Who doesn’t love a good curry? This vegan butternut squash, chickpea, and kale curry is one of my go-to recipes for so many reasons, and it always impresses my friends and family. The flavor is so good they won’t even miss the meat!
Why This Vegan Curry Recipe Works So Well:
- Curries are super comforting, hearty evening meals.
- This curry recipe is loaded with healthy veggies and spices, including kale, ginger, and garlic, containing lots of essential nutrients your body needs.
- There will be minimal washing up, as all you need is a baking tray for the butternut squash, a large pan for the curry, and a saucepan to boil your rice.
- The recipe is easy to follow with simple cooking steps.
Top Tips For A Tasty Vegan Curry
- Always rinse your chickpeas to prevent bloating after you finish eating.
- Leave the chili powder and red chili flakes out if you prefer a mild curry or cook for kids.
- Serve with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice for an added hint of freshness and flavor.
- Add vegan naan bread on the side for some extra tasty carbs.
- Make your own vegetable broth with the butternut squash peel, onion skin, garlic, kale stalks, cilantro stems, and other veggie scraps from the week. Not only is this more sustainable as you reduce food waste, but it’s super tasty.
- If you are in a rush, use frozen, pre-chopped butternut squash to save time. About 4 cups of diced butternut are the equivalent of one medium fresh squash.
- Add spinach for some additional greens, or use spinach instead of kale.
Is This Easy Butternut Squash Curry Healthy?
Definitely! This recipe is packed with veggies, spices, and other fresh ingredients to nourish your body and provide tons of essential nutrients.
The star ingredient butternut squash contains over 450% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin A per cup! Not only this, but it also provides your body with vitamin C, E, Magnesium, Potassium, and B vitamins.
Chickpeas add a lovely texture and bring protein, fiber, and many essential vitamins and minerals, including copper, manganese, folate, and iron. This recipe also uses kale, one of the most nutrient-dense foods you will find in your grocery shop. Plus, there is no need to use dairy or cream as a thickener as the butternut squash curry with coconut milk will be creamy enough as it is.
How To Store Leftover Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry
Curry is a great recipe to keep for leftovers later in the week. In fact, sometimes I think curry tastes even better the day after! Store your leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Then, reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
You could even freeze this easy butternut squash and chickpea curry for up to 3 months so you can have curry on hand for whenever you need an easy, tasty meal.
I recommend cooking the rice fresh each time you serve the curry. However, if you cook too much rice, you can keep it in the fridge and reheat the following day. Just ensure the rice is piping hot before you serve and that you only reheat it once after cooling.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium butternut squash OR 1 16oz bag of frozen butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Thumb sized piece of ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small can (400ml) diced tomatoes
- 1 bunch of kale, destemmed and chopped
- 1 small can (400ml) coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 small can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Red chili flakes and chopped cilantro for serving, optional
- Salt, to taste
METHOD
- ( If using whole butternut squash )Preheat the oven to 400F. Add the butternut squash to a large lined baking pan, drizzle with oil salt, and pepper, toss and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
- (If using frozen butternut squash ) prepare according to the directions on the package
- In a large pan, add the coconut oil and onion. Cook 5 to 7 minutes until translucent, stirring frequently. Then add in the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
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Next, add the curry powder, garam masala, cumin, cumin seeds, turmeric, pepper, and chili powder. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often.
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Add the diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
- Add in the chickpeas and kale and reduce to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes.
- Then, add in the cooked butternut squash and stir well to combine.
- Serve over rice and top with the cilantro and chili flakes
Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Kale Curry
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash OR 1 16oz bag of frozen butternut squash
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- Thumb sized piece of ginger minced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 small can (400ml) diced tomatoes
- 1 bunch of kale destemmed and chopped
- 1 small can (400ml) coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 small can (400g) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- Red chili flakes and chopped cilantro for serving optional
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- ( If using whole butternut squash )Preheat the oven to 400F. Add the butternut squash to a large lined baking pan, drizzle with oil salt, and pepper, toss and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
- (If using frozen butternut squash ) prepare according to the directions on the package
- In a large pan, add the coconut oil and onion. Cook 5 to 7 minutes until translucent, stirring frequently. Then add in the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Next, add the curry powder, garam masala, cumin, cumin seeds, turmeric, pepper, and chili powder. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
- Add in the chickpeas and kale and reduce to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes.
- Then, add in the cooked butternut squash and stir well to combine.
- Serve over rice and top with the cilantro and chili flakes
