Butternut Squash Curry

Why We Love This Recipe

• Flavorful and filling: With a mildly spicy red curry sauce, rich coconut milk, and plenty of squash, this butternut squash curry makes for a hearty meal.
• Meal prep and leftover friendly: This butternut squash curry tastes equally as delicious after a few days in the fridge, so it's a great option for meal prep. We love making a big batch of this curry along with some rice to have ready throughout the week. It's also freezer friendly.
• Vegan and gluten free: This recipe is perfect for just about any dietary needs! It's naturally gluten free, nut-free, and vegan, making it a great option for entertaining a variety of dietary differences.
• Weeknight friendly: It doesn't take too long to prep the ingredients for this butternut squash curry, and it can be ready in just about an hour on the stovetop.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this butternut squash curry:

Ingredient Notes

• Red curry paste: This is what adds most of the flavor to this butternut squash curry. Red curry paste is typically made with ingredients like red chilis, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, and a variety of spices. If you are vegan or vegetarian, make sure to look for a vegan brand as many contain shrimp paste. We love using the brand Thai Kitchen.
• Curry powder: curry powder is a spice blend, so each brand is slightly different in flavor and spice level/intensity. For reference, we used Simply Organic curry powder in this recipe. If using a spicier curry powder, you may want to decrease the amount.
• Coconut oil: You can also use another oil (like vegetable), but we love the flavor that coconut adds to this curry.
• Coconut milk: Be sure to use full fat canned coconut milk in this recipe, not the stuff that comes from a carton. We wouldn't recommend using a different milk. Coconut is essential to the flavor and makes the sauce thick and creamy.
• Butternut squash: Squash is the main vegetable in this curry. One small-medium butternut squash was the perfect size for this recipe. We dice ours into ½-inch pieces so it cooks faster. You can also sub with fresh pumpkin, kabocha squash or acorn squash if preferred.
• Spinach: you can also sub with another leafy green, like baby bok choy or Swiss chard.
• Garlic and ginger: Pro tip: use a microplane to grate the garlic and ginger. This way, you won't end up with any big pieces in the curry.
• Chickpeas: These are an optional addition to this recipe if you'd like to add in a bit more plant-based protein. We use one can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed. You could also add in 1 ½ cups of cooked red or green lentils instead.

Instructions

(1) Add oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add in ginger and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

(2) Add in the butternut squash, red curry paste, curry powder, cumin, salt, and sugar. Stir well and cook squash for 6-7 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

(3) Add in coconut milk, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and lime juice. (If adding chickpeas, add at this point). Bring to a boil, stir well, and then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring several times.

(4) Stir in spinach and fresh cilantro. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Tips and FAQs

• Serving: We recommend serving this curry over cooked basmati rice or brown rice. We love topping this curry with chopped, toasted cashews for a bit of crunch and more fresh cilantro.
• Extra spice: If you're like us and prefer your curry on the spicier side, feel free to add a little extra red curry paste. Alternatively, use a spicier curry powder blend.
• Add more vegetables: We kept this recipe on the simple side by just using squash, but if you'd like, sub out some of the squash for 1-2 other vegetables, like broccoli, zucchini, bell pepper or cauliflower.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
• Freezer storage: Transfer cooled butternut squash curry to any freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat: defrost in the fridge overnight, then microwave or heat in a saucepan until warmed through.

More Curry Recipes to Enjoy

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