Butternut squash and chickpea curry aka squash chickpea curry is a rich, creamy and vegan friendly curry which is perfect for the chilli days of autumn and winter season. It’s healthy, warm, full of flavours and utterly delicious. In this wholesome treat preparation, butternut squash cubes are cooked in spicy onion-tomato gravy along with chickpea, coconut milk and some spinach. This comforting delight is mostly served with rice or naan and can even be accompanied with couscous or quinoa. It could be a perfect Christmas recipe vegetarian to complement your dining table.
In the USA, UK, Europe and many other western countries, butternut squash is hugely popular, and they prepare various recipes with it. But many Asian countries and eastern subcontinents are not aware of this delicious vegetable squash.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Health Benefits of Butternut Squash
How to make Butternut Squash chickpea curry (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
What is Butternut squash?
Butternut squash is a winter squash which is also known as Butternut pumpkin and Gramma. It is a fleshy vegetable with thick and hard skin. It contains orange pulp inside with some white seeds. It tastes quite like pumpkin. It is sweet in taste and has a nutty flavour.
In nutshell, Butternut squash is a very versatile vegetable and hundreds of delectable dishes are prepared with it. It can even be cooked in multiple ways like roasted, baked, sautéed etc. It is used to prepare cakes, muffins, breads, soups, rice recipes, casseroles, pasta and many more.
Honestly, I am a huge fan of butternut squash and just loved the sweet taste and nutty flavour of it. During autumn, I regularly grab this squash in my shopping trolley to prepare different types of butternut squash recipes healthy. This Butternut squash and chickpea curry is one of our family favourites which is frequently prepared on weekend nights on demand.
This Squash chickpea curry has been a huge hit in our family from past three years on the Christmas eve. Everyone just loves it for its wholesome goodies and irresistible taste. Even my non-vegetarian friends couldn’t stop themselves to try the recipe. Since that success party, it has become mandatory to put Butternut squash and chickpea curry with coconut milk into the Christmas dinner party. I can guarantee you that this vegan curry will be a real treat for those who are not very fond of butternut squash.
Chickpea and butternut squash curry is a very simple and easy recipe. All the ingredients required to prepare this dish are easily available in any supermarket. The best part of the recipe is that it is highly customizable, and you can prepare it according to your own preference. If you don’t like to add greens, then you can skip spinach from the recipe. If you like more gravy, then you can prepare it accordingly. You can even substitute butternut squash with sweet potatoes.
You can prepare a big batch of chickpea butternut squash curry in advance and refrigerate it to enjoy it throughout the week. You can also freeze it for a month for later use. You can double or triple the recipe and prepare it for any party or get together.
Why to say YES to the Chickpea and butternut squash curry
- Its vegan friendly
- It’s healthy and loaded with wholesome goodies
- It is comforting, satisfying and super delicious
- Easy to make
- It is highly customizable
- Gluten free
- Super versatile and can be paired up with rice, flat bread, quinoa etc.
- Gets prepared within 1 hour
- Can be frozen for a month
Ingredients for Chickpea and butternut squash curry
Butternut squash: One of the primary ingredients of the recipe. The tender and sweet chunks of butternut squash complement the curry.
Chickpea: Another primary ingredient of the recipe which provides fibre and nice bite to the dish.
Coconut milk: It is a very important ingredient of the recipe which provides richness, creaminess, nutty flavour and irresistible taste to the dish.
Vegetable stock: In this curry recipe, the butternut squash is cooked in vegetable stock. You can also use plain water instead of stock. But vegetable stock gives better taste and flavour to the dish.
Onion & Ginger-Garlic: These are the most common ingredients used to give texture and flavour up the curry.
Tomato paste: I always use fresh tomato paste for the recipe. It makes the gravy thick and enhances its taste.
Spinach: Addition of spinach is completely optional but highly recommended. It makes the dish healthier and tastier.
Curry paste: I have prepared my own curry paste. I have used cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, paprika, turmeric powder and little bit of water to prepare the paste. You can directly use readymade curry powder too for the recipe. But this curry paste will give much better flavour to the curry.
Salt & black pepper: Both provide basic taste to the dish.
Oil: Any cooking oil can be used to prepare the curry. I have used olive oil, but you can also use coconut oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil etc.
Butternut squash chickpea curry with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. If you follow the steps precisely then you will get the perfectly balanced curry. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the recipe and the main ingredients of the recipe.
Health benefits of Butternut Squash
- Butternut squash is high in fibre which is good for constipation problems and improves digestion.
- It is full of antioxidants and Vitamin A which is good for our eyesight.
- It contains good amount of nutrients which helps to control the blood pressure level of our body.
- It contains iron, calcium, manganese, folate which helps to strengthen our bones.
- It is high in fibre and low in calories which makes it a good companion for weight loss journey.
- The Vitamin C present in the squash boosts the immunity system of our body.
Health benefits of chickpea
- They are full of fibre which is good for our digestive system.
- Chickpeas help to control many chronic diseases.
- The protein and fibre present in chickpeas help to control blood sugar.
- They are high in protein and low in calories which is excellent for weight loss.
- It helps to control our appetite.
- Chickpeas are powerhouse of nutrients. It contains iron, folate, copper, manganese and many other nutrients.
How to choose Butternut Squash?
There are few tricks to choose a perfectly ripe Butternut squash. If you are new at picking butternut squash, then first check its stem. If it is unbroken then it can be kept for longer. If the stem is not there, then the squash may ripe soon.
Secondly, check its skin colour. The darker shade of the skin is better. The presence of green patches might indicate that it is not fully ripen.
How to make Butternut Squash chickpea curry?
To prepare the butternut squash chickpea curry, first cut the butternut squash. Take the butternut squash and peel off the skin of the squash with a vegetable peeler. Then cut it in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Scope out the seeds with a spoon. Then cut them into medium sized cubes.
To prepare the curry paste, take a bowl and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and some water into it. Make a smooth paste of the spices and keep it aside.
Cut the tomatoes and transfer them into the jar of a grinder. Close the lid and pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
Chop onion and finely chop ginger and garlic cloves and keep them aside.
Now to prepare the squash chickpea curry, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add oil into the pan. Once the oil is hot, add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it become soft and translucent.
Then add finely chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the fresh tomato paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the edges get separated. Stir frequently.
Then add the curry paste and cook it in low flame for 1-2 minutes so the raw smell of spices gets disappear.
Add the diced butternut squash, salt and black pepper powder, one by one into the pan and give a nice mix.
Then add vegetable stock into the pan and stir it well. Close the lid of the pan and put the flame in low for 15-20 minutes until the butternut squash gets cooked completely.
Then add the coconut milk into the pan and give a nice stir. Add the rinsed chickpea into the pan and mix it. Then add the washed baby spinach into the pan and stir it. Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes then take off the lid. Stir in until all the spinach leaves get wilted. Switch off the flame.
Many butternut squash recipes healthy have already been shared in my previous post. You can check few of them like
Hasselback butternut squash
Butternut squash soup recipe
Butternut squash spinach curry
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250ml
For the curry paste
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for butternut squash chickpea curry
- 1 medium Butternut squash
- 2 X 400 grams canned Chickpea, rinsed and drained
- 200 grams Baby Spinach, washed
- 1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
- 1-inch Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes for paste
- 400 ml Coconut milk can
- 375ml Vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil for cooking
Instructions:
- Take the butternut squash and peel off the skin of the squash with a vegetable peeler.
- Cut it in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Scope out the seeds with a spoon. Then cut them into medium sized cubes.
- Take a jar of a grinder and add tomato chunks into it. Close the lid and pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- Take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder into it. Mix all the spices and 2 tablespoons of water into it. Mix the content thoroughly and make a smooth paste of the spices. Keep it aside.
- Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons oil into the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it become soft and translucent.
- Add finely chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the fresh tomato paste (Step 3) into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the edges get separated. Stir frequently.
- Add the curry paste (Step 4) and cook it in low flame for 1-2 minutes so the raw smell of spices gets disappear.
- Add the diced butternut squash, salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder one by one into the pan and give a nice mix.
- Add 375ml vegetable stock into the pan and stir it well. Close the lid of the pan and put the flame in medium low. Simmer it for 15-20 minutes until the butternut squash gets cooked completely.
- Add 400ml coconut milk into the pan and give a nice stir.
- Add the rinsed and drained canned chickpea into the pan and mix it well.
- Add 200 grams washed baby spinach into the pan and stir it. Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes then take off the lid. Stir in until all the spinach leaves get wilted.
- Switch off the flame and the now it’s ready to serve.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the butternut squash chickpea curry into a serving bowl. Serve hot or warm to enjoy its best taste. Pair up the succulent dish with rice or flat bread and enjoy the healthy and cosy meal.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250ml
For the curry paste
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for butternut squash chickpea curry
- 1 medium Butternut squash
- 2 X 400 grams canned Chickpea, rinsed and drained
- 200 grams Baby Spinach, washed
- 1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
- inch Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes for paste
- 400 ml Coconut milk can
- 375ml Vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil for cooking
Instructions
- Take the butternut squash and peel off the skin of the squash with a vegetable peeler.
- Cut it in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Scope out the seeds with a spoon. Then cut them into medium sized cubes.
- Take a jar of a grinder and add tomato chunks into it. Close the lid and pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- Take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder into it. Mix all the spices and 2 tablespoons of water into it. Mix the content thoroughly and make a smooth paste of the spices. Keep it aside.
- Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons oil into the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it become soft and translucent.
- Add finely chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the fresh tomato paste (Step 3) into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the edges get separated. Stir frequently.
- Add the curry paste (Step 4) and cook it in low flame for 1-2 minutes so the raw smell of spices gets disappear.
- Add the diced butternut squash, salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder one by one into the pan and give a nice mix.
- Add 375ml vegetable stock into the pan and stir it well. Close the lid of the pan and put the flame in medium low. Simmer it for 15-20 minutes until the butternut squash gets cooked completely.
- Add 400ml coconut milk into the pan and give a nice stir.
- Add the rinsed and drained canned chickpea into the pan and mix it well.
- Add 200 grams washed baby spinach into the pan and stir it. Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes then take off the lid. Stir in until all the spinach leaves get wilted.
- Switch off the flame and the now it’s ready to serve.
