I absolutely love a good curry. I used to be very boring when it came to curries and just stuck with a chicken korma. But then I started to experiment and discovered the amazing flavours of all of the different spices.

Since changing to a more plant-based diet, I found eating out at an Indian restaurant challenging and was really hit and miss to find a good plant-based alternative. Choosing the vegetable curries, I’d find some restaurants were great and used chunky fresh vegetables, while others would throw in a bag of mixed veg (well that’s what it felt like) using sweetcorn and peas!

So, we got to researching a good substitute for a meat curry and we experimented with butternut squash, and it really does make THE best curry.

Chickpea and butternut squash curry

Using lentils is a great way to get extra protein or fibre into your meal, and chickpeas go really well with butternut squash in this recipe.

Can you freeze butternut squash?

This curry is easy to make, and we love to freeze a portion of it to use as a quick dinner the following week. It seems to freeze well and we’ve never noticed butternut squash going squishy after defrosting.

Is butternut squash a bad carb?

As a winter squash, it’s known as a more starchy veg, so the carbs in butternut squash are higher than in other vegetables. But vegetables are a whole carb and are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Butternut squash offers many health benefits including being good for your eye health, a good source of fibre, it’s packed with vitamins A and C, and contains magnesium, potassium and calcium.

How to cut butternut squash

Now. If you’re like me and you get put off eating certain vegetables because they look intimidating and you have no idea how or what to do with it, worry no more!

Check out this great video from Elizabeth Rider who shows you how to cut and peel a butternut squash.

Butternut squash curry recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• X1 butternut squash – cut into cubes
• X 2 peppers – cut into chunks
• X1 red onion – sliced
• X1 400g tin of chickpeas – rinsed and drained
• X1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• X1 400g tin of coconut milk
• X3 tsps of balti paste
• X5 garlic cloves – in the skins
• 3 handfuls of spinach
• A handful of fresh coriander – chopped

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
• Place the butternut squash, chickpeas and garlic cloves (still in their skin) on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for around 30 minutes.
• In a pan big enough to hold everything, sauté the onions until soft and translucent, then add the peppers, roasted butternut squash and chickpeas, and pop the roasted garlic to the side to cool.
• Add the balti paste and stir for a couple of minutes.
• Pour in the tin of coconut milk, mix, and leave to simmer for a few more minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and stir.
• Squeeze the roasted garlic out of their skins and add to the pan, then throw in half the coriander.
• Simmer for around 15 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
• Add the spinach and stir until wilted.
• Dish up and top with the rest of the coriander.

Serve with brown rice or enjoy it on its own!