Serve up a creamy and satiating butternut squash curry for dinner with this easy recipe. Roasted butternut squash, chickpeas and spinach are cooked to perfection in a coconut and tomato based Thai style curry sauce.
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I love a good curry, and this is honestly one of my favorite recipes. I have been making variations of this recipe for several years, and it's still one of my go-to dishes, especially when butternut squash is in season.
It's hearty, comforting and packed with flavor and nutrients. It also happens to be both healthy, filling and easy to make. That's ticking all of the boxes as far as I'm concerned!
This recipe happens to be dairy free, gluten free, vegan, soy free and nut free, which makes it an excellent choice if you have to cater for dietary requirements.
If you love this recipe, you might want to check out my collection of healthy curry recipes for more inspiration. I highly recommend my egg curry or chana masala with coconut milk.
Ingredients
Although the ingredient list of this recipe might be on the longer side, you can easily find all of the required ingredients in any supermarket or grocery store.
The main ingredients of the curry are canned chickpeas, canned diced tomatoes, butternut squash, canned coconut milk, spinach and red Thai curry paste.
Additionally, to give the curry some lovely flavors, you'll want to add some garlic, onion, ginger (either fresh ginger or ginger paste), salt, paprika, coriander and dried kaffir lime leaves (optional).
You can adjust the seasoning to suit your personal preferences, or use whatever you have available in your cupboard. See other variations of the curry below to find out how you can substitute other ingredients if necessary.
Instructions
First, prepare your ingredients. Wash the spinach, drain and rinse the chickpeas, and finely chop the onion. Grate the garlic with a microplane, or finely chop it. Do the same with the ginger if you're using raw ginger.
Peel and dice the butternut squash into inch sized cubes. Remove and discard the peel and seeds. Place the squash on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, and coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil.
Love butternut squash? Check out my butternut squash pasta sauce or butternut squash waffles.
Roast the butternut squash at 400 °F / 200 °C for 15-20 minutes, or until it's soft enough to pierce easily with a fork.
Heat some oil in a pot. Sautee chopped onions for a few minutes until they are soft and translucent.
Add Thai curry paste and finely chopped ginger and garlic. Sautee for another minute.
Add seasoning, diced tomatoes and coconut milk, and stir to combine.
Then, add drained canned chickpeas and roasted butternut squash. Cover the pot with a lid, and leave it to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Add fresh spinach, and stir it into the curry. The leaves will wilt within a minute.
Optionally, you can season the curry to taste, then it's ready to serve!
Top tips
Here are all my best advice to help you succeed with this delicious roasted butternut squash and chickpea curry:
- Make sure to allow enough time for each step. Sauteeing the onions, curry paste and garlic is key to bring out all the amazing flavors of the dish.
- Similarly, roast the butternut squash thoroughly before adding it to the curry. It should be soft without being burned.
- Use high quality ingredients for the best results.
- I recommend using full fat coconut milk, and not light coconut milk. Light coconut milk is a lot more watery, and won't make the curry as thick and creamy.
Serving suggestions
- Thai Coconut Rice - Creamy rice with coconut milk is a perfect pairing for this coconut based curry.
- Mushroom Fried Rice - Make some mushroom fried rice to add even more flavor to this wonderful dish.
- Air Fryer Broccoli - Roasted broccoli is an excellent addition to the meal, and you can never have enough vegetables!
- Thai Cucumber Salad - This mild cucumber salad is perfect served with a flavorful curry.
Variations
- Use sweet potatoes or pumpkin instead of the butternut squash. These all have a similar texture, and the curry will taste very similarly.
- This curry is rather mild, but if you want to add some spice you can either use a spicy curry paste, or add some fresh or powdered chili.
- Add cooked quinoa and black beans for some extra protein.
- Use kale instead of the spinach, or omit the leafy greens.
- Not a fan of Thai style curries? Use Indian curry paste instead!
Leftovers
Leftover curry can be stored in airtight containers in a refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat the butternut squash curry in a microwave or a pot, and serve it warm.
Optionally, you can also freeze it for up to 6 months.
While the curry rests, it will actually continue to develop more flavor. I often find that it tastes even better the following days than what it did on the day I cooked it!
As the curry stores so well, it makes for an excellent option for meal prep or cooking ahead. I like to make a big batch and freeze it down in portion sizes for quick and easy future dinners. This is a great option if you have a lot of butternut squash or pumpkin to use up!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, however I do recommend cooking it in some way before adding it to the curry. I love roasting the squash, but you can steam, boil or air fry it if you prefer.
Absolutely. Homemade butternut squash curry is usually made without high fat or high sugar ingredients, and is therefore considered lean. Despite this, it still carries plenty of flavor.
Yes. If you don't have curry paste, I recommend using curry powder, or a combination of spices. The curry paste has a lot of flavor, so you will have to make up for the loss of seasoning.
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If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Butternut Squash Curry
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste
- 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups spinach
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander
Instructions
- First, prepare your ingredients. Wash the spinach, drain and rinse the chickpeas, and finely chop the onion. Grate the garlic with a microplane, or finely chop it. Do the same with the ginger if you’re using raw ginger.
- Peel and dice the butternut squash into inch sized cubes. Remove and discard the peel and seeds. Place the squash on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, and coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Roast the butternut squash at 400 °F / 200 °C for 15-20 minutes, or until it’s soft enough to pierce easily with a fork.
- Heat some oil in a pot. Sautee chopped onions for a few minutes until they are soft and translucent.
- Add Thai curry paste and finely chopped ginger and garlic to the onions. Sautee for another minute.
- Add seasoning, canned diced tomatoes and coconut milk, and stir to combine.
- Then, add drained canned chickpeas and roasted butternut squash. Cover the pot with a lid, and leave it to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Add fresh spinach, and stir it into the curry. The leaves will wilt within a minute.
- Optionally, you can season the curry to taste, then it’s ready to serve!
Video
Notes
- Make sure to allow enough time for each step. Sauteeing the onions, curry paste and garlic is key to bring out all the amazing flavors of the dish.
- Similarly, roast the butternut squash thoroughly before adding it to the curry. It should be soft without being burned.
- Use high quality ingredients for the best results.
- I recommend using full fat coconut milk, and not light coconut milk. Light coconut milk is a lot more watery, and won’t make the curry as thick and creamy.
- Leftover curry can be stored in airtight containers in a refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat the butternut squash curry in a microwave or a pot, and serve it warm. Optionally, you can also freeze it for up to 6 months.
Desicart
This look so fresh,healthy and delicious.Thank you so much for the recipe!
Tonje
Thank you, I hope you try it! 🙂