A comforting, creamy and super delicious butternut squash curry with chickpea makes an ideal vegan dinner. It is a vegan, gluten-free and nut-free Indian curry that pairs well with flatbreads and plain rice. This flavourful curry is made with basic ingredients that you would probably have in your pantry.
Planning a curry night? Then this flavourful squash curry is perfect to have on the menu. You can make this curry ahead of time 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. In fact, this protein rich pulses 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.
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Ingredients
- 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.
Instructions
Drain the liquid from the chickpea tin, wash chickpeas under tap water and keep it aside.
Heat the oil in a pot/saucepan 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 butternut squash cubes, stir well and close the pot with the lid.
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 coconut milk, close the pot with 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 curry with rice or flatbread.
Check out air fryer butternut squash recipe 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.
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 stock or water.
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
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.
Keep an eye 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. Ensure to stir regularly to prevent this from happening again.
Lime juice adds zing and enhances the flavour. Ensure to add it at the end just before you switch the heat off.
Storage
This squash curry stays fresh for 3 days if stored properly in the fridge.
It stays good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Divide leftover curry into appropriate portions and keep them in a freezer-friendly container. Put the containers in the freezer and use them up within 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
Butternut squash curry pairs well with plain rice, chapati or naan.
Serve it with rice/chapati, simple side dishes such as bombay aloo or aloo gobi, pickle or pachadi 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 to 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.
More curry recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
1 cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 2 Teaspoons Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 178 gms Onion
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 320 gms Tomato Puree
- 556 gms 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 Coconut Milk
- 230 gms Canned Chickpea
- Salt
- Lime Juice from half a lime
Instructions
- Scroll up a little and check the tips and tricks for extra info and help.
- Drain the liquid from the chickpea tin, wash chickpeas under tap water and keep it aside.230 gms Canned Chickpea
- Heat the oil in a pot/saucepan over medium-low heat.2 Teaspoons Oil
- Once the oil is hot, add the cumin and let it sizzle for a few seconds.1 Teaspoon Cumin
- Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until they start browning.178 gms Onion
- Now add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for a couple of minutes until the raw aroma vanishes.1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- Mix in the tomato puree, stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes.320 gms Tomato Puree
- Now add the dry spices- turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander and cumin powder. 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 butternut squash cubes, stir well and close the pot with the lid.556 gms 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 coconut milk, close the pot with lid and simmer for 20 minutes.400 ml Coconut Milk
- After 20 minutes, take the lid off the pot. Add the chickpeas, salt, lime juice and stir well.230 gms Canned Chickpea, Salt, Lime Juice
- Enjoy piping hot butternut squash curry with rice or flatbread.
Nutrition
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Do let me know if you make this easy vegan butternut squash curry. I love hearing from you all. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or in the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online.
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