Butternut Squash Curry

ByAlida Ryder Posted on Updated on
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Creamy butternut squash curry is vegetarian dinner perfection served with crispy chickpeas and steamed rice. Warm and comforting, it’s ideal for fall meals.

If you love vegetarian curry recipes, Aloo Gobi is right up your alley!

Butternut squash curry with crispy chickpeas and rice.

I am an absolute curry-obsessive. Curry in any way, shape or form is a win for me. I have been loving all forms of vegetable curry lately. I have made cauliflower curry more times than I can count and my new love is this creamy butternut squash curry recipe. Butternut squash is a staple food in our home because I know my kids will eat it with no hassle. Turning sweet, roasted butternut squash into an aromatic curry is a great way to use this fall favorite in an easy, vegetarian recipe.

I like roasting the butternut before adding to the curry base sauce but you could also steam or boil the squash before. You could also swap the butternut for pumpkin if that’s all you have. To add some texture, I like to serve the curry with crispy chickpeas. Fried in a little oil with spices, the chickpeas are the perfect crunchy addition. Serve with rice and some fresh coriander (cilantro) for the perfect meatless meal.

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Butternut squash.
  • Oil. I prefer using avocado oil for roasting but olive oil works too.
  • Onion.
  • Fresh garlic and ginger.
  • Spices: To keep this simple I love using a good quality Garam Masala, a pinch of cinnamon and some chilli flakes/red pepper flakes for heat. Feel free to use your favorite curry spices like turmeric, cardamom, coriander, ground cumin, cayenne pepper etc. instead of using Garam Masala. You can also use a curry powder blend.
  • Chopped tomatoes.
  • Stock. Use vegetable stock if you want to keep this recipe vegetarian but I often use chicken stock as that is what I have in my kitchen most of the time.
  • Coconut milk. I prefer using full-fat coconut milk but light coconut milk can be substituted.
  • Salt, black pepper and sugar.

Storing and freezing

Cooked and cooled curry will last for 4-5 days if kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Butternut squash can tend to be watery once frozen and thawed but this curry can be frozen and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw completely then reheat gently in a large pot over medium heat.

Creamy butternut squash curry

Serving Suggestions

We love serving any curry with rice or flatbread like naan. A creamy curry like this one is also great with a texture element like poppadoms or crispy chickpeas (recipe below).

  1. Easy flatbread
  2. Naan bread
  3. Easy Garlic Butter Rice

Butternut Squash Curry

Creamy butternut squash curry is vegetarian dinner perfection served with crispy chickpeas and steamed rice. Warm and comforting, it's ideal for fall meals.
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Butternut squash curry, easy dinner recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 278kcal
Author: Alida Ryder

Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2lbs) butternut squash cubes
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp salt

For the curry sauce

  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tsp crushed ginger
  • 2 tbsp Garam Masala
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 400 g (14oz) chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp sugar (optional)
  • 1 cup stock vegetable stock or chicken broth can be used
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • salt, to taste

For the crispy chickpeas

  • 1 400g/14oz can chickpeas drained
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • pinch chilli powder
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Place the butternut squash on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt. Place in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes until just cooked and starting to caramelize.
  • To make the curry sauce, soften the onion in a little oil or butter in a large pot. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. Add the spices and fry for 30 seconds then pour in the tomatoes, sugar, stock and coconut milk. Season to taste then allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly.
  • Add the roasted butternut to the curry sauce and allow to cook for another 10-20 minutes or until the butternut is fork-tender.
  • To make the chickpeas, heat the oil in a large frying pan then add the drained chickpeas. Fry until the chickpeas start to brown then add the spices. Cook until the chickpeas are crisp and golden then remove from the heat.
  • Serve the butternut curry over basmati rice topped with the crispy chickpeas.

Notes

  • Other vegetables like spinach, kale and peas can be added.
  • Try our sweet potato curry for a different version.

How to cut butternut squash

Place the butternut squash in front of you on a chopping board. Lay the butternut on its side then carefully make a long cut through and down the “neck”of the butternut with a sharp knife. Turn the butternut then continue the cut down the rest of the squash. The butternut should now be cut in half. From here you can scoop out the seeds and roast the butternut whole or cut into chunks.
If you’d prefer to peel the butternut first, peel the entire butternut with a sharp vegetable peeler. Continue by cutting the butternut in half and then scooping out the seeds. Chop the peeled butternut into chunks.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 997mg | Potassium: 1117mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 26891IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Butternut squash recipes

  1. Creamed spinach stuffed butternut squash
  2. Honey roasted butternut squash soup
  3. Creamy pumpkin pasta with pancetta and sage
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4.69 from 16 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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11 Comments

  1. Hi Alida, as much as I love your recipe and I’ve made many before, but could you please delete one of the comments above as we DON’T need that language to describe your beautiful recipes because I feel it puts a mark against your wonderful site. I’ve always thought our comments were screened prior to posting but seems this one escaped through.
    I’ve actually made this Butternut Curry for our dinner tonight and can’t wait to eat it. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi Josephine. All comments are screened, Willem’s comment didn’t offend me. I don’t mind curse words, nor do I think it’s my place to sensor someone’s use of them. I’m sorry if it offends you.

      Reply

  2. I am no vegetarian but this was absolutely delicious! The chickpeas add a lovely flavour. Cannot wait to make it for my vegetarian friends.

    Reply

  4. What a fantastic recipe. My husband said, and I quote “I’m fast becoming a vegan if the food is this good.” I added another 2 tbsp of Garam masala, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp of turmeric and a handful of chopped coriander

    I served it with cumin basmati rice and homemade garlic naan.
    Exceptional curry. Well done, Alida!!!! Such a hit. I’m so excited for leftovers tomorrow.

    Reply

    2. Willem Potgieter could you please mind your language on here as it’s not needed to describe recipes. You could have completely left the language out. Thank you.

      Reply