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Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry is a warm, rich flavored vegetarian dish that mixes butternut squash and chickpeas with curry, turmeric, coconut milk and fresh ginger. Enjoy over brown rice topped with fresh cilantro and warm naan bread.
I have been really excited to share this recipe for Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry. If you are a fan of butternut squash and the flavors of curry, ginger, coconut and turmeric this curry is for you!
I love using butternut squash (or other squashes) as a meat substitute in recipes. They have lots of flavor, texture and are great at absorbing all those spices, so you don’t miss the meat.
The flavors and spices in the curry sauce are my favorites. I combine the fiery heat of red curry paste, with curry powder and turmeric which give the sauce a rich flavor.
I add coconut milk to my Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry, which adds flavor and a creaminess to the sauce. If you don’t like coconut, then provided you are not serving to dairy free or vegan diners, swap for Greek yogurt or heavy cream.
Butternut squash is a great ingredient and I use it a lot in my cooking. Try it in my Easy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Mediterranean Stuffed Butternut Squash, Butternut Squash Pasta, or Butternut Squash Sage Risotto.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
- Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ways to Modify Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
- How to Make Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
- Expert Tips for Butternut Squash Curry
- Storage Tips
- Recipe FAQ
- More Vegetable Curry Recipes
- Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry with Coconut Milk Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
- Seasonal Ingredients: Make use of your local farmers markets and buy your squash from them. This curry is a great way of using fresh in season veggies when they are at their most flavorful.
- Great Leftovers: The leftovers are actually better than the first day. When this curry sits over a couple of days the flavors meld together and really develop.
- Versatile: This recipe is easily adapted to suit your own tastes. Feel free to add in whatever veggies you have in your fridge that need to be used up. I keep kale from my garden in the freezer and will often add a handful of that to the end of the curry.
Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need
You will love this easy recipe and the simple ingredients it uses for the marinade ingredients. It is one of my favorite recipes!
- Vegetables: As well as butternut squash, I like to add a red bell pepper to this curry, along with a jalapeño for mild chili heat.
- Spices: I flavor the curry sauce with curry powder, chili powder, ground turmeric and cayenne red pepper.
- Coconut Milk: I add a can of coconut milk to the curry sauce. You can use full-fat coconut milk or a lite version.
- Peanut Butter: I add some creamy all natural peanut butter which adds great flavor to the curry sauce. You can swap sunflower butter or almond butter.
- Honey: I add a little honey to the curry for sweetness -it balances out the spice.
- Chickpeas: I add chickpeas to the curry which are a great source of plant based protein.
- Tomatoes: I use 2 cans of fired roasted tomatoes in the curry sauce.
- Curry Paste: I flavour the curry sauce with Thai red curry paste.
- Ginger: Freshly grated ginger root adds great flavor to the curry.
- Chili: I like to add a jalapeno chili for a little extra spice, this is entirely optional.
Ways to Modify Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
- Squash: you can swap butternut squash for kabocha squash or pumpkin. Sweet potato would also work well in place of squash.
- Vegetables: Load up this curry with extra veggies, try sweet onion, red onion, carrots, green beans, green peas, zucchini, celery, poblanos.
- Leafy Greens: Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale or chard are a great addition to any curry. Add a handful or two at the end of the cooking.
- Spices: Spices are at the heart of any good curry. You could also add some ground coriander, ground cumin, or paprika.
- Curry Paste: I’ve opted for a Thai red curry paste, but you can substitute for another curry paste of your choice.
- Pulses: Feel free to swap the chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for another bean, try red or white kidney beans.
- Protein: For added plant based protein add some tofu, or add lean chicken for some meat based protein.
How to Make Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
Step 1 – Sauté Vegetables: In a Dutch oven or large pot heat olive oil on medium heat and sauté garlic until translucent and fragrant. Add red pepper and continue to sauté for 5 minutes until red pepper begins to soften.
Step 2 – Add Spices: Add curry powder, chili powder, turmeric and cayenne stirring to combine, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Step 3 – Add Coconut: Now add the coconut milk, peanut butter and honey, stir and simmer on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Step 4 – Remaining Ingredients: Put chickpeas, diced tomatoes, butternut squash, Thai red curry paste, ginger and jalapeno into the pot and cover and continue to simmer for 35-45 minutes or until the butternut squash is soft stirring occasionally.
Step 5 – Serve & Garnish: Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes to help it thicken. Serve over warm brown rice topped with fresh cilantro and naan bread.
Expert Tips for Butternut Squash Curry
- Get ahead and prepare all the vegetables earlier in the day, and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the curry.
- If the curry sauce is too thick, add a little vegetable broth or water to thin it down.
- Curry is a great make ahead dish and tastes even better when left to sit as all the flavors meld together and intensify. Make it up ahead of time then store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
- This recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you are feeding a larger group of diners, making it ideal for large family gatherings or game day.
Storage Tips
- Once cooked and cooled, store leftover curry in an airtight container for up to 5 days. When ready to enjoy, place into a pot and heat up on the stove top until piping hot.
- You can also freeze this vegetable curry, placing it into an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ
Thai red curry paste is a hot curry paste, but you can use a little less of it if you want a really mild curry. Alternatively you can use Thai yellow curry paste, or a milder Indian curry paste, try something like a butter chicken curry paste.
You can save time by buying pre-cubed butternut squash. You also can save-time by prepping all of the ingredients before making this dish.
More Vegetable Curry Recipes
Vegetarian
Cauliflower Curry Recipe
Vegetarian
Easy Eggplant Curry
Vegetarian
Easy Red Lentil Dahl Recipe
Vegetarian
Pumpkin Curry Recipe
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Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 13 ounce can coconut milk, Trader Joes has a great lite version
- 3 tablespoons creamy all natural peanut butter
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2×14 ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes, or use diced tomatoes
- 4-5 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped into cubes
- 1/3 cup Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped (optional for extra spice)
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot heat olive oil on medium heat and sauté garlic until translucent and fragrant. Add red pepper and continue to sauté for 5 minutes until red pepper begins to soften.
- Add curry powder, chili powder, turmeric and cayenne stirring to combine, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Now add the coconut milk, peanut butter and honey and simmer on medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Put chickpeas, diced tomatoes, butternut squash, Thai red curry paste, ginger and jalapeno into the pot and cover and continue to simmer for 35-45 minutes or until the butternut squash is soft stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes to help it thicken.
- Serve over warm brown rice topped with fresh cilantro and naan bread.
Notes
- You can substitute other squashes: Kabocha squash would be great. Also try sweet potato in place of squash which is great.
- You could easily add tofu or chicken into this dish for added protein.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Butternut Squash Chickpea Coconut Curry sounds incredibly delicious and nutritious! The combination of butternut squash, chickpeas, and warm spices like curry and turmeric with coconut milk and fresh ginger is perfect for a cozy meal. I love the flexibility of this recipe, allowing for substitutions like sweet potatoes or other squashes, and the option to adjust the spice level with jalapeno. Definitely a must-try for a healthy, hearty vegetarian dish!
What a great recipe. This would work so well with my recently Naan Bread I made.
What a great recipe.. this would work perfect with my recently Naan bread I made.
It really goes great with Naan!