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.

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.

Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

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.

Author: Leanne Ray, MS, RDN
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Mains, Entreés
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cook rice per package instructions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a Dutch oven (or a large skillet with deep sides) over medium low heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook another 1-2 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.
Add curry paste, squash cubes and broccoli florets. Stir and cook 1-2 more minutes until everything is well-coated.
Pour in coconut milk and broth. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Add brown sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-12 more minutes until the curry is thickened and squash is fork tender. Stir in chickpeas.
Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and season as needed. Serve over rice.

Equipment

chef's knife

Buy Now →

citrus juicer

Buy Now →

dutch oven

Buy Now →

Notes

The equipment section above includes affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and recommend.
I recommend getting all of your ingredients out and prepped before you start. Things move quickly once you get going and you don't want to burn the garlic!
Timer savers: use pre-washed/chopped broccoli florets, pre-chopped butternut squash and microwavable rice.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
Calories: 540 calories
Fat: 24 grams
Carbohydrates: 72 grams
Fiber: 10 grams
Protein: 10 grams

Find it online: https://healthyishappetite.com/butternut-squash-chickpea-curry/