Red lentil and butternut squash curry aka butternut squash lentil 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 red lentils, coconut milk and some spices. This comforting delight is mostly served with rice or naan and can even be accompanied by 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 unaware of this delicious vegetable squash.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Health Benefits of Butternut Squash
How to make red Lentils and Butternut squash curry (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
What is Butternut squash?
Butternut squash is a winter squash 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, bread, soups, rice recipes, casseroles, pasta and many more.
Honestly, I am a huge fan of butternut squash and just loved its sweet taste and nutty flavour. During autumn, I regularly grab this squash in my shopping trolley to prepare different types of butternut squash recipes healthy. This butternut squash lentil curry is one of our family favourites and is frequently prepared on weekend nights on demand.
This squash lentil curry has been a huge hit in our family for the past few years. Everyone just loves it for its wholesome goodies and irresistible taste. Even my non-vegetarian friends couldn’t stop themselves to try the recipe. I can guarantee you that this squash lentil curry will be a real treat for those who are not very fond of butternut squash.
Red lentil 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 like to add some greens, then you can add spinach to 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 butternut squash lentil 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 say YES to the red lentil and butternut squash curry
- It’s 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, flatbread, quinoa etc.
- Gets prepared within 1 hour
- Can be frozen for a month
Ingredients for red lentil 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.
Red lentil aka masoor dal: Another primary ingredient of the recipe which provides fibre and excellent taste and texture 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 a 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.
Ground spices: I have used curry powder, cumin powder, and turmeric powder. You can directly use readymade curry powder too for the recipe.
Salt: It provides a basic taste to the dish.
Cayenne paste: It provides a heaty 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.
Red lentil and butternut squash 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 a perfectly balanced curry. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting facts about the recipe and the main ingredient 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 a good amount of nutrients which help to control the blood pressure level of our body.
- It contains iron, calcium, manganese, and folate which help to strengthen our bones.
- It is high in fibre and low in calories which make it a good companion for the weight loss journey.
- The Vitamin C present in the squash boosts the immunity system of our body.
How to choose Butternut Squash?
There are a few tricks to choosing 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 item is not there, then the squash may be 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 ripened.
How to make red lentils and butternut squash curry?
To prepare red lentils and butternut squash 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. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Then cut them into medium-sized cubes.
Rinse the red lentils twice and soak them with fresh water for an hour. In this way, the red lentils get cooked very quickly. But you can directly rinse the red lentils and use them for the recipe.
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 on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
Then add finely chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it on low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the fresh tomato paste into the pan and cook it on a medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the edges get separated. Stir frequently.
Then add the curry powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and cayenne paste, one by one into the pan and cook it on low flame for 1-2 minutes so the raw smell of spices disappears.
Add the diced butternut squash into the pan and give a nice mix. Then add the soaked red lentils into the pan.
Then add vegetable stock, coconut milk, and salt, one by one into the pan and stir it well. Close the lid of the pan and put the flame on low for 20-25 minutes until the butternut squash and red lentils get cooked completely.
Then add chopped coriander leaves into the pan and stir it. Cover the pan for a few seconds and then switch off the flame.
Many butternut squash recipes healthy have already been shared in my previous post. You can check a few of them like
Hasselback butternut squash
Butternut squash soup recipe
Butternut squash spinach curry
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250ml
- 1 medium Butternut squash
- 200 grams red Lentils
- 400 ml Coconut milk can
- 500 ml Vegetable stock
- 1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
- 1inch Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes for paste
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne paste
- 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Curry powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 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.
- Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add chopped onions into the pan and cook it on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add finely chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it on 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 on a medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the edges get separated. Stir frequently.
- Add 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, and 1 teaspoon cayenne paste, one by one into the pan and cook it on low flame for 1-2 minutes so the raw smell of spices disappears.
- Add the diced butternut squash into the pan and give a nice mix.
- Add the soaked red lentils into the pan.
- Add 500 ml vegetable stock, 400 ml coconut milk, and salt, one by one into the pan and stir it well. Close the lid of the pan and put the flame on low for 20-25 minutes until the butternut squash and red lentils get cooked completely.
- Add 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves into the pan and stir it. Cover the pan for a few seconds and then switch off the flame.
- Now it’s ready to serve.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the red lentil and butternut squash 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 a healthy and cosy meal.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250ml
- 1 medium Butternut squash
- 200 grams red Lentils
- 400 ml Coconut milk can
- 500 ml Vegetable stock
- 1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
- 1inch Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes for paste
- 1 teaspoon Canyon paste
- 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Curry powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 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.
- Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add chopped onions into the pan and cook it on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add finely chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it on 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 on a medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the edges get separated. Stir frequently.
- Add 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, and 1 teaspoon canyon paste, one by one into the pan and cook it on low flame for 1-2 minutes so the raw smell of spices disappears.
- Add the diced butternut squash into the pan and give a nice mix.
- Add the soaked red lentils into the pan.
- Add 500 ml vegetable stock, 400 ml coconut milk, and salt, one by one into the pan and stir it well. Close the lid of the pan and put the flame on low for 20-25 minutes until the butternut squash and red lentils get cooked completely.
- Add 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves into the pan and stir it. Cover the pan for a few seconds and then switch off the flame.
- Now it’s ready to serve.
