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Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry

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This Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry is super creamy, packed with flavor, and an easy comfort food recipe for the fall! Plus, no need to use full-fat coconut milk to get the creamiest curry ever when you use my trick for cooking kabocha squash!
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 1 hour 25 minutes
Total 1 hour 30 minutes
4.9 from 59 votes

This Vegan Thai-Inspired Kabocha Squash Curry is the perfect fall recipe. It’s easy to make, jam-packed with flavor, and so comforting on cold fall days.

And since my Thai Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry from earlier this year has been so popular, I was inspired to make a similar curry but using kabocha squash.

This post covers everything you need to know – how to cut kabocha squash (it’s easy), how to cook it, and how to make this delicious curry. Buckle up!

What is Kabocha Squash?

If youโ€™re not familiar with kabocha squash, itโ€™s a variety of winter squash also known as a Japanese pumpkin and commonly used in Japanese cooking. Itโ€™s one of the more unique-tasting winter squash varieties. IMO, itโ€™s like the more refined cousin of butternut squash (you know, the one who studied abroad in Vienna during college).

Kabocha squash usually comes with a dark green skin, but you might also find the red-orange varieties as well. In either case, the flesh is a vibrant orange color.

When you bake kabocha squash, the texture becomes almost velvety, which I absolutely love. But if you donโ€™t know what youโ€™re doing, you can end up with dry, mealy squash.

Regarding the taste, itโ€™s a bit sweeter than pumpkin and butternut squash, so it adds a subtle natural sweetness to recipes. It has a characteristic nutty taste with undertones of chestnut.

Kabocha squash peak season is late summer through the fall, but you can sometimes find it year round. You can find kabocha squash at farmers markets as well as many grocery stores these days (Iโ€™ve purchased it at Whole Foods, Trader Joeโ€™s, and Sprouts).

Looking for more kabocha squash recipes? This Thai Pumpkin Soup is FANTASTIC with kabocha squash!

Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry
How to Cut Kabocha Squash

Like many a winter squash, cutting kabocha squash can be difficult. But it neednโ€™t be!

First, youโ€™ll need a long, sharp, and sturdy knife. A really good chefโ€™s knife or a serrated knife works great. As when youโ€™re cutting a pumpkin or butternut squash, you want to use a slow, steady rocking motion. Donโ€™t try to slice the squash in one fell swoop (you will be disappointed and may cut yourself).

Before you slice into it, though, there are two tricks to cutting kabocha squash. First, try slicing a thin layer off the top and bottom of the squash so you expose the flesh of the squash. It can be a bit difficult to slice off a clean layer on the top of the squash if the stem is attached, but even getting some flesh exposed is helpful. Thatโ€™s because your knife will have a much easier time slicing through the squash if the knife hits the flesh first, rather than the much thicker skin.

And second, if youโ€™re still having trouble cutting the squash (for instance, if your knife hasnโ€™t been sharpened in awhile), just microwave the whole squash for 1-2 minutes. This will lightly soften the squash (but not cook it) and make it easier to slice.

Why youโ€™ll love this Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry

Super creamy. This curry is incredibly creamy despite not using full-fat coconut milk. The secret? Kabocha squash puree! When you roast winter squash and then puree it, it becomes so silky smooth and luxurious (have you seen my pumpkin mac and cheese??). Adding the squash puree directly to the curry makes it really thick, and means you can save some calories by using reduced-fat coconut milk instead of full-fat.

Maximal flavor. Packed with the flavors of ginger, garlic, and chili peppers, this dish reminds me of the incredibly fragrant, aromatic curries I happily devoured in Thailand.

Well-balanced. What I learned from Thai cooking is that every dish should be well-balanced in flavors: a little spicy, a little sweet, a little sour, and plenty of umami. A good-quality curry paste and Thai chili peppers, coconut sugar, lime juice, miso paste, and tamari take on those roles in this recipe.

Decadent yet healthy. Just as is the case with my vegan curry with tofu, This curry is oh-so-creamy and tastes indulgent. But itโ€™s also really nourishing and packed with antioxidants, protein, and fiber, thanks to a garlic-ginger duo and plentiful amount of chickpeas and kabocha squash.

Meal prep-friendly. This dish makes excellent leftovers and will stay good in your fridge for 4-5 days.

PS: If you’re looking for a more traditional Thai Curry, make my Homemade Thai Green Curry Paste to enjoy a world class Vegan Thai Green Curry!

Watch! How to make Thai Kabocha Squash Curry

KABOCHA SQUASH | how to cut it, cook it, and make it taste delicious
KABOCHA SQUASH | how to cut it, cook it, and make it taste delicious

Tips for making this Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry

If spicy food ainโ€™t your thing, you may want to use a bit less curry paste than the recipe calls for. On the other hand, if you love spicy food, I recommend adding those Thai chili peppers. The spiciness balances out the sweetness of the curry.

For curry paste, my favorite brand is Maesri. More commonly available is the Thai Kitchen brand. You can also try the Mekhala organic curry paste. If you canโ€™t find any of these brands, just be sure to read the ingredients to ensure itโ€™s vegan (many curry pastes contain shrimp paste).

If you are allergic to coconut milk or donโ€™t want to use it, you can use oat milk or cashew milk. Be sure to use an unsweetened variety. I donโ€™t recommend using almond milk, as it is quite thin and not good for curries.

I know this is a kabocha squash curry, but if you canโ€™t find kabocha squash (itโ€™s not always available outside of its peak season), feel free to substitute with butternut squash, pumpkin, or red kuri squash. As I mentioned, these varieties are a bit less sweet than kabocha, so taste the curry before finishing and add a tiny bit more sugar or maple syrup as needed.

Donโ€™t skip the final step, which is to add a bit of lime juice. Finishing a rich dish like this curry with a splash of acid at the end helps balance the spicy flavors, enhances the salty and umami flavors, and brings some freshness to this creamy dish.

Thatโ€™s all you need to know to make this Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry! If you make the recipe, drop a comment below or over on Youtube!

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Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry

4.9 from 59 votes
This Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry is super creamy, packed with flavor, and an easy comfort food recipe for the fall! Plus, no need to use full-fat coconut milk to get the creamiest curry ever when you use my trick for cooking kabocha squash!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai-Inspired
Diet Vegan
Serving size: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 medium kabocha squash
  • 1/2 cup water (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil* (or oil of choice)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • Kosher salt or sea salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2- inch piece ginger, grated or finely minced
  • 1-2 Thai birdโ€™s eye chili peppers, thinly sliced*
  • ยผ cup cup red curry paste (use less to make it less spicy)
  • 1 (13.5 ounce) can โ€œliteโ€ or reduced-fat coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup, agave nectar, or coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari** (gluten-free soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste*** (optional but recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, or about 3 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ยฝ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • For serving: white rice or grains of choice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF (205ยฐC) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
  • Use a large, sharp knife to slice the kabocha squash in half. For tips on how to slice the kabocha squash, see the blog post section on โ€œhow to cut kabocha squash.โ€ Once sliced in half, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Lightly brush each squash half with a bit of oil (coconut oil or avocado oil) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Place the squash halves, flesh side down, on the sheet pan. Roast for 40-45 minutes until the flesh is very tender. If your squash is large, bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Once itโ€™s cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin, and discard the skin. Place the kabocha squash flesh in a blender and add ยฝ cup water (or vegetable broth) and puree until very smooth. You should end up with approximately 3 cups of liquid.
  • While the kabocha squash is roasting, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Chop the onions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and chile peppers, and measure out the spices and other ingredients.
  • Heat a Dutch oven or a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, and once itโ€™s shimmering, add the onions and carrots along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables for 7-8 min, or until they are very tender and lightly browned.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, chile peppers (if using) and the red curry paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables in the aromatics. If you arenโ€™t using a nonstick skillet, you may need to add a tablespoon of water to prevent the mixture from drying out and burning.
  • Pour the pureed kabocha squash sauce into the pan, then add the lite coconut milk, tamari, miso paste (if using), maple syrup, and turmeric, and black pepper to taste. Stir or whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  • Add the canned chickpeas and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the curry has become thick and creamy, and the veggies are fully softened.
  • When ready to serve, stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Serve with white rice or grains of choice.

Notes

*If you are sensitive to spicy food, omit the chile peppers. Alternatively, you can use a less spicy pepper, such as a jalapeรฑo pepper.
**Tamari is gluten-free but soy sauce is not, so if you use soy sauce, just keep in mind that the recipe wonโ€™t be gluten-free.
***The miso paste adds a deep, complex umami flavor. If you donโ€™t have any, youโ€™ll want to add a bit of salt at this stage.

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 679mg | Potassium: 895mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 7154IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 3mg

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4.94 from 59 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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113 comments on Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry

  1. Pauline

    5 stars
    This recipe was fabulous! Thank you so much Nisha. We didn’t have all ingredients so used what we had on hand and it tastes like a good restaurant curry!

    In case it helps anyone- the way we made it was as follows:
    We left out the miso, cilantro and maple syrup (our squash was plenty sweet!) And we used our own garden-grown hot shishito peppers. We only used 1 tsp of red curry paste and that was sufficient for us. No extra salt needed in the recipe.

    In addition to listed veggies, we added bella mushrooms, green beans, baby potatoes (cooked separately) and celery. We love lots of veggies! We only used the liquid from the chickpeas and 1/2 cup water with 3/4 tsp chicken bouillion.

    We didnt blend it at all but enjoyed it simply as a soup/stew. We just discovered your blog and can’t wait to try more plant-based recipes. Thank you!

  2. Helen

    5 stars
    I cook almost everyday and this is one of the best recipes I have ever made. It was my first time using a pumpkin different to the traditional one and now I am hooked. I will definitely be buying more exotic pumpkins and squash because it was to die for. Thank you for a great recipe.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Helen. Thanks for your kind words!

  3. Maneesha

    5 stars
    Such a great recipe, Nisha! I loved it! Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes, and big big congratulations on your new cookbook!!

  4. irene grau

    5 stars
    This is so good! I didn’t add the chiles because I’m wimpy. lol You don’t say if the canned chickpeas should be drained or not, so I drained them (now to find what to do with the aquafaba). Since I wanted more of a soup rather than a thick curry, I added homemade broth (not vegetarian, though). I’ve made pumpkin curry by cooking the squash in cubes in the soup itself, not roasting and blending, so this was different. Seems my squash was much larger than medium, since I got about 8 cups of puree — put most of it in the freezer for future use. Thanks for a delicious recipe!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Thanks for all the notes, Irene! It’s great to hear you are a fan of the recipe. For the aquafaba, I recommend using it for this banana bread or these brownies!

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