This butternut squash curry is an easy plant based dinner that’s vibrant and full-flavored, starring Thai red curry paste and coconut milk.

You know about natural flavor pairings like peanut butter and jelly, and tomatoes and basil. Here’s another unique pairing that works like a charm: butternut squash and Thai curry paste! There’s something about the sweetness of squash and the spicy aromatic flavors of curry paste that go hand in hand. Try them together in this Butternut Squash Curry recipe! It’s easy to make, full of colorful vegetables and bursting with Thai curry flavor. The moment I took the first bite, I couldn’t stop singing its praises.

Is this an authentic Thai red curry?  

Curry is a very loose term. Per Bon Appetit, in many countries it was a word used by colonizers to simplify what they saw as foreign cuisines. Today, curry is usually a dish with a spiced sauce and meat or vegetables, often eaten with rice or flatbread like naan. Sometimes  curry powder is included in the sauce (like in many Indian curries), or sometimes curry paste (like Thai curries). The dish is made 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. This is a Thai dish with a sauce made with red curry paste and coconut milk. It can be made with different proteins like chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu. Thai cuisine does feature different types of squash and pumpkin, but usually not butternut squash since it is not a native plant. So this uses the principles and flavors of Thai red curry to highlight this tasty winter squash. 

The key to butternut squash curry: red curry paste!

Do not make this butternut squash curry unless you can find red curry paste! This is what makes the fragrant Thai curry flavor. What is it? Red curry paste is a jarred paste that takes all the flavor of a Thai curry and concentrates it into a paste. In traditional Thai cooking, you’d make it with the real ingredients. Curry paste is a shortcut: it has all the chili peppers, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, cumin, coriander, and more. It brings incredible flavor and lasts for months in the fridge. A few notes on red curry paste:

• It ranges from mild to medium spicy, based on the brand. We love using Thai kitchen curry paste which is very mild. Taste your curry paste before using it: if it’s very spicy, use less than the recipe specifies.
• It’s easy to find near the Thai products in most grocery stores. It keeps for months in the refrigerator and you can use it in lots more recipes (see below). You can also buy it online: Thai Kitchen red curry paste.

How to cut butternut squash: some tips!

The main part of this butternut squash curry that requires technique is cutting the butternut squash! It takes a little time to peel and cut the squash. Here are a few tips: 

1. Watch the video: The easiest way to understand how to cut it is by showing you! Watch this quick video of How to Cut Butternut Squash.
2. Use a serrated peeler: The easiest way to peel butternut squash is a squash peeler! It’s serrated, which makes it easier than a normal vegetable peeler. Here’s the serrated vegetable peeler we use.
3. Cut off the neck and chop it separately from the base: Don’t try to cut the entire squash together. Chop off the neck, then peel it and chop into squares. Do the same for the base. 

Can you substitute frozen squash? (No.)

Important: don’t be tempted to substitute frozen squash in this butternut squash curry recipe! This has been optimized for fresh squash. In fact, we tried it with frozen because we thought it would be a natural swap. The squash came out mushy and waterlogged: nothing like the fresh version. So stay away from this swap 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 what to do: 

• Add shrimp. Throw in raw shrimp in the last 5 minutes of simmering. 
• Add chickpeas. Make a butternut squash chickpea curry by adding drained and rinsed chickpeas when you add the coconut milk. You may need to increase the salt a bit in the final seasoning.
• Add tofu. Make Pan Fried Tofu on the side (or in advance) and add it in the last 5 minutes: pan frying it in advance gives it a nice texture. Or even easier, add tofu cubes when you add the coconut milk: this results in a soft tofu texture, but it’s just as tasty. 

What to serve with butternut squash curry? 

This butternut squash curry is Thai-style, so it’s most authentic to serve it with rice. Don’t attempt to add naan: that’s for an Indian-style curry! Here are the types of rice we like to serve with a Thai-style curry: 

• Jasmine rice (best fit): Jasmine rice is also called Thai fragrant rice: because of its beautiful popcorn-like nutty flavor. 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’s less fragrant and more often used for Indian curries. See How to Cook Basmati Rice and Instant Pot Basmati Rice.
• Jade rice (for fun!): Jade rice is a fun option: it’s naturally dyed green using bamboo extract and has a fluffy texture almost like couscous. We served the squash curry this way and it was excellent. 

Want to know more about rice nutrition? See Quinoa vs Rice.

More recipes with red curry paste

When you buy a jar of red curry paste for this butternut squash curry, there are lots more ways to use it! Here are some of our top favorite recipes using curry paste: 

• Make a beautiful orange puree of Curried Butternut Squash Soup
• Enjoy colorful veggies and lentils in this Curry Lentil Soup
• Make a quick and stunning bowl of creamy Coconut Shrimp Curry
• Whip up fast and easy Coconut Lentil Curry

This butternut squash curry recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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