A comforting, creamy and super delicious chickpea butternut squash curry makes an ideal vegan dinner. It is a vegan, gluten-free and nut-free Indian curry that pairs well with any flatbread and plain rice. This flavourful butternut squash and chickpea curry is made with basic ingredients that you would probably have in your pantry.
Planning a curry night? Then this flavourful and easy chickpea and butternut squash curry with coconut milk is perfect to have on the menu. You can make this curry ahead of time as part of meal prep and store it in the fridge. Perhaps this curry tastes even better and more flavourful the next day or the subsequent days as the flavours mingle and develop a better taste.
A canned chickpea is a staple in many households. This protein-rich pulse is much loved for its versatility. Turn this bland pulse into a healthy, simple chickpea salad, shape them into veggie chickpea patties, and make a delicious street-side snack chana chaat. On busy weeknights, make a simple and nutritious chickpea spinach curry. There are various options to turn this humble pulse into something amazing.
Why You’ll Love This Squash Curry?
One pot, pantry staples: no special equipment, no hard to find ingredients.
Vegan and gluten free: no substitutions needed for most diets.
Tastes better the next day: freezer and meal prep friendly.
Kid friendly: spices can be adjusted to suit kids.
Notes On Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Vegetables: butternut squash, onion, tomato puree, ginger garlic paste, lime/lemon. I use fresh tomato puree but feel free to use store bought pureed tomato.
- Whole and Dry Spices: cumin, cumin powder (ground cumin), coriander powder (ground coriander), garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder.
- Liquids: oil and coconut milk.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Cook Chickpea Butternut Squash Curry?
As always, I recommend watching the recipe video and checking out these step-by-step instructions first. Then you can find the full recipe with the exact measurements in the recipe card below!
Drain the liquid from the chickpea tin, wash chickpea under tap water and keep it aside.
Heat the oil in a pot/ skillet over medium-low heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the cumin and let it sizzle for a few seconds.
Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until they start browning.
Now add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for a couple of minutes until the raw aroma vanishes.
Mix in the tomato puree, stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Now add the dry spices- turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander and cumin powder. Stir until well combined. Reduce the heat, mix in the cubed butternut squash, stir well and close the pot with the lid.
Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the squash is half-cooked. Ensure to stir regularly to prevent the squash from sticking to the base of the pot.
Now increase the heat slightly, stir in the coconut milk, close the pot with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, take the lid off the pot. Add the chickpeas, salt, lime juice and stir well.
Enjoy piping hot butternut squash chickpea curry with rice or flatbread.
Check out air fryer butternut squash and butternut squash black eyed peas salad recipes on the blog.
Substitutions
Chickpeas – canned chickpeas could be swapped for dried ones. Soak chickpeas overnight or at least 6 hours, drain water and cook with fresh water until soft.
Squash – frozen squash could be used instead of fresh if you have it on hand.
Spices – use any curry paste or curry powder instead of dry spices if you don’t have all the spices in the pantry.
Tomato Puree – feel free to use passata or tomato paste instead of fresh tomato puree.
Lemon Juice – lemon juice could be used instead of lime.
Variations
Add green chillies for a spicy kick.
Swap the squash for pumpkin or sweet potato for flavour variation.
If you feel coconut flavour is overpowering then replace half the quality of coconut milk with vegetable broth or water.
I have used full fat coconut milk but feel free to use low fat milk instead.
For a pronounced coconut flavour stir in a spoon of coconut cream just before you switch the heat off.
Leafy vegetables such as spinach and methi (fenugreek leaves) make a healthy addition.
Tips and Tricks
Consistency: If you want your curry to be a little thick, then boil it a little longer with a lid open until the curry reaches your desired consistency.
Stir regularly: Keep an eye on it while sautéing, as the onion or spices might stick to the base of the pan. In that case, just add a splash of water and continue cooking. Stir regularly to prevent this from happening again.
Lime juice: It adds zing and enhances the flavour of the curry. Add it at the end, just before you switch the heat off.
Squash: Cut butternut squash into equal sizes for even cooking.
Storage
Leftover squash curry keeps well for 3 days if stored properly in a clean airtight container in the fridge.
Reheat the curry in a microwave or a pot over the stovetop.
Serving Suggestions
Butternut squash curry pairs well with plain rice, aloo palak paratha without stuffing, moringa leaves paratha, spinach chapati or naan.
Serve it with rice, chapati/masala roti, simple side dishes such as Bombay aloo or aloo gobi, mango pickle or pachadi, cucumber raita and crispy poppadums for a filling Indian meal.
Ways To Use Up Leftover Curry
If you do not want to store and eat the same curry the next day, then repurpose it into a spiced squash soup. Just blend it until smooth, reheat and enjoy the soup with crispy roasted baby potatoes, baked potato wedges or maple roasted carrots for a filling meal or pair it with garlic bread.
FAQ
Yes, you can store curry to use on busy weekdays. It stays good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Divide leftover curry into desired portions and place each portion in a freezer-friendly container. Put the containers in the freezer and use them up within 3 months.
Frozen squash could be used when squash is out of season or on busy weekdays as it eliminates the process of peeling and chopping fresh squash. However, you have to thaw the squash before using it in the curry. So pre-planning is essential.
Yes, in an Instant Pot, sautè everything except chickpeas in sautè mode, pressure cook for 6-8 mins, then quick release and stir in chickpeas.
Absolutely. Flavour improves overnight as the spices settle in. This curry stays well for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge and reheats very well.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you try this protein-rich butternut squash chickpea curry recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
1 cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 178 gms (or) 1 cup onion
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 320 gms (or) 1.25 cups tomato puree
- 556 gms (or) 3 cups butternut squash peeled, deseeded and diced into chunks
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1.5 teaspoon chilli powder/cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 400 ml (or) 1.25 cups coconut milk
- 230 gms (or) 1.5 cups canned chickpea
- salt
- lime juice from half a lime
Instructions
- Drain the liquid from the chickpea tin, wash 230 gms (or) 1.5 cups canned chickpea under tap water and keep it aside.230 gms (or) 1.5 cups canned chickpea
- Heat the 2 teaspoons oil in a pot/saucepan over medium-low heat.2 teaspoons oil
- Once the oil is hot, add the 1 teaspoon cumin and let it sizzle for a few seconds.1 teaspoon cumin
- Add the 178 gms (or) 1 cup onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until it starts browning.178 gms (or) 1 cup onion
- Now add the 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste and cook for a couple of minutes until the raw aroma vanishes.1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- Mix in the 320 gms (or) 1.25 cups tomato puree, stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes.320 gms (or) 1.25 cups tomato puree
- Now add the dry spices- ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1.5 teaspoon chilli powder/cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander) and 1 teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin). Stir until well combined.½ teaspoon turmeric, 1.5 teaspoon chilli powder/cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander), ½ teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
- Reduce the heat, mix in the 556 gms (or) 3 cups butternut squash cubes, stir well and close the pot with the lid.556 gms (or) 3 cups butternut squash
- Cook for 5-8 minutes or until the squash is half cooked. Ensure to stir regularly to prevent the squash from sticking to the base of the pot.
- Now increase the heat slightly, stir in the 400 ml (or) 1.25 cups coconut milk, close the pot with lid and simmer for 20 minutes.400 ml (or) 1.25 cups coconut milk
- After 20 minutes, take the lid off the pot. Add the chickpeas, salt, lime juice and stir well.230 gms (or) 1.5 cups canned chickpea, salt, lime juice
- Enjoy piping hot butternut squash curry with rice or flatbread.
Notes
Nutrition
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Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
