The coziest-ever Roasted Butternut Squash Curry with protein-packed lentils and hearty Brussels sprouts.
Homemade curry is one of my most common go-to's when I'm in the mood for something warm and comforting. There's something about seasonal veggies simmered in a creamy, coconut-based sauce with an abundance of spices.
It just doesn't get any better.
With the cooking time clocking in at 60 minutes, this roasted butternut squash curry requires a little patience, but most of the time is hands-off, and the cooking process itself is pretty easy.
I like to eat it for dinner and then reheat the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Balanced with fiber, energizing carbs, fat, and plant-based protein from lentils, this butternut squash curry always makes me feel more energized.
Instructions
Roast the butternut squash:
To prepare the butternut squash, first, slice it in half lengthwise. Then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy parts attached to the flesh.
Place the halves skin-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Then brush each piece with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the baking sheet in a 450-degree oven and roast 60 minutes, pausing halfway through to flip over the squash pieces and rotate the baking sheet.
After about an hour, the squash will be tender and brown in places.
Once the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to peel the flesh from the skin and add it to your blender with the coconut milk, lime juice, and spices.
Cover and blend the mixture until it's thick, creamy, and velvety smooth. Feel free to give it a taste and adjust the salt or spices if needed.
Cook Lentils and Brussels Sprouts:
While the squash is roasting in the oven, you have enough time to cook the lentils and the Brussels sprouts on the stovetop. I like to use the same 12-inch fry pan with a lid for both.
First, pour the dry lentils into the pan. Cover with water and add a little salt. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce the heat and cook until the lentils are the right consistency.
Drain any excess water and transfer the cooked lentils to a bowl or dish while you cook the Brussels sprouts.
First, heat enough oil to coat the pan over medium heat. Stir in the sliced shallot and grated ginger, and then add in the shaved Brussels sprouts.
Once the sprouts are tender, add the cooked lentils back into the pan and stir in the butternut squash curry sauce.
Serving:
I like to serve this Roasted Butternut Squash Curry over cooked brown rice, but you could also swap in another type of rice or a different grain altogether. (Try farro or barley.)
I also like a handful of fresh herbs. My favorites for this recipe are fresh mint and cilantro. You could also try basil or parsley.
A spoonful of your favorite plain yogurt could be nice, too.
Can you make this recipe ahead of time?
You can make this recipe ahead of time, which is nice for a couple of different reasons.
For one, you could roast the butternut squash in advance to speed up the cooking process the day of. Even better, make the whole thing a day or two in advance and heat up leftovers in just a couple of minutes.
It hasn't lasted long enough for me to test, but this curry should also hold up well in the freezer. Feel free to leave your feedback in the comments if you try it.
You might also like:
- Roasted Pumpkin with Curried Tahini Sauce
- Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Lentil Dip
- Pumpkin Curry with Tofu and Broccoli
- Cauliflower Curry Soup with Vegan Herb Yogurt Sauce
- Herb Rice with Sweet Potato
- Roasted Eggplant Coconut Curry
- 1 medium butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded (see note)
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or cooking oil of choice
- Salt and pepper
- 1 (13.66-ounce) can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground fenugreek
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 cup dry lentils
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or cooking oil of choice
- 1 medium shallot, sliced
- 1- inch piece ginger, grated
- 2 cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts (about 12)
- Cooked rice
- Fresh mint
- Cilantro
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place butternut squash halves skin-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with grapeseed oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on the center rack of the oven and roast 60 minutes, flipping squash skin-side up and rotating the baking sheet halfway through, or until squash is tender and beginning to brown in places.
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Once the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to peel the flesh from the skin. Add the cooked squash to a blender container. Add coconut milk, cumin, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (if using), and lime juice to the blender container. Cover and blend on high 3 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and creamy. Set aside.
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In the meantime, pour lentils into a 12-inch fry pan with lid. Cover with water and add salt if desired. Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook lentils 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain any excess water and transfer cooked lentils to a bowl. Set aside.
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Heat 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or as needed to coat the pan) over medium heat. Stir in shallot and ginger and cook 3 minutes, or until shallot is translucent. Stir in Brussels sprouts and cook 6 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until tender and starting to brown in places.
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Add cooked lentils back into the pan with the cooked Brussels sprouts. Stir in cooked butternut squash mixture. Keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve.
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Serve over rice with fresh mint and cilantro if desired.
1 medium butternut squash yields 2 1/2 cups cubed squash. To substitute cubed squash for whole, toss the pieces with oil, salt, and pepper, spread on a baking sheet, and roast 25 minutes, or until tender.
Recipe tested with full-fat canned coconut milk.
Store butternut squash curry in an airtight container and refrigerate up to a week.
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Deborah Brooks says
These are some of my favorite foods! I love squash and lentils and curry. Looks amazing
Kelly says
This is one of the good things about getting cooler weather. Hooray for warm, comforting dishes like this butternut squash curry. Yum!
Amy Gorin says
This looks like a big, warm hug on a cold day! The coconut milk would bring this up a notch! Can't wait to try it.
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
All of these flavors sound incredible! I love how it uses butternut squash and just a few more tasty ingredients!
Heaher says
This looks like such a warm, inviting, cozy meal! Adding to my winter "must make" list for sure!
Guppy says
Do you fenugreek seeds or powder? Is the cumin ground or whole seeds??
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Hi Guppy, I used fenugreek powder and grown cumin for this recipe. Feel free to sub with whole seeds if you want. Thanks!
Jessica says
What kind of lentils do you use?
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
I used brown lentils, but any type will work. Let me know if you try it! 🙂
Jody says
Oh my goodness! This was so delicious! I didn't have Brussels so I subbed Kale but it still came out amazing
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks, Jody! So glad you enjoyed it - and kale sounds delicious! 🙂
Nika says
I tried today!!! It is gorgeous as food can be. My first curry. My first comment. I adapted it, according to my diet, with spices. I like the combination of Brussels sprouts with creamy baked pumpkin and coconut milk.
Thanks for lovely idea.
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks so much for commenting, Nika! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Chris B says
Lentils take 20-30 min to cook, not 15. I didn't realize this until it was on the table. Had to toss the whole batch. Please update the instructions. Thx!
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Hi Chris, sorry this didn't work out for you. Lentils typically take about 15 minutes when I cook them at home (I use a timer for recipe testing). Older lentils can sometimes take longer to cook, so that could've been the reason. The times listed in my recipes are always estimated so I try to also include additional descriptors, such as "or until tender" to accommodate individual variations. I suggest trying the lentils first to ensure they're cooked before you take the curry off the stove. Also, in the future, you can transfer the curry back to the skillet and cook longer instead of throwing the batch out. Please let me know if there's anything else I can do to help! Thanks for your feedback!
DALILAH HERNANDEZ says
I just made this and I'm eating it now. It's so yummy!! Though, I am tasting mostly the butternut squash. Do you have any tips on how to bring out the flavor of the spices? Should I add more spices?
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Hi Dalilah, thanks for trying the recipe! You can always add more spices to curry! 🙂 I usually like to taste a little bit as it's cooking and adjust spices as I go. Another consideration is how long you've had your spices because they can lose some of their flavors as they get older. To bring out the most flavor, you could try grinding whole spices yourself at home. (I like to use an old coffee grinder for this.) Let me know if you have any other questions!