Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry

Name: Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup basmati rice; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 shallots, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1" piece ginger, peeled & grated; 1 teaspoon salt, divided; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided; 1-2 tablespoons red curry paste (see note); 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½” cubes (about 1 cup); 1 cup small broccoli florets; 1, 14.5-oz can full-fat coconut milk; 1/2 cup vegetable broth; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1, 14.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1 lime, juiced; garnish: cilantro, extra lime wedges

↓ Jump to Recipe

Butternut squash chickpea curry is a vibrant vegan dinner to pull you through the dark days of winter. It's bright, cozy, full of vegetables and satisfies just about every craving.

butternut squash chickpea curry over rice with limes on the side

What are we cooking right now? I feel like it's a strange "in-between" of winter and spring and while I'm still loving warm dishes, I'm also starting to crave some more brightness and vegetables.

This butternut squash chickpea curry is just the thing I want to be eating right now. I recently came back home from vacation full of great food and let's just say this is a winner for a first meal back. It's a textural dream, and the rice just kind of soaks up every last drop of the creamy curry.

Here's what you need:

Ingredients

shallots, garlic & ginger to really build that flavor
red curry paste (affiliate link) - this is the brand I use and prefer. If you use a different one, be sure to start with less, and taste for spice levels.
butternut squash
broccoli
full-fat coconut milk (can also used canned light coconut milk)
vegetable broth or other, if you don't require vegetarian/vegan
brown sugar which helps balance out the richness and acidity
chickpeas (canned)
lime juice
optional: cilantro & pepitas

The great thing about curry, is that you really only need the coconut milk and curry paste as foundational ingredients and the rest is flexible. Once you get this formula down, you can switch out the paste to yellow or green. You can swap in different vegetables and proteins. And you can experiment with adding things like fish sauce or vinegars for more interest.

4 Steps to Making a Simple Curry at Home

Start by cooking aromatics, like shallots, garlic and ginger
Add in the vegetables and curry paste and toss to coat
Pour the coconut milk and broth over top, bring to a simmer (cooking until vegetables are tender)
Season and finish with "extras"

Ingredient and Substitution FAQs

Where do I find coconut milk? Can I use light or reduced fat?

The type of coconut milk used in most curry recipes like this one is the canned variety, not to be confused with the carton you find in the refrigerated section. Full-fat is thicker, richer and creamier so I prefer it here. You can use a "light" option to reduce fat and calories but you may not want to add the vegetable broth if it doesn't thicken up as much.

Can I add chicken?

Yes. If you want to add animal protein to this dish, I'd recommend adding cooked chicken instead of the chickpeas in step 4. I do think this is plenty satisfying due to the fat from the coconut milk, and the fiber from the chickpeas and vegetables though!

Can I leave out the brown sugar?

If you want to keep this sugar-free, you can definitely leave out the sugar. It's included in the recipe to balance out the richness of the coconut milk and acidity of the lime.

bowl of curry with hot sauce and limes on the side

In just 30 minutes you can have this beautiful, cozy, restaurant-quality meal ready to serve. Butternut squash chickpea curry is gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan and full of flavor and feel good ingredients. Give it a try!

More Squash Recipes: