Butternut Squash Curry

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.

Jump to:

• Why should you try this recipe?
• Our Butternut Squash Curry is:
• How to make the best Butternut Squash Curry
• Variations for our Creamy Butternut Squash Curry
• Serving Suggestions
• FAQ and Tips
• Butternut Squash Curry
• More Winter Squash Recipes

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

1. 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.
2. While the butternut squash is roasting, add some coconut oil to a frying pan and stir-fry chopped carrot, shallots, ginger, and garlic.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Add the blended mixture, the rest of the coconut milk, chickpeas, and the other half of the butternut squash still in cubes.
6. 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

If you tried our recipe, please leave a comment or tag us on Instagram. We are always happy to see your creations! 

More Winter Squash Recipes

• Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
• Butternut Squash Pasta
• Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Hazelnuts and Mint
• Pumpkin Waffles