Thai Butternut Squash Curry (Instant Pot + Stove-top)

Name: Butternut Squash Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 1/2 cup - Butternut squash (Cubed in to 1 1/2 inch size); 1 cup onion (chopped); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 3 tbsp thai red curry paste; 3 cups kale (very finely chopped); 400 ml full fat canned coconut milk; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp curry powder; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp coconut oil; 1 tbsp lemon juice

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Creamy, spicy, rich, comforting, and Vegan, this Thai-inspired Butternut Squash Curry comes together in just 20 minutes in an Instant pot and requires a very handful of Ingredients. Isn't that the best kind of recipe?

It is the ultimate comfort food loaded with vibrant and nutritious ingredients that will warm your bellies.

It is also a great make-ahead dish that you can make a big batch of and heat anytime you need something warm, simple, healthy, and comforting after a busy weeknight or during cold, lazy weekends.

Thai butternut squash curry in a white bowl, rice on a side.

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About this curry
Why Do You Make this Curry?
Ingredients required
Step by step process
Notes, pro-tips, and Quick FAQs
More Thai-inspired recipes
Butternut Squash Curry

It's butternut squash season again. It's such a versatile vegetable and works great in so many recipes!

You can use it to make soups, salads, cookies, pancakes, etc,!

It is also quite easy to handle, compared to other winter squash with the tough outer skin. All you need to do is trim the ends of the squash and peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler.

About this curry

This Thai-inspired Butternut Squash curry is made with Butternut Squash (of course), Kale, coconut milk, tomato paste, onion, Thai red curry paste, and a couple of spices.

It's creamy, spicy, a little bit sweet, crunchy, comforting, and so addicting.

I served the curry with Jasmine Rice that I cooked in my Instant Pot. You can also serve it with white Jeera rice, quinoa, or millet.

Honestly, any cooked grain and even Tandoori Roti or Naan will go well with the curry.

Why Do You Make this Curry?

It is quick and easy. This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes.
Customizable and Budget-friendly. You can add just about any vegetables you have on hand, so you don't need to buy all the ingredients from the farmer's market.
Aside from the rich and creamy flavor it brings, it is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals.
It would be great for entertaining and taking along to Thanksgiving potlucks or any fall gatherings.
Make a big batch of this curry and enjoy it throughout the week - or freeze it for a later date!
In short, this curry is worth obsessing over.

Ingredients required

Butternut Squash – Peeled, seeded, and cubed. Look for a squash with a fat neck and a small bulb with a small seed cavity to get the most meat. You can use precut butternut squash too.
Coconut oil - You can also use any neutral oil like Canola, vegetable, grape seed, or sunflower.
Red onion - Sauteed red onions add a caramelized and sweet flavor to the dish.
Kale - For extra health benefits. You can use any greens like spinach, collard greens, or arugula.
Coconut milk - use canned full-fat coconut milk to make a thick and creamy curry sauce.
Red Thai curry paste - You can use homemade Thai curry paste or store-bought. My favorite brand is Maesri. You can find it on Amazon or in your local Asian stores.
Tomato paste - For the base and to give the tang to this curry.
Spices - Used salt and curry powder
Soy sauce - You can use Liquid Aminos too
Lime juice, cilantro, and peanut to give extra flavors and crunch.

pre-measured ingredients for Butternut Squash Curry

Step by step process

Prep your butternut squash.

Cut off both ends; microwave it for two minutes to soften. Allow the skin to cool completely before peeling and cutting it into cubes.
Now Peel the skins and cut the squash into 1 and ½ inch cubes. Keep it aside

Pro-tip - To make the process easy, you can also use pre-cut butternut squash.

Let's make curry

Turn on the Instant pot on sauté mode. Once the instant pot is hot, add oil.
Now add Onions and sauté for a minute. (image 1)
Add Tomato paste, Thai curry paste, and 1 ½ cup water, mix well, and de-glaze the pot. Make sure nothing is stuck at the bottom. (image 2 and 3)
Now add butternut squash cubes, salt, curry powder, and soy sauce. Mix everything well. (image 4)
Cover the instant pot with its locking lid, vent valve in sealing position. (image 5)
Press the manual/pressure cook and set the timer for 5 minutes under high pressure. (image 6)

collage of making Butternut Squash Curry in instant pot

Once the cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and quickly release the remaining pressure. (image 7)
Carefully open the instant pot, add finely chopped kale and coconut milk. Mix everything well. (image 8 and 9)

collage of adding kale, coconut milk in Butternut Squash Curry

Turn on the instant pot on sauté mode.
Now add lemon juice and cook the curry for 3 minutes on saute mode.

Turn off the instant pot, take the curry into a serving bowl/plate, and garnish it with some peanuts and cilantro.
Serve it with Jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Notes, pro-tips, and Quick FAQs

If you want to save time, go to your local grocery shop and buy pre-cut squash.
Taste and adjust as needed. Spices and other seasonings, such as Thai curry paste, can be too much. Depending on how strong or mild you want your curry to be, start with a small amount of thai curry paste and adjust to taste.
You can use veggie stock instead of water to make it more flavorful.
If your curry became too thick, just add a bit of water or veggie broth to thin it out.
If you added too much spicy curry paste, you could make it less fiery by adding more coconut milk or by more lemon juice.

Can we add protein?

If you want to add protein to this butternut squash curry, I recommend adding chickpeas or pan-fried tofu. If you are not vegan, try pan-fried paneer.

How to Store?

This dish stores nicely and reheats beautifully! It will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. it can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed container.

Can I make this curry without coconut milk?

Yes. You can add cashew cream instead of coconut cream. And if you are not vega, you can use heavy whipping cream instead of coconut milk.

Are there substitutes for butternut squash?

If you don't have butternut squash, you can use sweet potatoes.

How should I serve butternut squash curry?

My favorite way to serve any Thai curry is over white jasmine rice. You can serve it over brown rice, millet, quinoa, or with any Indian bread like Naan, Phulka Roti, Paratha, or Tandoori roti.