consistency. You can use an immersion blender or a high-speed blender.
- Heat some coconut oil in a pan, we use our cast iron pan for this curry. Add red curry paste and a little bit of coconut milk. Stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add the blended mixture, the rest of the coconut milk, chickpeas, and the other half of the butternut squash still in cubes.
- Leave simmering for 10 minutes, add toasted cashews, and chopped coriander, drizzle some fresh lime juice, and serve.
If you are serving this Thai Butternut Squash Curry to young kids and toddlers, you can leave the Thai curry paste out, use a mild one such as yellow paste, or make two separate pans, like we normally do when cooking this curry. One spicy and the other one mild!

Variations for our Creamy Butternut Squash Curry
- Change the curry paste. We love Thai red curry paste or massaman paste for this dish but if you want to try a milder version of this squash curry, add yellow curry paste instead.
- Make it gluten-free. Simply change the soy sauce for tamari. If you are using stock, make sure it is gluten-free.
- Change the protein. We add chickpeas to this squash curry but you could add other pulses such as cannellini beans, or other sources of protein such as tofu, seitan, or tempeh.
- Serve it with noodles. Make it more brothy and serve it with noodles. Double the amount of stock you are adding, and you will have a nice coconut noodle curry.
- Add more veggies. You can add loads of other veggies and make a yummy vegetable curry for this season, we wanted to keep the recipe simple, but red peppers, carrots, mushrooms, or zucchini would go fantastic in this curry. As well, you can roast sweet potatoes while roasting the butternut squash and add it to the curry, such a lovely addition!
- Make this dish an Indian curry style by swapping the red curry paste for some spices such as garam masala, cumin, and coriander. You can serve it with basmati rice and some naan bread on the side.
If you liked this recipe, you need to try our Spinach and Chickpea Curry, as hearty and delicious as this one!

Serving Suggestions
Our Thai-inspired Butternut Squash Curry is a hearty main dish. You can choose to serve it on its own as a curry bowl or add a simple side dish. Here are some suggestions for side dishes to go with this nutritious curry:
Rice. Brown rice, or steamed white rice, both options are great for this meal. We prefer long-grain rice to serve with our curries such as jasmine rice or basmati.
Noodles. You can as well, serve this meal with wheat or rice noodles. Other options are soba noodles, sweet potato starch noodles, or brown rice noodles.
Quinoa. For a healthier twist, serve your curry over cooked quinoa. Quinoa adds a nutty flavor and provides extra protein and fiber.
Cauliflower Rice. If you're looking to reduce carbohydrates, try cauliflower rice as a low-carb alternative to traditional rice. It's light and absorbs the curry sauce well.
To complete your dish, garnish it with some toasted cashews or peanuts, chopped fresh herbs such as coriander or parsley, and a squeeze of lime juice or lemon juice. If you want your curry spicier, you can add some sriracha, cayenne pepper, or chili flakes before serving.
Store and Reheat
This recipe is perfect for meal prep as it keeps well for a few days in the fridge. Keep the rice in a separate container, and garnish right before serving.
You can freeze any leftovers or save them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheat the leftovers using a microwave or stovetop.

FAQ and Tips
Can I make this vegan butternut squash curry without curry paste?
Yes. You can and it will still be delicious. We add curry paste to give our curry a mildly Thai flavor and add umami.
Can I use raw Butternut squash instead of roasting it?
For some recipes, you add the butternut squash and cook it in the curry sauce. I strongly recommend you roast the squash before. As well, to be able to follow this recipe, you need to cook the squash beforehand, as you will have to blend half of it.
Is this winter curry spicy?
It's a little bit spicy, but still enjoyable even if you are not a big spice fan. If you like your food spicier, add some red chili flakes or sriracha before serving.
What can I use instead of coconut milk?
You can substitute the coconut milk for cashew cream made with soaked cashews and water or store-bought. As well, instead of using coconut oil, olive oil can be used.
Does this recipe freeze well?
Yes, you can keep any leftovers in the freezer.

Butternut Squash Curry
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash large or 2 medium size
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 3 shallot
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 thumb-sized ginger piece
- 1 carrot
- 300 ml stock
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 250 g chickpeas
- Salt to taste
For Garnishing
- A handful coriander
- A handful cashews toasted and crushed
- Lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (400F)
- Peel and cut into cubes the butternut quash. Transfer to a baking tray or baking dish, drizzle some olive oil and salt and bake for about 30 minutes. Depending on how big you cut the cubes, it will need longer or shorter.
- While the squash is roasting, roughly chop the shallots, carrot, ginger and garlic clove. Add coconut oil to a frying pan and the chopped veggies. Stir-fry until the shallots soften and the rest start to golden.
- Once the butternut squash is roasted and the veggies are ready, transfer just half of the butternut squash and all the stir-fried veggies to a blender jug with the stock. Blend until you have a smooth consistency.
- Heat some coconut oil in a pan and add red curry paste and a little bit of coconut milk. Stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add the blended mixture, the rest of the coconut milk, chickpeas, and the other half of the roasted butternut squash still in cubes.
- Leave simmering for 10 minutes, add toasted cashews, and chopped coriander, drizzle some fresh lime juice, and serve.
Notes
- You can change the red curry paste by yellow curry paste to make this recipe milder.
- Make the curry spicier by adding sriracha or chili flakes before serving.
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If you tried our recipe, please leave a comment or tag us on Instagram. We are always happy to see your creations!
Gloria says
I love cooking all the varieties of squash this time of year. We love curry. This sounds so delicious, and I know my family will love it.
Tracy says
What a delicious curry! A great way to use butternut squash that's not the norm! My whole family loved it. Thanks for another great recipe!
Laura says
Thank you Tracy!
Kathryn says
This was so easy to whip up and I love the curry and butternut squash flavors together. It's so simple, yet delicious for lunch or dinner. Thanks!
Astra says
Thank you Kathryn
Marie says
This vegan curry is aromatic and hearty, just so perfect for fall! Loved how easy to make and also that it allowed me to use up some of those many squashes I've received lately in my CSA 😂 Loved it, thanks!
Debbie says
This Butternut Squash Curry is so hearty and delicious . I loved the crushed cashews it really provided a contrast in flavors . My husband has already asked me when I am making this again
Debbye says
I just made butternut squash soup yesterday and did not even think of adding red curry paste. Gonna try it again tomorrow and add that. Thanks so much.
Laura says
Thanks Debbye, surely you will like it!
Veronika says
This recipe is amazing! I love how all the flavors were balanced. Great for a cold Fall weather 😉
Megan says
Such a great curry. I love the curry and squash combo so much. Thanks for a great recipe.
Ann says
I love a good butternut squash recipe! I have never tried making it as a curry before. This sounds delicious!
Moop Brown says
Curry is one of my favorite dishes because of how comforting and filling it is to me. I love the addition of the squash in this recipe.
Erin says
I wanted something different than our usual and this was perfect! Not too hard to make and so much flavor. Yum! Thank you.
Heather Sandell says
I love curry but I’ve never had a butternut squash curry. I tried this and it was amazing. I only had yellow curry paste in the house but I liked this so much I know we will be making it again and I’ll have to get red curry next time for a little more spice
Laura says
Thank you Heather. Yellow curry sounds delicious, we love adding it when making butternut squash curry as well. Actually, we will be posting our own yellow curry recipe this week!
Shawna says
This is sooooo good! Didn’t have shallot but red onion worked out just fine. Used 1 Not-Chik-N bouillon cube and water for the stock. My 5 and 7 year old loved this dinner even 🙌🏻. Thank you! This will be in our rotation this fall for sure!
Laura Arteaga says
Thank you Shawna, really happy you liked the recipe! Our kids love it too 🙂