Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Curry Recipe
This slow cooker butternut squash curry recipe is incredibly delicious and nourishing. If you love curry and winter vegetables, then you’ve gotta try this butternut squash curry recipe. Squash, sweet potatoes, chickpeas and a spiced coconut curry sauce.
We all know how much I love my slow cooker this type of year, especially a slow cooker curry recipe. My favorites this time of year include my slow cooker butter chickpeas, slow cooker chana masala, slow cooker potato curry, slow cooker tikka masala, slow cooker saag paneer and now this squash curry.
If you are a fan of curry flavor and hearty winter vegetables like sweet potatoes and butternut squash, then you are going to love this slow cooker curry. Naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, this vegan recipe is one of my favorite cold-weather meals.
Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Curry
The beauty of this recipe is that most of the ingredients are pantry staples, like spices and canned coconut milk and chickpeas. Additionally, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Butternut squash
- Sweet Potato
- Baby spinach
- Lemon or lime
Substitution Recommendations
I love the combination of both sweet potatoes and butternut squash, but if you only want to use butternut squash then I recommend 4 cups of squash instead of the sweet potatoes. Other squash, like acorn squash could also work. The sweet potatoes add a subtle sweetness that balances the spices so nicely.
I don’t add vegetable broth to this recipe because I like the thickness of the vegetables with just the coconut milk, but if you want a thinner curry then you’ll likely want to add in 1 cup of broth.
Rice (especially jasmine or basmati rice) is my favorite to pair with this recipe, but it’s also great on it’s own scooped up with naan or even served with quinoa. Instead of spinach, you can use chopped kale. You need some acid at the end to brighten the entire curry, but either fresh lemon or lime juice will do. Fresh chopped cilantro on top is also yummy!
Lastly, I like using lite coconut milk because I think the flavor is still rich enough but full fat coconut milk will work as well. I don’t recommend coconut milk beverage as the flavor is too diluted.
How to make this butternut squash curry recipe
Saute the aromatics
If your slow cooker has a saute function, then turn it on. Alternatively, you can cook the aromatics in a saucepan before adding it to the skillet. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion and salt then cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spices and cook another 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients
Stir in the rest of the ingredients except for the spinach and lemon juice. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
Add the spinach and lemon juice
Right before serving, stir in the spinach and lemon juice. Season to taste and enjoy of cooked rice.
Instant Pot Directions
If you want to make this in the Instant Pot, follow the directions for step 1 for sautéing the onion and garlic in olive oil, then turn off the sauté function. Add in the rest of the ingredients up to the spinach.
Cook at high pressure for 3 minutes, then let pressure come down naturally. Remove the lid and stir in the spinach and fresh lemon juice until the spinach is wilted, then serve over rice and naan.
Stove Top Directions
To make this on the stove, follow the directions for step 1 for cooking the onion and garlic, then add in the spices and cook until just fragrant , about 30 seconds. Add in the rest of the ingredients up to the spinach and simmer over medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes until warmed through and thickened.
Stir in the spinach and fresh lemon juice before serving with cooked rice and naan, if desired. If you love this stove top version, then you’ll love my butternut squash curry!
Tips for Success
Before I stir the spinach and lemon juice, I usually gently mash the squash and potato mixture to thicken slightly. The squash should be really tender and easily mash once cooked through.
For convenience, I admit that I often buy precut and peeled squash at the grocery store but if you buy a whole squash, you’ll need to peel and cube it first. To easily peel, I cut the neck of the squash off, then use a vegetable peeler (or a sharp knife) to remove the skin, then cube.
More Slow Cooker Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
- Crockpot Butter Chickpeas
- Slow Cooker Saag Paneer
- Vegan Slow Cooker Chana Masala
- Tikka Masala made in the Slow Cooker
- Slow Cooker Vegetable Chowder
More Butternut Squash Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chili
- Kale Pasta with Butternut Squash and Pecan Parmesan
- Roasted Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls
If you try this recipe, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Curry Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can light coconut milk (or regular coconut milk)
- 1 large handful chopped baby spinach
- 1/2 lemon
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- In the base of a slow cooker with a saute function (like an Instant Pot) or on the stove in a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Turn off the saute function (or hit cancel on the Instant Pot or remove the pot from the stove) and stir in the garlic, ginger, turmeric, curry powder and cumin. If using a seperate pot, add to the base of a slow cooker.
- Add in the squash, potato, garbanzo beans and coconut milk and cook over low heat for 6 hours (or high heat for 4 hours). When ready to serve, stir in the spinach and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Season to taste, adding in more salt as desired.
- Serve over cooked rice.Â