Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

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Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry- Do you love certain takeout dishes, but wish that you could make them at home? I hear you! I love doing things from scratch as often as possible, and if you enjoy things that are homemade then I’ve got just the recipe for you. I’m going to show you how to make this easy veggie packed dish with a vibrant homemade green curry paste!

For years, I always ordered takeout when I wanted a dish like this one. Then I decided to start making it at home. Once I realized how easy it was, I never went back! I am so excited to show you how to make this so that you can enjoy homemade takeout too! I make this every time I want curry, I never order it from a restaurant anymore. 

Green Curry has always been my favorite. I love the brightness of the flavors, and the way it compliments so many different vegetables. As a former farmhand and food service professional, I have been working with ingredients like these in one way or another for a long time, and I love showing others ways to use fresh items and cook great homemade food.

butternut squash and chickpea curry in a blue pot.

Why You’ll Love Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

If this is your first visit to the site, welcome! You’ll find so many recipes here that are made from scratch with minimal processed ingredients, along with lots of farm fresh produce. This recipe definitely checks off all those boxes. 

This curry is such an easy meal! The curry paste can be made ahead, and the vegetables can also be chopped in advance. This means that when you are ready to cook, this meal is on the table in no time.

I love this quick dinner for those busier days. You can actually make this faster than you could order takeout! There is something really satisfying about making food for yourself that you could order from a restaurant.

Homemade Green Curry Paste

This recipe uses homemade green curry paste, but you can of course use store bought if you need to. The homemade version is very fragrant and so fresh. I highly recommend giving it a try!  

I have made a few substitutions in this curry paste recipe due to some ingredients being unavailable where I live, so this is not a traditional Thai green curry paste. I think you’ll find that the flavor is still almost the same. I personally find it to be very similar.

photo of vegetables for butternut squash curry.

Ingredients Needed For This Recipe

There are many more ingredients needed than listed here, but I wanted to touch on a few of them to share additional information.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
Vegetables- You can use the veggies I have listed in the recipe, or replace them with others according to your tastes.

Canned Coconut Milk- I prefer full fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. Be sure it is coconut milk, not coconut cream.

Thai Chilies- The Thai variety are the best, but you can use Serrano chilies if Thai are unavailable where you shop.

Ginger- Use fresh ginger, not ground!

Basil- Use Thai Basil if you can find it. If that is not available, Genovese Basil can be used instead.

I substituted galangal for ginger and Thai basil for Italian basil because they are not regularly available where I live. I found that the curry still tastes great with these substitutions. While the flavor profile of galangal and Thai basil are a little different than ginger and Italian basil, this still makes a wonderful curry.

How Do You Make Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry?

Here is a basic breakdown for making this curry:

  1. Chop the vegetables.
  2. Prep the green curry paste ingredients.
  3. Make the green curry paste.
  4. Add the vegetables to a dutch oven or stock pot and saute to partially cook them.
  5. Add the curry paste. 
  6. Next, add the coconut milk and simmer until done.

These are not comprehensive instructions, but as you can see from the photos this is pretty easy to make. I’ve got all the instructions you’ll need in the recipe below.

four photos showing adding the vegetables to the pot.
Adding the Vegetables to the Pot
photos that show adding the curry paste and the coconut milk to the pot
Adding the Green Curry Paste and Coconut Milk to the Pot
photos of the green curry paste ingredients before and after chopping them.
photos of green curry paste in the blender.
Add your ingredients to the blender and process
photos of the finished green curry paste ready to use.
The Curry paste is ready to use!

How To Serve Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

This curry is great with cooked white or brown rice. You can also cook some noodles and stir them in at the end if you like.  If you want to add some extra veggies, you can stir in some leftover air fried delicata squash at the end of the cooking time.

How To Store Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

This makes great leftovers! I love it for a workweek lunch because it reheats so well. This will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator in a container with a tight fitting lid. To reheat your curry, a couple of minutes in the microwave in a microwaveable bowl is all you need.

If you are reading this, thank you for being here. I certainly hope you found all of this information helpful and that you will love this butternut squash and chickpea curry! 

If you tried this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Just leave a rating or comment below. 

If you have not signed up for my newsletter, you can do that below. I have all sorts of exclusive content just for newsletter subscribers, and I’d love for you to join. Happy Cooking!

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three bowls of butternut squash curry with a wooden ladel.

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

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5 from 88 reviews

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This easy Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry uses a homemade green curry paste, and its loaded with fresh veggies. This meal is on the table in around 30 minutes!

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Green Curry Paste

  • 15 Fresh Basil Leaves
  • 1/2 cup of Cilantro leaves
  • 1 Lime (juice and zest)
  • 1 Stalk of Fresh Lemongrass, cut into one inch pieces
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
  • 3 Whole Scallions, root end removed
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 3 Thai Chilies, stems and seeds removed
  • 1/2 Medium Shallot
  • 1/2 tsp ground Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Water for blending

For the Vegetables

  • I Tbsp Avocado Oil
  • 1 1/2 cups Butternut Squash, cut into one inch cubes
  • 1 Small Onion, diced large
  • 2 Medium Carrots, peeled and cut on the bias
  • 1 Large Red Bell Pepper, diced large
  • Half a recipe of Homemade Green Curry Paste (around 6 Tbsp or a little more than 1/3 of a cup)
  • 3 large leaves Lacinato Kale, stems removed and chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups Cauliflower florets
  • 1 Can Chickpeas, drained
  • 1 13.5 oz can Full Fat Coconut Milk

Instructions

For the Green Curry Paste

  1. Juice and zest the lime and chop the lemongrass into one inch pieces.
  2. Peel the garlic, grate the ginger, and peel and roughly chop the shallot, reserving the other half of the shallot for another use.
  3. Place all ingredients for the paste in the blender and blend until smooth. Taste for heat, salt, and sugar. Add more salt, sugar, or chilies if needed.

For the Vegetables

  1. Peel and Cube the Butternut Squash.
  2. On medium high heat, heat the oil in a dutch oven or stock pot.
  3. While the pot is preheating dice the onion and bell pepper, peel and slice the carrot, and remove the stems from the lacinato kale.
  4. Add the butternut squash, onion, and carrot to the pot and saute for about 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add the red bell pepper and sate for a minute or two.
  6. Next, add half the curry paste and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  7. Add the chickpeas, cauliflower, and lacinato kale to the pot.
  8. Add the can of coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes to allow the liquid to thicken a little.
  9. After 5 minutes check the vegetables for doneness. If the butternut squash and cauliflower are easily pierced with a fork then your dish is ready! If they are not soft enough, check again in 2 minutes, and check every two minutes until they are cooked through.

Notes

Adding the cauliflower and lacinato kale at the end keeps them from overcooking.

When making the paste, you may need more than 2 Tbsp of water to get the paste smooth. Simply add more water 1 Tbsp at a time if needed.

If you are using lemongrass paste in a tube instead of fresh, use 2 tsp of the paste.

Be sure to taste the dish after the coconut milk is added and it has cooked a few minutes. If there is not enough curry paste to your liking and you want it spicier, add more curry paste if needed.

It is important to note that lemongrass is a bit woody and stringy. If you don’t have a strong blender, your paste may be a bit fibrous. To avoid that without buying a different blender, you can use lemongrass paste in a tube. It is usually found in your grocery store produce section with the fresh herbs.

  • Author: Amy at The Copper Table
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Additional Time: 0 hours
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Easy Weeknight Dinners

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 279
  • Sugar: 13
  • Sodium: 918
  • Fat: 8
  • Saturated Fat: 2
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 49
  • Fiber: 12
  • Protein: 10
  • Cholesterol: 0

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22 Comments

  1. This sounds great. I’ve got to tell you I’ve never had Tai food though. so I’m curious now.
    Thanks bunches for sharing this recipe with Sweet Tea & Friends October Link up.

    Reply

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