Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

Butternut squash, chickpeas with coriander and rice

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

This vegan butternut squash and chickpea curry is delicious! It's easy to make and is perfect for a tasty weeknight dinner.

Course Main

Cuisine Indian

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 236kcal

Author Michelle Alston

Ingredients

1 large onion finely chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 thumb-size piece of ginger peeled and grated
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped red chilli
1 teaspoon cumin seeds toasted
1 heaped tsp ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon Garam Masala
1 14.5oz can of chopped tomatoes (400g)
2 ½ cups butternut squash (380g) peeled and cut into cubes
1 large green bell pepper pith and seeds removed then cut into medium chunks
1 15oz can of chickpeas (420g) drained
2 cups of vegetable stock (400ml)
3 cups of fresh spinach (90g)
A small handful of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves & stems, chopped + more for garnish
½ teaspoon of sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat a small frying pan, add the cumin seeds and toast for about 2 minutes, giving a little shake of the pan a couple of times. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook for about 8 minutes, until they are golden. Then add the ginger, garlic and red chilli, chopped cilantro/coriander stalks. Cook for about two minutes then add the turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander and cumin seeds, mix well and cook for about 1 minute. Making sure not to burn the spices.
Now pour in the tin of tomatoes and stir, add the butternut squash, peppers and chickpeas, and stock. Add the salt and pepper. Leave to simmer for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Check the seasoning again.
After 30 minutes the curry should be reduced by a third and the butternut squash should be cooked.
Turn off the heat and then start adding the spinach. Add it one large handful at a time, gently stir it in and as soon as it wilts down. Repeat with the remaining spinach. Once all the spinach has been added the curry is ready to serve.
Serve with rice and/or naan and some extra coriander leaves.

Notes

Spices - Don't burn the spices! They only need a minute but if you cook them any longer you risk burning them. Burnt spices will ruin your curry.
Butternut squash - I peel the squash for this curry. If I was roasting the butternut squash then I wouldn't peel it. But seeing as it's going in this curry I don't want the skin in there.
Leftovers - Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge once they have cooled down. It will keep for up to 3 days. This tastes even better the next day, so you may very well end up having curry two days in a row, which is my kind of heaven!
Freezing - This freezes very well, just let it cool before you freeze it and defrost fully before you re-heat it, it will keep in the freezer for about a month.
Nutritional Information - all nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.

Nutrition