Butternut Squash Curry (30 minutes)
With a few good shortcuts, this flavor-packed butternut squash curry can be on the table in 30 minutes for a perfect weeknight dinner. Rich, creamy, spicy deliciousness.
The star of the dish is a flavorful sauce, made with tomato sauce, coconut milk, curry paste, curry powder, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, and a dash of maple syrup.
What to expect
Before I start this recipe, I put up some rice – it’s the perfect accompaniment. By the time the curry is ready, dinner is served.
The recipe uses simple ingredients found in most grocery stores. The squash cooks right in the sauce, so there’s no need to roast it in advance. And be sure to check out the variations, including time savers.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Butternut squash: Buy it pre-cut and cubed or peel and cut it up yourself. You can even use frozen cubed butternut squash (see Shortcuts).
Tomato sauce: I use a basic tomato or Marinara sauce.
Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk gives the sauce rich and creamy texture. If you prefer a mellower sauce, add a bit more. For a stronger tomato flavor, add less.
Red curry paste: adds classic Thai flavors to the dish. You can vary the heat in the recipe with more or less curry paste or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Spinach: I always add spinach because it makes the dish a complete one pot meal with extra nutrition. Use fresh baby spinach or frozen spinach (thawed in microwave and squeezed dry with paper towels).
Substitutes
- Butternut squash: If you don’t have or like butternut squash, substitute cauliflower, green beans or cooked chickpeas. These will cook more quickly.
- Spinach: Omit the spinach if you like or replace it with swiss chard or kale.
- Tomato Sauce: Instead, you can use diced tomatoes and cook them a little longer. My favorites are San Marzano or fire roasted tomatoes.
Variations and enhancements
- Add canned chickpeas or firm tofu.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley before serving.
- Stir in a tablespoon or more of peanut butter into the sauce.
- Serve the squash curry over rice, quinoa, farro or bulgar.
Step by step instructions
Recipe
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Butternut Squash Curry (30-Minutes)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1/2 can coconut milk, unsweetened (about 1 cup/237ml)
- 2 cups tomato sauce, Note 1
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 pound butternut squash, diced 1/2 inch/1.27cm, Note 2 (about 2 1/2-3 cups)
- 3 cups (90g) roughly chopped baby spinach (or 250 g frozen, thawed, water squeezed out)
Instructions
- SAUTÉ SPICES AND AROMATICS: Heat olive oil in medium skillet on medium heat. Add seasonings and stir for 2 minutes.2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoon red curry paste
- ADD LIQUIDS, TOMATOES AND SQUASH: : Stir in coconut milk, tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes), honey and squash. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until squash is tender. If using diced tomatoes, you may have to uncover and cook a bit longer to reduce the liquid more.
- FINISH AND SERVE: Add fresh spinach and stir until wilted – or stir in squeezed-dry thawed spinach until heated through – about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasonings (curry, salt, pepper, honey, etc). Sauce will thicken on standing or by the time you serve it. Serve over rice or quinoa. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to several days.
Recipe Notes
- Tomato sauce – I use a basic Marinara sauce, but other plain tomato sauces will work fine too. Or use a15 oz (503ml) can of diced tomatoes like San Marzano, which you may need to cook a bit longer (uncovered) to thicken.Â
- Butternut squash shortcuts: Buy pre-cut and cubed squash. You can even use frozen cubed butternut squash (cooks in less time as the cubes are much smaller). Or substitute cauliflower, green beans or cooked chickpeas, which will cook more quickly.Â
- Variations:
- SubstitutesÂ
- Use a half-inch of freshly grated ginger instead of ginger powder.
- Replace the spinach with swiss chard or kale.
- Add-ins
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsleyÂ
- Stir in a tablespoon or more of peanut butter.
- Add canned chickpeas or firm tofu.
- Serve the squash curry over rice, quinoa, farro or bulgar.
- SubstitutesÂ
- Make Ahead/Reheat/Freeze
- Make the squash curry recipe up to 2-3 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. If you want the spinach to look vibrant, add it only when you are reheating the dish.
- Reheat leftovers on the stove (with a bit of liquid to thin it out) and stir in the fresh spinach until wilted. If you’re not fussy about the color of the spinach turning dull, just make the whole thing and warm it up in the microwave.
- Freeze the squash curry if you like – up to 3 months. Some say the coconut milk can get a bit grainy but the taste won’t be affected.
Nutrition
What to serve with butternut squash curry
I love to serve it over basmati rice, coconut Jasmine rice or quinoa with a side salad which you can prepare while the squash is cooking. Or instead, try serving the squash curry over nutritious bulgur or farro. For a colorful side dish, try these 5-minute microwave green beans.
If you’re feeling a bit more ambitious, make our easy naan bread for dipping. Really good! Of course, you can always buy some 🙂 or use any warm crusty bread for dipping into the sauce.
Shortcuts
Butternut squash shortcuts
- Buy packaged fresh butternut squash that is already peeled and cut up (huge time saver!). I still cut the pieces smaller to 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) so they cook more quickly and evenly.
- Or, even quicker, buy frozen butternut squash which is diced very small and will cook very quickly.
- Instead of the squash, try cauliflower, green beans or chick peas which will cut the cooking time at least in half.
Spinach shortcut: Buy fresh baby spinach that is pre-washed.
Garlic: I often use frozen crushed garlic cubes (1 cube = one clove or teaspoon) – so convenient.
Recipe FAQs
Check out this Bon Appetit article on curry – curry powder, curry paste and other curry products – if you are interested.
Thai curries use lighter spices, curry pastes, and lemongrass with coconut milk, avoiding dairy. Indian curries often include yogurt or cream for a thicker texture and use spices like cinnamon and cumin. They frequently incorporate tomatoes. For more details, check out an article by Asia Highlights on the differences between Thai curries and Indian curries. .
Absolutely. Coconut milk will keep in the freezer for a least a month. A good way to freeze leftover coconut milk is to put it in freezer trays. When frozen, transfer the cubes to a sealed bag or freezer-safe container.
Other easy curry recipes
- coconut curry salmon
- easy gnocchi recipe Indian-style
- Indian butter chicken recipe (sous vide or regular)
Looking for more vegetarian meals? Explore our Meatless Monday dinner ideas or our collection delicious meals under 400 calories. Variety without sacrifice!
This recipe was inspired by Pinch of Yum and A Virtual Vegan.
