Ultra delicious Thai-inspired butternutsquash red curry that is creamy, spicy, rich, and comforting! The sweet butternut squash pairs beautifully with all the red curry spices.
And here it is!
Two very different curry recipes delivered to you back to back.You should know that this was seriously poorplanning on my part. I didn’t mean to bombard you with curry recipes one after the other. But in my defense, this curry is absolutely worth obsessing over.
Won’t you let me feed you a spoonful of red curry with basmati rice to make it up to you?
Thank the lawwwwd it’s butternut squash season again. The best season there is in my very humble opinion. Because um.. hello! Butternut squash red thai curry is actually a thing. And it’s creamy, spicy, sweet, crunchy, comforting, and just down right addicting. Something i’ve been waiting all summer long to share. But who makes spicy curry in the summertime other than me?
Everything we love about food in general all rolled into one easy curry recipe.What I need you to know is that this is weeknight curry. We’re using store-bought red curry paste and really amping up the flavor with a little yellow curry powder. WHAT. Yes friends. The yellow curry powder addssooo muchspice and flavor to this easy one pot butternut squash curry.
How to Make Butternut Squash Red Curry:
Food like this is my life.
I go a little loopiewhen I think about all that sweet, tender butternut squash nestled in a slow simmered silky coconut curry sauce. Judging by this and the last recipe i’ve shared, it’s obvious that curries would be on the list of food that I could eat forever and ever. Also, top it with crushed cashews/peanuts and freshly chopped cilantro and i’d think you were after my heart.
And speaking of butternut squash. I’m no longer allowing myself to purchase whole butternut squash anymore. That privilege was immediately revoked last fall when I made a decent sized cut between my thumb and forefinger and then proceeded to almost faint from the ample amount of blood that was gushing from the wound.It’s not that slicing and dicing butternut squash is difficult, it’s that the person behind Little Spice Jar happens to have a ton moreaccidents than the average human being. ‘Uncoordinated’ can totally be my middle name from now until the end of time. So it’s a rule now. For my own sake, Imust only purchaseprecut butternut squash.
And hey! On the positive side, shortcuts like these are totally welcome. Especially when I want to get butternut squash red curry in my belly in 30 minutes. Found thatsilver lining. ??
There are two main components to my butternut squash red curry:
1.) the curry base: I’m using store-bought red curry paste and really oomphing up the flavor with a little yellow curry powder. Along with that we need shallots, ginger, a little fish sauce, and some sugar. If you follow a vegan/vegetarian diet, feel free to omit the fish sauce. I know, the stuff smells terrible but what it does for this curry is amazing. It really adds a nice depth that makes the curry taste//smell like it’s been simmering all day. And finally you need a can of coconut milk. I’m not gonna tell you that low-fat coconut milk won’t work, because it will. I’m just going to tell you that full fat coconut milk makes this a more luxurious red curry experience. And to that, i’ll say no more. ?
2.) the veggies: in our case, i’m using butternut squash and baby spinach because I find the combination of the two works really well. We’re big fans of baby spinach and use it for just about everything. Needless to say, we always have some on hand. Kale also works well for this recipe, but keep in mind you’ll have to let it cook with the butternut squash a bit as it takes longer to wilt than spinach. Kabocha squash, acorn, sweet potatoes, and even carrots would work really well in place of the butternut squash. All of these ingredients have that sweet starchy factor that this curry needs.
Grab a bowl, because curries are meant to be eaten in a bowl. Fill it with a nice mound of fluffy basmati rice and top it with that silky coconut sauce loaded withtender squash and top it off with a handful of crushed nuts and fresh cilantro. A squeeze of lime juice wouldn’t hurt either.
This is get snug-on-the-couch-with-netflix food.
Yield: 4-5 servings
Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Ultra creamy and delicious Thai inspired butternut squash red curry that is creamy, spicy, rich, and comforting! The sweet butternut squash pairs beautifully with all the red curry spices.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons coconut oil (or any oil really)
- 1 large shallots, chopped (or 2 small)
- 2-2 ½ cups diced butternut squash (about 1.5 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2-3 tablespoons red curry paste
- ½ tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk
- ¾ cup vegetables or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce (omit for vegans/vegetarians)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach
- basmati rice, crushed cashews/ peanuts, cilantro, lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and saute them for 5-6 minutes or until they just begin to get golden. Add the butternut squash and grated ginger, stir to coat with the oil.
- Add the red curry paste, yellow curry powder and stir until all the butternut squash is nicely coated. Continue to cook the curry paste for 2-3 minutes or until it's fragrant. Add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Let the sauce come to a simmer before covering. Lower the heat and allow the squash to cook all the way through, about 12-18 minutes. You'll know it's done when you can easily pierce the butternut squash with the tip of a knife. Stir in the baby spinach and allow it to wilt.
- Serve with basmati rice topped with crushed nuts, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Notes
- Kale can be used in place of the spinach in this recipe but keep in mind you'll need to add it in earlier so that it has enough time to wilt.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
instant pot cajun butternut squash soup
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