Butternut Chickpea Curry
Plant-based | One-pot | Make-ahead friendly
A creamy, satisfying curry that uses butternut instead of pumpkin for natural sweetness. Perfect for batch cooking—makes great leftovers and freezes well.
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Butternut squash, cubed | 1 medium (~1kg) | Peel and seed, cut 2cm cubes |
| Chickpeas (canned) | 2 cans (800g total) | Drained and rinsed |
| Onion, diced | 1 large | White or yellow |
| Garlic, minced | 4 cloves | ~1 tbsp |
| Fresh ginger, grated | 2 tbsp | Or 1 tsp ground |
| Coconut milk (light) | 1 can (400ml) | For creaminess |
| Vegetable broth | 1 cup | Low sodium |
| Curry powder | 2 tbsp | Mild or medium |
| Ground cumin | 1 tsp | |
| Ground turmeric | 1 tsp | |
| Cayenne pepper | ¼ tsp | Optional, for heat |
| Salt | 1 tsp | Adjust to taste |
| Fresh spinach | 2 cups | Added at end |
| Cilantro | For garnish | Optional |
| Lime juice | 1 tbsp | Fresh, at end |
Method
Section titled “Method”-
Sauté aromatics: Heat 2 tbsp water or broth in large pot. Sauté onion 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute.
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Toast spices: Add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Add squash and liquid: Add butternut cubes, chickpeas, coconut milk, and broth. Bring to boil.
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Simmer: Reduce heat, cover, simmer 20-25 minutes until squash is tender. Stir occasionally.
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Finish: Stir in spinach until wilted. Add lime juice. Taste and adjust salt.
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Serve: Over brown rice or with whole grain naan. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
Variations
Section titled “Variations”Protein boost: Add 1 cup red lentils (add extra 1 cup broth, simmer 10 min longer)
Green version: Swap spinach for kale or chard (add 5 min earlier)
Thicker curry: Mash some squash cubes against pot side
Extra vegetables: Add cauliflower or sweet potato with the squash
Batch Cooking
Section titled “Batch Cooking”- Storage: Keeps 5 days refrigerated, 3 months frozen
- Freezes well: Portion into containers before freezing
- Reheats: Stovetop or microwave, add splash of water if thick
Nutrition (per serving, 6 servings)
Section titled “Nutrition (per serving, 6 servings)”- Calories: ~380
- Protein: 14g
- Fiber: 12g
- Fat: 10g (from coconut milk)
Adapted from: Lean Plant Based
Prep: 15 min | Cook: 25 min | Serves: 6