This Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas is one of the most flavorful Thai-inspired curries you’ll ever eat. It’s brimming with authentic Thai flavors but with a few fun spins, and uses butternut squash as a natural thickener. It’s incredibly creamy and comforting and perfect for cold weather.
It requires just one pot, can be completed in about 45 minutes, and is both meal prep- and freezer-friendly meal. At the same time, it delivers outstanding gourmet flavors and is special enough to serve to guests.
If you love a good curry, you MUST try this one (I think it might be my favorite, and that’s a lot considering how much I love my fan favorite Red Lentil Curry and my easy Vegan Curry with Tofu)!
Table of Contents
1. Why this recipe works
2. Ingredient notes
3. Step-by-step instructions
4. Tips for making this recipe
5. Frequently Asked Questions
6. Watch the video
7. Recipe card
Why this recipe works
The perfect creamy texture.
Partially pureeing the curry thickens it incredibly well. Butternut squash, when pureed, is naturally velvety. With the addition of coconut milk, a required ingredient in a Thai curry, you get the most unbelievable luxurious mouthfeel and texture.
A well-balanced dinner.
This curry has it all: complex carbs from the butternut squash and chickpeas, protein and iron from the chickpeas, antioxidants from the chile peppers, satiating fats from the coconut milk to keep you full, and even leafy greens for good measure.
A careful flavorful balance.
I learned quite a lot of cooking during my month in Thailand. One of the most important lessons was that each dish should be an art in balancing flavors. Here’s how that shakes out in this recipe:
- Spicy: heat comes from a good-quality red curry paste and Thai chile peppers.
- Sweet: subtle sweetness comes from butternut squash and coconut sugar; also balances the spiciness and sourness, as well as enhances the salty, umami.
- Sour: acidity comes from lime juice or rice vinegar; also balances the spiciness and enhances the salty, umami flavors.
- Umami: savory notes come from the soy sauce.
Authentic Thai flavors with a twist.
While butternut squash and chickpeas are not traditional in Thai cuisine, I’ve combined them with traditional Thai ingredients (e.g., lemongrass, red curry paste, soy sauce, coconut milk) so you get all the incredible flavors of a Thai curry.
For more Thai-inspired curries, check out my hands-off Instant Pot Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Soup or Thai Kabocha Squash Curry. If you have my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook, the Red Curry Rice Noodle Soup and Thai Vegetable Green Curry in Chapter 6 are not to be missed!
But if you’re looking for a more traditional Thai curry, whip up a batch of my Homemade Thai Green Curry Paste for a spectacular Vegan Thai Green Curry at home!
No need to roast the squash.
There is so much other flavor going on in this dish from the aromatics and curry paste that you absolutely don’t need to roast the squash. Skip the extra time and extra dish to wash.
Ingredient Notes
Butternut squash. Save some prep time and buy pre-chopped butternut squash. If using a whole butternut squash, you’ll need approximately a 2 1/2 pound (1.1 kg) squash.
Lemongrass. Optional if you can’t find it, but if you have access to an East or Southeast Asian grocery store, I promise it will take your curry over the top. The lemony, minty aroma and flavor is so bright and unique. Some higher-end grocery stores like Whole Foods will sell lemongrass pre-trimmed in packages.
Red curry paste. For the best flavor, I recommend seeking out a legit Thai curry paste. My favorite curry paste is from Maesri (available online or at Southeast Asian grocery stores). Aroy-D also makes a good vegan one, but they sell versions with shrimp / fish products as well, so read labels.
If the commonly available Thai Kitchen red curry paste is all you can find, it will do (but it’s fairly flat in flavor).
Remember: (1) Read ingredient labels—some pastes include fish sauce or shrimp paste. (2) Spiciness varies (e.g., if using Thai Kitchen curry paste, use a tablespoon more, as it’s milder than Maesri).
Chile peppers. Optional, but recommended if you like a little heat in your curry. Bird’s eye chile peppers (aka Thai Chile peppers) are recommended.
Everyone’s spice tolerance is different so you should customize the amount of peppers to your preference.
My personal preference is to use 3 peppers, but I eat spicier food than most of my readers. If you can only tolerate some heat, use 1-2 peppers. And if you can barely tolerate heat, use a single pepper with the membrane (e.g., the white parts) removed or omit the peppers entirely.
Thai basil. For garnish at the end. Another optional ingredient, but worth seeking out if you have an East Asian or Southeast Asian shop in your area. It adds the classic flavors of Thai cooking with its subtle anise and cinnamon flavors.
If you can’t get Thai Basil, don’t substitute with Italian basil. The flavor is totally different and it won’t work well here. Instead, use cilantro.
Lime juice or rice vinegar. Finishing a rich dish like this curry with a splash of acidity at the end helps balance the spicy and sweet flavors, and also brings some freshness to the dish, so definitely don’t skip it!
Step-by-step instructions
Dice the onion and the carrots. Chop the butternut squash into cubes (or use pre-chopped butternut squash).
Mince the garlic, mince or grate the ginger and lemongrass, and thinly slice the Thai chile peppers (if using).
Sauté the diced onions and carrots in a bit of coconut oil in a deep sauté pan or Dutch oven until lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chile peppers, and curry paste, and stir frequently for 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with vegetable broth, then add in the coconut milk, butternut squash, coconut sugar, and soy sauce.
Simmer the curry for 20 minutes, until the squash is tender. Then, blend about half of the curry using an immersion blender. If using a stand blender, transfer half of the curry, blend, then return it to the pan.
Add the chickpeas to the pan and bring to a simmer. Then add in the baby spinach or kale and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in the Thai basil (if using) and/or chopped cilantro.
Tips for making this butternut squash curry
Visit your local Southeast or East Asian market (if you have one).
For the best version of this recipe with truly authentic Thai flavors, it’s worth seeking out the lemongrass, high-quality curry paste, and Thai basil, all of which you can find at your local Southeast or East Asian market. Smaller markets are almost always family owned and operated, so you’ll also be supporting a small business.
If you can’t make it to a South East Asian market, you can still make this recipe with a few substitutions.
For your curry paste, most grocery stores carry Thai Kitchen Red Curry paste, so use that. Some stores also carry Mekhala curry paste, which is better.
Lemongrass may be available at higher-end grocery stores, though omit if you can’t find it, as there’s no substitute. In place of the Thai basil, use cilantro.
If you can’t find Thai/bird’s eye chile peppers, try using 1 serrano pepper (2 for spicy!).
Nuke your squash to make it easier to cut.
If you’re using a whole butternut squash and struggling to slice it in half, pop it in the microwave (whole, as is) for 2 minutes to soften it up. If it’s still too hard, nuke it for another minute.
Try this recipe with other winter squash.
Kabocha squash or red kuri squash would be great here. If you want to use standard pumpkin, consider adding a bit more sugar, as it’s less sweet than butternut squash. You could also use sweet potatoes, but I’d omit the sugar entirely.
New to lemongrass? Watch the video.
To see how to peel and prepare lemongrass, watch the Youtube video below (starting at the 3:09 mark).
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are simply watching your calorie intake, use lite coconut milk instead of the full-fat variety. The reason I recommend still using coconut milk is that this is an essential ingredient in any Thai curry.
If you are allergic to coconut, make a homemade cashew cream:
1. Soak 1 cup (140g) raw cashews in water overnight. For a quick soak, add to a saucepan, cover with water, and boil in a saucepan for 15 minutes.
2. Blend the soaked cashews with 3/4 to 1 cup water (180 to 240 mL) in a high-powered blender for several minutes until smooth and cashew bits have been pulverized.
A spicy curry like this needs something high-fat and creamy, so I do not recommend using a thin plant-based milk such as almond milk.
All are commonly available at pan-Asian and Southeast Asian grocery stores. You can sometimes find bird’s eye chile peppers and pre-trimmed lemongrass at well-stocked grocery stores like Sprouts and Whole Foods.
The Tips section of this post has instructions for how you can substitute in the absence of an Asian market.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. When reheating, add a few splashes of water or vegetable broth to loosen it up, as it will thicken quite a bit in the fridge. You can also freeze this curry. There may be some minor texture changes, but overall, it works great.
To make it easier to cut butternut squash, microwave it for 1-2 minutes to slightly soften the flesh. Then slice off the stem from the top. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel the squash until the flesh is vibrant orange. Slice the squash in half, horizontally. Then cut the rounded bottom portion of the squash in half, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Cut the bottom halves into wedges, then cube. Slice the top half of the squash in half, vertically. Finally, cut the halves into spears, then cube.
More delicious chickpea recipes to try:
If you love this Butternut Squash Curry as much as we do, please rate and review the recipe below :) It’s always much appreciated!
Watch! How to make Butternut Squash Curry
Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas | simple one-pot meal
Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (use refined for a neutral taste, or a neutral oil of choice)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- Kosher salt to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2- inch piece ginger, grated or finely minced*
- 1-3 bird's eye chili peppers, thinly sliced (optional; only use for spicy!)**
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, minced or grated (optional but recommended)***
- 5 tablespoons red curry paste (see Notes below on spiciness level and brands)****
- 1 (13.5-ounce) (400 mL) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup (240 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
- 5 cups (700-730g) of peeled and cubed butternut squash (~ 2.5 pound butternut squash)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (or 1 tablespoon Thai Light Soy Sauce)*****
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or pure maple syrup)
- 2 15-ounce (425g) cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups (60g) baby spinach or baby kale (about 4 large handfuls)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or rice vinegar
- 1 large handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 handful Thai basil leaves
- White rice or brown rice (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, and once shimmering, add the onions and carrots along with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook the vegetables for 7-8 minutes, or until they are tender and lightly browned.
- Add the garlic, ginger, chili peppers (if using), lemongrass (if using), and red curry paste, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to coat the vegetables & prevent burning. If not using a nonstick pan, you'll likely need to add a tablespoon or two of water to prevent the mixture from drying out, sticking, and burning.
- Pour in a couple spoons of the coconut milk and allow it to bubble for a minute, stirring well. Add the vegetable broth, stirring with a spatula to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining coconut milk, cubed squash, soy sauce, and coconut sugar, stirring to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer for 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender and cooked through. Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend roughly half of the curry. Make sure to leave some chunks of squash intact. Alternatively, transfer half of the curry to a stand blender. Blend until the mixture is puréed and mostly smooth, then return it to the pan and stir to combine.
- Stir in the chickpeas and bring the curry to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, stir in the baby spinach or kale, stirring until the greens have wilted.
- Turn off the heat, and stir in the lime juice or rice vinegar. Taste for seasonings, adding salt as needed. Tear the Thai basil leaves to release their oils; add them to the curry, along with the chopped cilantro.
- Serve the curry over rice. Garnish with additional cilantro or Thai basil as desired.
Notes
It was ok. On the positive side, it is filling, very healthy, and creates many servings that’ll last you a little while. Next time however, I would substitute the red peppers with jalapeños. I only used 2 of the recommended peppers and even there, it is so spicy that it almost masks the flavour completely. I also didn’t find that it tasted very “Thai” per se. It just seemed like some
vegan concoction she came up with using a couple of Thai ingredients. Despite the numerous ingredients, some of which were hard to find btw, all I tasted was squash and hot peppers honestly. Don’t make this as a first dish from her website because you won’t be sold on her, make her red lentil Indian curry instead.
Michael, we are sorry to hear you didn’t love this recipe. Thank you for your feedback nonetheless.
As we mentioned in the blog post and recipe card, the thai chili peppers are only to be added if you want the curry to be quite spicy. That being said, if you have leftovers we recommend serving with an unsweetened plain plant based yogurt to cut through some of the heat. The spiciness of the dish also subsides over time as it’s sitting in the fridge. Hope that helped!
I tried it the following day with the yogurt and it was perfect! Thank you so much!
Michael, we are so glad to hear the yogurt worked out for you!
Great recipe!
Thanks
Yes, over the weekend and it was delicious! Of course, I made a few exchanges since I don’t like hot. Used sweet red pepper instead. Added curry spices but not the curry paste. Coconut aminos instead of the soy sauce. Served over brown rice. Definitely worth remaking! Thank you!
Umami! This recipe is so easy and delicious! Im not plant based, so my tastebuds don’t always agree with what some vegans think is delicious but I have found your recipes consistently flavorful. Lemongrass is not available where I live but I’m sure it would turn it up a notch, if that’s possible. I used 1 dried Thai chili but could have used 2.
I only had a handful of greens but that was plenty.
Thanks for the butternut squash in the microwave tip. I live in the north so squash is a staple and this was so helpful.
Thanks again!
This recipe is outstanding. So clearly written. It was the best meal I’ve cooked in weeks. Satisfying and delicious and nourishing. I didn’t have any coconut milk so subbed a can of evaporated milk and it was still incredible. Thank you so so so so much!
I absolutely adore this recipe. Packed with flavor but *balanced* flavor – the spicy, umami, sweet, and sour elements work together in perfect harmony and none overwhelms the palate. It’s easy to put together but fancy (and flavorful) enough to impress guests. What’s not to love??
I left out the soy sauce and the sugar altogether. And I subbed spaghetti squash for the butternut squash, used powdered curry instead of the paste, kaffir lemon leaves instead of lemon grass. The result was still absolutely beyond amazing!!!
I usually make my curry with some kind of cubed meat. I am delighted how yummy this curry tasted even without any meat:D!
I will most definitely make it again!!!!!!
This recipe is awesome! Thank you! We substituted lemon rind/peel for the lemongrass and doubled the ginger (we love ginger!), and subbed brown sugar for the coconut sugar. AMAZING!! We loved it the first time… and are making it again tonight. Thank you! Thank you! Awesome recipe!!
Just made a big pot of this for dinner, used sweet potato instead of squash, was amazing, so tasty and filling, great recipe thanks Nisha
I love the flavors in this dish. Savory, spicy, but still balanced. I’ve made this with Thai ingredients (birds eye chili, Thai basil) and without. It’s fantastic either way but it’s worth the extra effort if you can get them.
Another fantastic recipe – bravo, Nisha!
I made this recipe in the pressure cooker yesterday. I had soaked beans instead of chickpeas and it turned out great! I mashed the squash since it melted away while making sure the beans were cooked but I loved it even better. Lovely dish. Thank you!
I made this recipe by following Nisha’s insanely informative YouTube video (love the butternut squash lifehack)… I am a novice in the kitchen, but this is *the* most delicious vegan dish I have ever cooked. The flavours are fantastic and the texture is divine! (Note: I didn’t have an immersion blender so I used a potato masher… It was janky, but worked out well for me!) Thank you so much for designing such flavourful vegan recipes, Nisha!! I will definitely be making this again.
This was delicious! I followed the recipe pretty closely, but added a second can of coconut milk and extra carrots. Love serving plant based dishes that make all my meat eating friends and family go crazy.
Thank you for the super recipe Nisha… fabulous!
Angela
I like your recipes a lot, healthy, easy, and tasty!!!!for now I’ve tried this, lentil curry, shepherd’s pie, stroganoff, all amazing!
Especially for my boyfriend (he is American ,I am Chinese) he really loves the dishes when I follow your recipe. He said the lentil curry has good tomato flavor, stroganoff gets 10 (he hates mushroom just like your bf, can’t believe he gave a 10 to mushroom stroganoff.
for shepherd’s pie, my boyfriend and his friend(British) said really similar to the traditional shepherd’s pie texture, well I’ve never tried the traditional one so I don’t know, but I like the taste too, I LOVE the idea of mixing cauliflower and potatoes, much more healthy and tastes the same! but I don’t like olive oil mix with coconut flavor, so I used sunflower oil instead, still, amazing!
for this pumpkin curry ,I didn’t follow this recipe that strict though , because, like you said in your videos, it is not traditional Thai cuisine, it is Thai flavor, so I didn’t use carrots which I did’t have it when I made this but add chestnuts which is what I had in my fridge, still so good, lemongrass and basil is the key hhhh.
and I like your videos too! funny and clear,looking forward to trying more recipes!
THANK YOU SO MUCH
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR
This is one of my favorite recipes. It’s warm and comforting on chilly days. Very easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Edited to add five stars,
Another super yummy and healthy recipe. Once you get the squash chopped it’s pretty fast to make. If you don’t have Nisha’s cookbook yet: I highly recommend it!
Made this today and it is freaking delicious. I made your buffalo chickpea quesadillas yesterday and those were epic too.
I made this last week with sweet potato instead of butternut squash. It was very good. Then I made it again this week with white potato instead of butternut squash and it was BOMB.
Hi Nisha, This is an excellent recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this! I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe and my boyfriend does too :)