Butternut Squash Curry – This easy squash curry recipe is packed with a rainbow of veggies and pulled together with a creamy curry sauce that’ll keep you coming back for more. (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Hey, friend! Did you have a good weekend? We did two of my favorite things–watch a movie (I LOVE movie night!) and bake (these, if you were wondering).

Today, I’m ready to dive into my routine and fuel up with a mega-amazing Meatless Monday meal! These butternut squash curry bowls are just the ticket. They’re power packed with a rainbow of veggies, and tied together with a creamy coconut curry sauce that gives me allll the heart eyes.

Bonus – They’re done in about 30 minutes! Here’s what makes them so dang delicious…

HERE’S WHAT I PUT IN MY BUTTERNUT SQUASH CURRY

DICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH. Bright orange butternut squash is the base of this veggie curry recipe. Even if you’re not a big squash person, it’s lovely here. (This is my favorite way to peel & cut a butternut squash.)

BELL PEPPERS. I love to use a blend of yellow and red peppers (1/2 of each) because it’s so pretty, but you can use your favorites. (I use leftover peppers for stir fry, fried-rice, soup, etc.)

GREEN ONION + GARLIC + GINGER. Now we’re REALLY building in the flavor! This trio of aromatics is the flavor base for this recipe. I love this combination together. (Psst! I’ve been digging frozen garlic + frozen ginger lately. I find it in the frozen veggies section and it’s SO fresh and easy!)

CHICKPEAS. For a little plant-based protein, I add some chickpeas to this curry. They’re pretty neutral in flavor and go so nicely with…

MY MAGIC CURRY SAUCE. Very similar to my shrimp curry, this squash curry recipe uses my magic yellow curry sauce. It’s a mix of creamy coconut milk, yellow curry powder, Tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos), and a little creaminess from some peanut butter or cashew butter.

SPINACH + FRESH HERBS. For another layer of greens + flavor, I love adding a few giant handfuls of spinach (they cook right down!) and some fresh cilantro or basil. They brighten up the color and flavor in this squash curry!

BONUS GARNISHES. Then, you can garnish this with all kinds of extras—more fresh cilantro or basil, crushed peanuts or cashews, sliced red chilis, red pepper flakes, lime wedges, etc.

HOW TO SERVE SQUASH CURRY:

WITH A LITTLE RICE, CAULI RICE, OR QUINOA. I most often serve this butternut squash curry with a side of rice (white or brown), cauliflower rice or quinoa. Trader Joe’s sells frozen brown rice that’s par-cooked and it only takes 3 more minutes to finish up!
WITH THAI CUMBER SALAD. For a light, fresh side, I love pairing richer dishes like this with my Thai Cucumber Salad. It’s easy to toss together, and the cooling cucumber is A lovely contrast to a creamy curry sauce!
WITH SOME FRESH FRUIT. Some pineapple or mango is refreshing! (Or watermelon in the summer!)
WITH NAAN BREAD OR FLATBREAD. Another tasty option is to serve your squash curry with a little naan (not GF) or flatbread to scoop up all that creamy curry goodness. (Here’s a gluten free naan recipe!)

FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR THIS BUTTERNUT SQUASH CURRY.

IS THIS SQUASH CURRY SPICY? I use a mild yellow curry powder, so you can really build and control the heat. If you’re a total curry newbie, you may want to start with 1 tsp. of curry powder in the dish, then taste and go from there. I use 2 tsp. curry powder and think it’s my sweet spot. If you like a stronger flavor, you can go all the way up to 1 Tbsp. (3 tsp.).

TIP: GO FOR THE FULL-FAT COCONUT MILK. I pinky promise, your sauce will be at its best when you use full-fat coconut milk instead of lite. If you *must* use lite, just know it’s going to be thinner and less creamy. (Do NOT use the refrigerated coconut milk beverage as that’s too thin to work. Your sauce will be watery.)

OTHER VEGGIES TO TRY. This squash curry recipe is really forgiving and can accommodate lots of different veggies. A cup of cauliflower florets, 1/2 cup of frozen peas (stirred in at the end!), some sliced carrots, or some mushrooms would all be delicious.

CAN’T HAVE NUTS? READ THIS. If you’re nut free (allergy or preference), you can skip the nut butter in the sauce, though it’ll be slightly less velvety and creamy. To compensate, you can add 1 tsp. cornstarch or arrowroot dissolved in 1 Tbsp. water, and stir it in while the sauce simmers to thicken.

TIPS FOR CUTTING A BUTTERNUT SQUASH. I love buying pre-cut squash to save time, but it’s almost always more affordable to cut it yourself. If squash seems intimidating, this tutorial is really helpful for me. It’ll walk you through the whole process!

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