This Butternut Squash Curry is an easy plant-based dinner that’s vibrant and full of flavor, with Thai red curry paste and coconut milk.
They know natural flavor combinations like peanut butter and jelly as well as tomato and basil. Here’s another unique combo that works wonders: butternut squash and Thai curry paste! The sweetness of the pumpkin and the spicy-aromatic flavors of the curry paste go together. Try them together in this Butternut Squash Curry Recipe! It’s easy to make, full of colorful veggies, and bursting with Thai curry flavor. The moment I took that first bite, I couldn’t help but sing its praises.
Is it an authentic red Thai curry?
Curry is a very loose term. Par bon appétit, in many countries it was a word used by the colonizers to simplify what they considered foreign cuisine. Nowadays curry is usually a dish with a spicy sauce and meat or vegetables, often eaten with rice or flatbread like naan. Sometimes curry powder is included in the sauce (as in many Indian curries) or sometimes curry paste (as in Thai curries). The dish is prepared in many countries, including India, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and England.
This Butternut Squash Curry is a recipe we designed in the style of a Thai red curry. It is a Thai dish made with a red curry paste sauce and coconut milk. It can be made with different proteins like chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu. Thai cuisine features various types of squash and squash, but generally does not include butternut squash as it is not a native plant. It therefore uses the principles and flavors of Thai red curry to highlight this delicious winter squash.
The key to butternut squash curry: red curry paste!
Only make this butternut squash curry if you can find red curry paste! This is what makes Thai curry so fragrant. What is that? Red curry paste is a pot paste that takes all the flavor of a Thai curry and concentrates it into a paste. In traditional Thai cooking, you would do it with the real ingredients. Curry paste is a shortcut: it contains all the chilies, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, cumin, coriander, etc. It brings amazing flavor and keeps in the fridge for months. A few notes on red curry paste:
- Depending on the brand, it ranges from mild to medium hot. We like to use curry paste from Thai cuisine, which is very mild. Taste your curry paste before using it: if it is very spicy, use less than the recipe says.
- It is easy to find Thai products nearby at most grocery stores. It keeps for months in the fridge and you can use it in many other recipes (see below). You can also buy it online: Red curry paste from Thai cuisine.
How to Cut Butternut Squash: A Few Tips!
The key to this technical butternut squash curry is slicing the butternut squash! It takes a little time to peel and cut the squash. Here are a few tips:
- Watch the video: The easiest way to figure out how to cut it is to show yourself! Watch this short video on how to cut butternut squash.
- Use a serrated peeler: The The easiest way to peel butternut squash is with a pumpkin peeler! It’s serrated, making it easier to use than a regular vegetable peeler. Here it is We use a serrated vegetable peeler.
- Cut off the neck and chop separately from the bottom: Don’t try to cut the whole squash together. Cut off the neck, peel and cut into squares. Do the same for the base.
Can You Substitute Frozen Pumpkin? (nope)
Important: Don’t be tempted to substitute frozen squash in this butternut squash curry recipe! This has been optimized for fresh pumpkin. In fact, we tried frozen because we thought it would be a natural exchange. The squash came out soft and soggy: nothing like the fresh version. So stay away from that exchange for this recipe.
A few ideas for adding protein to butternut squash curry
You can eat this butternut squash curry on its own, but if you want to load it up with more protein, here’s how:
- Add the shrimp. Add the raw shrimp in the last 5 minutes of the simmer.
- Add chickpeas. Make a chickpea butternut squash curry by adding drained and rinsed chickpeas when you add the coconut milk. You may need to increase the salt a bit on the final seasoning.
- Add the tofu. Prepare fried tofu on the side (or ahead of time) and add it in the last 5 minutes: pan frying ahead of time gives it a nice texture. Or even easier, add diced tofu when you add the coconut milk: there’s a chewy tofu texture, but it’s just as delicious.
What do you serve with butternut squash curry?
This butternut squash curry is Thai-style, so serving it with rice is more authentic. Don’t try to add naan: it’s for an Indian curry! We like to serve these types of rice with Thai curry:
- Jasmine rice (best suited): Jasmine rice is also called Thai fragrant rice: because of its wonderfully nutty, popcorn-like taste. Try our Jasmine Rice Recipes: How to Cook Jasmine Rice and Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.
- Basmati rice (also works): Basmati rice also works, but it is less fragrant and is more commonly used in Indian curries. See Preparing Basmati Rice and Instant Basmati Rice.
- Jade Rice (for fun!): Jade rice is a fun option: it’s naturally colored green with bamboo extract and has a fluffy texture, almost like couscous. We served the pumpkin curry this way and it was excellent.
Want to learn more about rice nutrition? See quinoa vs. rice.
More recipes with red curry paste
If you buy a jar of red curry paste for this butternut squash curry, there are so many other uses! Here are some of our favorite curry paste recipes like Curry Recipes and more:
This Butternut Squash Curry Recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
The description
This Butternut Squash Curry is an easy plant-based dinner that’s vibrant and full of flavor, with Thai red curry paste and coconut milk.
- 1 medium butternut squash (4 cups chopped*)
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Red pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons Red Thai curry paste**
- 15-ounces of whole coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ cup the water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups Baby spinach or chopped spinach
- To serve: jasmine rice, basmati rice or jade rice
- Optional: Add shrimp, chickpeas or tofu for extra protein***
- Start with jasmine rice, basmati rice or jade rice.
- Peel and chop the butternut squash. Chop the onion. Put them together in a bowl.
- Chop the garlic. Cut the peppers into thin strips.
- In a large skillet, saucepan, or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and butternut squash and sauté 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and paprika and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add coconut milk, curry paste, turmeric, water and kosher salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until squash is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add spinach and reduce for 1 minute. Serve immediately with rice.
Remarks
*Do not substitute for frozen butternut squash; Texture doesn’t work in this recipe.
**Spice content for red curry pastes varies by brand. The brand we use (Thai Kitchen) is very mild. Taste your curry paste before making the curry and add a little less if you’re concerned about the spiciness.
***During the last 5 minutes of simmering, add the shrimp or chickpeas while adding the coconut milk (if necessary, add a little more salt at the end; taste and add more if you like). For the Tofu Pan Fried Tofu, prepare separately (or in advance) and add in the last 5 minutes: Frying ahead of time gives it a nice texture. Or even easier, add diced tofu when you add the coconut milk: there’s a chewy tofu texture, but it’s just as delicious.
- Category: main course
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: curry
- Diet: vegan
Keywords: Butternut Squash Curry
