Free Dinner Recipes E-book!   Download Now

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Almond Eater logo

  • Browse Recipes
    • Recipes by Course
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Drinks
      • Snacks
      • Sides
      • The Almond Eater Monthly Cooking Challenge
    • Recipes by Diet
      • Vegetarian
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Vegan
      • Mediterranean Diet
      • Paleo
      • Whole30
  • Meet Erin
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Browse Recipes +
    • Recipes by Course +
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Drinks
      • Snacks
      • Sides
      • The Almond Eater Monthly Cooking Challenge
    • Recipes by Diet +
      • Vegetarian
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Vegan
      • Mediterranean Diet
      • Paleo
      • Whole30
  • About Erin
  • Contact

Home » Recipes » 30-Minute Meals

Butternut Squash Curry

By Erin · September 24, 2020 · Updated September 27, 2021 · 15 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
  • Share
  • Tweet
Gluten FreeDairy FreeVeganVegetarian
curry in a large dutch oven
curry with text overlay
squash curry with text overlay

Butternut Squash Curry is a quick and healthy weeknight dinner recipe! It's made with butternut squash and chickpeas, and delicious on top of a warm bowl of rice.

butternut squash and chickpeas in a skillet

Today feels like the perfect day for butternut squash curry.

Serious question: are you team butternut squash, or team sweet potato? I feel like it's cheating to say both, but I'm definitely team BOTH.

See, I love sweet potatoes in my sweet potato brownies and in sweet potato pie. And let's not forget about the BEST brown butter sweet potatoes.

But butternut squash? It's just as good and versatile! I decided it was time to make a veggie-forward curry recipe, and this coconut-y squash curry is just that. '

Recipe features

  • Kind of reminds me of my butternut squash chili, but with curry flavors
  • Warm, hearty yet healthy dish -- the coziest dinner recipe
  • Would be great to batch prep and enjoy throughout the week (add it to your vegan meal prep line up!)
curry ingredients

Ingredient notes

This is simply to provide further clarification for a few of the ingredients. The full ingredient list is in the recipe card below.

Butternut squash - I almost always buy pre-cubed butternut squash because it makes the prep time a lot quicker.

Chickpeas - Canned (drained and rinsed); the chickpeas add protein to this meal

Coconut milk - Canned, full fat. I think full fat coconut milk has more flavor, whereas lite coconut milk tends to be watered down a bit. To get the most out of this coconut curry, I'd opt for full fat coconut milk.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Sauté. Add oil to a large skillet or dutch oven, then sauté the shallot, red pepper, garlic for 3 minutes over medium heat.

diced onion and pepper in a skillet

Step 2: Add the squash. Next, add the curry paste, sugar and curry powder, along with the diced butternut squash and stir everything together.

squash and spinach in a skillet

Step 3: Simmer. Then, add the chickpeas, coconut milk and vegetable broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is soft. Last, stir in the spinach.

butternut squash and chickpeas in a large skillet

Notes and FAQs

  • Use pre-cut butternut squash and canned chickpeas (rather than a whole squash and dried chickpeas), to save time with this recipe.
  • Use virgin coconut oil to sauté the veggies, which adds more coconut flavor to the whole dish. However, you can technically use any kind of oil if you don't have coconut on hand.
Can you freeze curry?

Yup! Wait for it to cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months.

What should I serve this with?

I served this curry on top of white rice, and then topped it all off with cilantro and some lime juice.
You could also serve it with brown rice or quinoa, and top it with peanuts if you'd like!

Curry on top of a bowl of rice

More dinner recipes

  • Easy Tofu Curry
  • Sesame Tofu Quinoa Bowl
  • Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

curry in a large dutch oven

Butternut Squash Curry

Butternut Squash Curry is a quick and healthy weeknight dinner recipe! Butternut squash and chickpeas are simmered in coconut curry sauce, making this a warm and cozy, vegan-friendly meal.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Erin

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 1 red pepper diced, seeds removed
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoon red curry paste
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 4 cups butternut squash diced
  • 14 oz. chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 14 oz. full fat coconut milk
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 3 cups spinach
  • salt and pepper to taste

for toppings:

  • 3 tablespoon cilantro or more
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice or more

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallot, red pepper and garlic cloves and sauté for 3 minutes. Then, add the curry paste, curry powder, sugar, and butternut squash and sauté for 1 minute.
  • Add in the chickpeas, coconut milk and broth and bring mixture to a boil. Then, reduce heat to a simmer, place lid on top and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the squash is soft. Remove lid and stir in the spinach. Add salt and pepper as needed.
  • Top curry with cilantro, lime juice and/or chopped peanuts.

Notes

*Calories are an estimation and are per serving
*Use pre-cubed butternut squash to make this recipe much faster. 

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 385mg | Potassium: 937mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 18998IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!
« Vegan Morning Glory Muffins
Creamy Coconut Lime Chicken »

About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Thulile says

    January 23, 2023 at 1:57 pm

    Hi I was wondering what if one is allergic to coconut can I add cream full fat...

    Reply
    • Erin says

      January 23, 2023 at 2:09 pm

      Yes that should work, though it will alter the flavor a bit.

      Reply
  2. Bobbi says

    November 29, 2021 at 5:21 pm

    Is it supposed to thick or thin? I’m having trouble getting mine to thicken up. Also I used brown curry paste instead of red as I couldn’t find any red

    Reply
    • Erin says

      November 29, 2021 at 5:44 pm

      The type of curry paste you use can impact the texture, as can if you use full fat coconut milk vs. light coconut milk (full fat will make it thicker). It should be slightly thicker than soup, but not as thick as, say, chili. Hopefully that helps!

      Reply
  3. Kim says

    August 24, 2021 at 11:08 pm

    5 stars
    This is a great recipe! I subbed an onion for the shallot and omitted the sugar, tho. I also added cardamom seeds, because I just love them... lol! This will definitely be a keeper and in my rotation. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      August 25, 2021 at 7:34 am

      Thanks for the positive review, Kim!

      Reply
  4. Roberta says

    March 19, 2021 at 9:44 am

    5 stars
    I added a couple of sweet potatoes, used a Delicata squash and increased the curry. It was a fabulous fare and I've been spooning it over Basmati rice, topped with a handful of fresh cilantro and sharing with the neighbors. A wholesome dish that speaks to INCLUSIVITY during a crazy pandemic. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      March 19, 2021 at 12:50 pm

      Thanks for your kind comment, Roberta!

      Reply
  5. Caitlyn says

    January 21, 2021 at 2:03 pm

    5 stars
    Currently eating leftovers of this curry and loving it as much as the first night I made it. Really great recipe! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      January 21, 2021 at 2:35 pm

      That's great to hear!

      Reply
  6. Teri Bott says

    November 14, 2020 at 8:49 pm

    Could I add chicken breast pieces in place of chick peas?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      November 15, 2020 at 7:52 am

      Yes that should work!

      Reply
  7. Janet says

    October 06, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    When do you add the tomatoes? They’re pictures above but don’t seem to be in the recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      October 06, 2020 at 7:33 pm

      Whoops -- good catch! I opted to not use the tomatoes, and used a red bell pepper instead. The written recipe in the recipe card is correct, and I just went in and updated the ingredient photo. Let me know if you try it!

      Reply
  8. Sabrina says

    September 26, 2020 at 6:29 pm

    5 stars
    nice change of flavors! thank you, curry is a totally different but welcome set of flavors for me, much appreciated!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

girl in kitchen

Hi, I'm Erin!

I share recipes for ALL diet types because I believe that healthy food should be incredibly delicious without being complicated. Learn more

Seasonal Picks

pasta salad made with mediterranean ingredients

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

bowl with lemon orzo salad beside a small dish of chopped fresh basil

Lemon Orzo Salad

cake on a cake stand with a slice cut out

Vegan Carrot Cake

berries and ice cream in a bowl

Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp

Popular Recipes

pasta, peas and sausage in a skillet

Italian Chicken Sausage Pasta

bowl with ground pork and vegetables

Banh Mi Bowl (Paleo, Whole30)

a bowl of pasta with lentils and red sauce

Lentil Bolognese Recipe (Vegan + Gluten Free)

sweet potato brownies

Flourless Sweet Potato Brownies

dog eating cake

Mini Dog Birthday Cake

Caramelized Onion Spaghetti Squash | squash filled with onions, mushrooms and kale for a healthy, vegetarian meal | thealmondeater.com

Caramelized Onion Spaghetti Squash

As Featured On

Footer

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • The Almond Eater Monthly Cooking Challenge

Copyright© 2023 | The Almond Eater. Site Credit

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter