Easy Butternut Squash Curry

This divine butternut squash curry is one of my favorite fall recipes. It has so much to offer, with loads of nutrition, an incredible interplay of spicy, tangy, sweet flavors and – importantly – easy prep, easy cooking and easy cleanup. I am a big fan of curry, thanks to my Indian roots, and I know so many of you love easy curry recipes too, like this fantastic vegetable curry, this flavorful coconut curry, this spicy mushroom curry, this hearty pumpkin curry and this delicious chickpea curry. Now add to that list this easy butternut squash curry, which is just as yummy. I like getting help where I can, especially on busy weeknights, so I usually make this butternut squash curry with pre-cut organic butternut squash cubes I buy off the shelf. That cuts down prep work to a fraction, but if you want you can definitely cut your own butternut squash. You will have to factor in an additional 10 to 15 minutes for that. Try this recipe over a bed of brown or white rice for a delicious, truly satisfying meal.

Why you’ll love this butternut squash curry

Vivid flavors. The butternut squash and coconut milk add an exquisite and mellow sweetness, the cayenne and garam masala add spice and the tomatoes add tang. Cilantro gives the curry a pop of fresh flavor. You will really love all the different flavors in this recipe. So healthy. There’s nothing in this recipe that’s not good for you. And there are so many vitamins and nutrients from the fresh and pantry ingredients added to the curry. Easy prep and cleanup. With just one pot needed and with most of the ingredients coming out of a jar or a can you don’t have much to do. And who doesn’t love that? Customizable recipe. You can tweak the recipe to add more veggies or more protein to it. Read the “variations” section below for ideas. Friendly to all diets–gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and vegan. Adults and kids alike will love this recipe.

Ingredients

Coconut oil. Any vegetable oil would be a fine substitute. Mustard seeds. These add a lovely savory quality that weds perfectly with the sweet butternut squash. Onion. I like using red onion or shallots in this recipe because they add more savory flavor, but yellow onions are fine too. Cilantro. Cilantro or coriander leaves add freshness but also a hint of spice when you fry them early in the curry making process, as we will do here. Ginger garlic paste. These spicy herbs, so quintessential to Indian cooking, strengthen the flavor base and are indispensable in this curry. Cayenne. Or any red chili powder. Try and use a moderately hot pepper. You can vary the quantity depending on your preference for heat, but I love about a teaspoon here. Turmeric. Also an essential spice in this curry with Indian flavors. It adds a lovely aroma, color and healthfulness. Ground coriander. Ground coriander has a lemony freshness that is lovely in this curry. Ground cumin. The flavor of earthy cumin weds beautifully with he sweet butternut squash. Butternut squash. The star of the show, the sweet, mellow flavor of butternut squash makes this curry absolutely spectacular. You can use another winter squash, like pumpkin or acorn, if you want to. Coconut milk. Canned, full-fat coconut milk makes this sauce creamy and sweet and oh so delicious. Garam masala. Garam masala adds a lovely complexity to this curry, making it taste like something that took way more than 30 minutes to make. Tomatoes. In this curry we stir in the tomatoes toward the end of cooking, much as you would in a Kerala vegetable moilee, so they retain their sweetness and some of their texture, while adding fresh, tangy flavor. Salt to taste.

How to make butternut squash curry (step by step with photos)

Variations

You can make this curry with other orange-fleshed winter squash like acorn squash or pumpkin. You can also add 4 cups of any chopped greens, including Swiss chard, spinach and kale to the curry, or substitute half the butternut squash with sweet potatoes or potatoes or zucchini for more complexity and depth. To add some protein to the recipe you can stir in a 14 oz can of lentils or chickpeas (drained and rinsed). Or add 14 oz extra firm tofu cubes to the curry after adding the tomatoes. If you don’t have garam masala, curry powder makes a decent substitute. Curry leaves, if you have them, can be substituted for the portion of cilantro added to the pot after sauteing the onions. They will add lovely flavor to the curry. If you can’t use coconut milk, you can substitute with cashew cream made by blending ½ cup cashews with 1 ½ cups water. Coconut milk tastes best in this curry, however, so use it if you can.