Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry with Coconut Milk

The squash curry with coconut milk is relatively simple to make and doesn’t take much time to cook, except for cutting up butternut squash.  If you’re new to cutting winter squash I have instructions below.  It can be substituted with store-bought fresh or frozen pre-chopped butternut squash to cut down on time.  

If you enjoy using winter squash in cozy curries, I have a curry chickpea butternut squash soup using yellow curry powder instead of red curry paste. For more curry recipes try black bean curry, creamy potato curry with coconut milk, vegan yellow curry with mixed vegetables, or red lentil dahl.

How to pick a butternut squash

Butternut squash is a winter squash that can sometimes be found at the store year-round, but it’s best in the early fall through winter months.  Winter squashes have thick skin and can be stored for long periods.  Look for one with no green spots, mold, or bruises.  A few scratches or nicks are fine, but no deep cuts. It should feel heavy for its size. 

How to cut a butternut squash

1.  Cut ¼-1/2 inch off the top and the bottom ends.  

2.  Hold the squash in one hand and use a vegetable peeler to peel the outer skin.  Remove the top tough layer and most of the white portion underneath.  Make sure to run the peeler over it a couple of times to get down to the orange layer.

3.  Stand the squash upright and cut down the middle lengthways. Be careful!

4.  Remove the seeds and pulp with a spoon.

5.  Cube the squash by laying the cut side down on the cutting board and cut into strips, then cut the strips into cubes.

Ingredient notes

Here's a list of ingredients you’ll need to make the creamy butternut squash chickpea curry with coconut milk along with substitutions and tips for each ingredient.  Please see the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Red onion - Can be substituted with a white or yellow onion.

Jalapeño - Adds more heat.  To somewhat reduce the heat, remove the seeds and membrane.  To really reduce the heat of the dish leave the jalapeño out.  I use jalapeños because they’re easy to find but can be substituted with your favorite chile peppers.

Garlic cloves - Crush or mince the garlic.

Fresh ginger - If you don’t use fresh ginger often, it can be stored in the freezer.  I peel it, then freeze it whole.  There’s no need to thaw, just grate what you need with a Microplane while it’s still frozen.  It’s also much easier to grate while frozen.

Red curry paste - It will depend on your spice preference and brand.  If you’re using Maesri red curry paste or another brand that you know is spicy, start with 3 tablespoons.  If you’re using a milder brand like Thai Kitchen, start with 4 tablespoons. Also to keep the dish vegan, check the ingredients of your curry paste for fish or shrimp sauce.

Butternut squash - Use 2 pounds and peel and cube the winter vegetable.  It will get blended to make the curry creamy. 

Fire-roasted tomatoes - If you can’t find fire-roasted, try a can of diced tomatoes.  The fire-roasted variety is more flavorful, but it’s better to substitute them than to leave them out.

Coconut milk - I use full-fat coconut milk to give the curry more body.  Light coconut milk can also be used.

Tamari - This adds saltiness and can be substituted with low-sodium soy sauce.

Chickpeas - Canned chickpeas can be substituted with 3 cups of cooked chickpeas.  If you don't have chickpeas, try white beans.

Two handfuls of baby spinach or kale - Either of the fresh greens can be used.  Kale will take longer to cook than spinach.

Lime - Add the juice of one lime after the curry has cooked to give it some acidity.  This can be substituted with about 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.

Tips

• For this vegan butternut squash curry, I use 2 pounds of butternut squash.  Peeling and scooping the seeds out only reduces the weight by a few ounces so look for around a 2-pound squash at the store.
• Two pounds of squash is around 6 cups of cubed squash.  
• Any leftover cubed squash can be frozen; use leftovers in a curry butternut squash chickpea soup or butternut squash Buddha bowl.
• To make the flavorful butternut squash chickpea curry quicker than what’s listed in the recipe, buy fresh or frozen pre-cut squash.
• If the curry is too thick for your liking, add a little vegetable stock to thin it out.  Don’t use too much, you don’t want to dilute the flavors.
• Keep the curry covered while cooking to prevent too much liquid evaporation.  Even covered, a wide short-sided pan will probably have more evaporation than a tall pot.

Instructions

Start the chickpea butternut squash with coconut milk by preheating a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, cook the onion and jalapeño with a pinch of salt until the onion starts to become translucent.  For oil-free cooking, add a tablespoon of water at a time if the onion sticks to prevent burning (or use a neutral-tasting oil).

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for about 1 minute.  Then add 3-4 tablespoons (depending on preferred spice level) of red curry paste and mix into the onions.  Cook for about 1 minute.  Lower the heat if needed to prevent things from burning.

Then add the cubed butternut squash, tomatoes, coconut milk, tamari, and salt, and mix them together.  Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.  Cook covered for 20-25 minutes or until the squash is soft, stirring occasionally.

Blend half of the curry to make it creamy; use an immersion blender, a regular blender, or mash some of the pieces of squash with a spoon against the side of the pot.

Add the chickpeas and a bunch of fresh spinach (or kale) and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, then add the lime juice.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the chickpea butternut squash curry with white rice, brown rice, or try jasmine rice.

Storage

Store leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days.  If you’re using leftovers for lunch, I usually store them with rice.  If you want to make it ahead of time for a guest or a potluck, I would store the rice separately.  The delicious vegetable curry can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers for about 2-3 months.  Don't freeze it with rice.

Related recipes

• Creamy black bean curry

I hope you enjoy this butternut squash curry recipe! If you like it, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.