This Vegan Butternut Squash Curry is a warm, super flavorful curry filled with delicious roasted butternut squash and nutrient-rich greens. Easy, nourishing and so comforting!
This dish is simply made too. The butternut squash roasts in the oven while you prepare the easy sauce and if you like, cook some rice to go alongside the curry. The roasting of the butternut squash provides light browning, so there’s some crispy caramelization action going on to give additional flavor. Also, this process gives some great texture to the dish, where the butternut squash combines deliciously with the smooth sauce.
Another reason I love this dish is the nourishment factor. It’s loaded with greens, and I use collard greens in here but you can easily substitute kale or spinach.
Plus, it would make a great meal prep to have in the fridge for a few days, and the leftovers are arguably even better. I love it when that happens! Making a big batch of this comforting curry will be a frequent activity in our house, as it was a big hit with the family and is so easy to prepare.
why I love this Vegan Butternut Squash Curry
- it’s so creamy and comforting
- it’s filled with veggies
- the sauce is soooo simple to make
- it’s made with pantry spices and other pantry items like canned coconut milk and tomato sauce
- it’s extremely flavorful
- you can dial up the spicy heat level really easily by adding red chili flakes
- the spice level is mild in the recipe as written, so it’s good for those that don’t like spicy heat
The breakdown on breaking down butternut squash
You can easily buy peeled and chopped butternut squash at the grocery store. This is located in the produce area, usually where they store the pre-chopped vegetables. However, if you’re adventurous with a knife, want to save some money, or want to buy butternut squash in a less perishable manner, then you can break down the butternut squash yourself.
That last reason has been a big factor for us recently, as we aren’t going to the grocery store as often and thought it made sense to get a few butternut squashes and keep them in the pantry. They last for a while like this, so they won’t go bad in a few days, like the pre-chopped butternut squash sometimes will.
- So first, get yourself a sharp knife and a really stable surface. You don’t want a cutting board that will slide! Or a dull knife that may make cutting yourself more likely.
- Cut the butternut squash cross-wise, just at the area where the bottom gets larger.
3. Now, peel the squash using a peeler if you have it. For me, it’s easier than peeling the squash with a knife.
4. Then, slice the squash into large slices around the inner seeded area shown below. It doesn’t matter too much if you do cross-wise or length-wise, whatever is easiest for you.
5. Then cut the pieces into smaller chunks, and make sure to try and have the chunks be as uniform in size as possible. It’s okay if they are slightly different shape, but having them similar sizes will better ensure that they cook in the same timing to avoid having some pieces completely cooked while other bigger pieces are still under-cooked.
items that helped make this dish
It’s key to have a stable, non-slip surface when you’re chopping, especially for denser items like a butternut squash. These grippy cutting board really help in that respect. Alternatively, you can place a dampened washcloth or kitchen towel under your cutting board to help keep it in place.
OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
These are great baking trays for your roasting and baking needs, coupled with the liners. We use them ALL the time at our house.
Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet (2 Pack), Silver
AmazonBasics Silicone, Non-Stick, Food Safe Baking Mat – Pack of 2
We love to serve curries, stews, pastas and such in these types of bowls. They’re a great size and shape for these types of dishes, as well as nourish bowls and salads. We have found that they’re light and durable too, which are always a major plus!
Corelle Winter Frost White 20-Ounce Bowl Set (6-Piece)
This spice box is so handy, and looks pretty darn nice too. We use this for the Indian-inspired dishes that I make quite frequently.
Vegan Butternut Squash Curry
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups butternut squash cut in 2 cm cubes
- oil, salt and pepper for roasting
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2.5 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 cup marinara or tomato sauce
- 3/4 tsp to 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper optional
- 1 can coconut milk full fat
- 1 cup collard greens chopped and steamed (or use frozen)*
- Red chili flakes and chopped cilantro for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange butternut squash cubes on a baking tray (or two trays depending on size) lined with parchment paper or food safe liner.
- Sprinkle generously with oil, salt and pepper, toss to combine. Place into oven and bake for approx 40 to 50 min until lightly browned and tender, tossing every 15 min.
- In a large pan, add the 2 tsp oil and onion. Cook 5 to 7 minutes until translucent, stirring frequently.
- Add all the spices, stir, cook another 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add tomato sauce and coconut milk, stir, and cook at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- Add collard greens and cooked butternut squash, stir well to combine.
- Top with chili flakes and cilantro, if using.
- Serve with rice, if desired.