Butternut squash and chickpea curry with spinach is a healthy, vegan and quick curry recipe made in the instant pot or stovetop. Put it together in a bowl with brown rice and some green chutney and you've made yourself a complete meal. Did I mention it is really delicious as well?
I love a good, hearty curry and if it is bursting with nutrition and pretty to look at (look at the warm oranges and greens), bingo!
This butternut squash curry has so much going for it, honestly, I find myself making it regularly these days. The goodness of butternut squash, chickpeas and spinach comes together in a beautiful medley of aromatics and spices. And when you serve it with brown rice and a fresh green cilantro-mint chutney, it becomes simply outstanding!
Note: If you are not on a vegan diet, you can also add a little yogurt topped with roasted and ground cumin.
If you like cooking with fresh vegetables, try bharwa shimla mirch, green peppers stuffed with a spicy potato mix and bhindi masala or okra curry with onions and tomatoes. They taste really good with Indian breads like chapati or parathas. And here's another vegan curry with eggplant as the starring ingredient. Hyderabadi bagara baingan is a li'l tangy, a li'l spicy and with loads of flavor.
Ingredients
Note: Exact amounts are given in the recipe card further down in the post.
1. Butternut squash
You can use frozen or fresh butternut squash. When using fresh, I like picking up the peeled and cubed squash available in the produce section of most supermarkets. Who's got the time to peel and cube a whole vegetable? Also, the whole squash sometimes turns out to be a pale yellow color, aargh! After going to the effort of peeling and cubing it, you end up with a sickly looking curry. No, thanks.
2. Chickpeas
You can use a can of chickpeas (affiliate link) for convenience. However, it is very easy to cook chickpeas from scratch in the instant pot. Here's a post guiding you on how to do that:
How to cook chickpeas in the instant pot
If you still prefer the can, always thoroughly rinse and wash the canned chickpeas in a colander first to get rid of the excess salt and foam. Takes just a minute.
3. Spinach
Again, to make things as easy as possible, I buy the washed and cleaned baby spinach available in the produce section. I hate washing spinach leaves (just a pet peeve of mine). Anyway, all that needs to be done then is to gather all the leaves on a cutting board in a large bunch and chop them any which way you want.
4. Yellow onion, tomatoes and garlic
Dice the onions, chop the tomatoes and mince the garlic.
5. Vegetable broth (affiliate link)
6. Spices
Where would Indian cooking be without spices? Spices give Indian curries their signature flavour and aroma and this butternut squash chickpea curry is no exception. If you don't have or want to buy these particular spices, you can use the substitutes as mentioned.
- Madras curry powder - sub with regular curry powder if you don't have madras curry powder.
- Kashmiri chilli powder (sub with regular chilli powder like cayenne) - adds a pleasing natural red colour without too much heat.
- Turmeric powder
- Cumin powder
7. Cooking oil and salt
I usually use canola or corn oil and sea salt for all my Indian recipes.
How to make butternut squash and chickpea curry
Instant Pot Recipe
Step 1 - Switch on your instant pot and press sauté (normal). Once the display panel shows HOT, add the oil, onions and garlic. Sauté for a minute. If the garlic is sticking to the pot, loosen with a few splashes of broth.
Step 2 - Add the tomato, spices and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Step 3 - Add the broth followed by the chickpeas and butternut squash.
Step 4 - Cancel sauté and close the lid. Make sure the steam release handle is sealed, press the pressure cooking button and set the timer to 2 minutes.
Step 5 - Once the timer beeps, release the pressure immediately (QPR) and open the pot. Press sauté again and add the spinach. Cook for 1-2 minutes more until the spinach has wilted. The curry is ready to be served with brown rice.
Like cooking your curries in the instant pot? Do have a look at the these 21 instant pot curry recipes.
Stovetop Recipe
The stovetop recipe follows the same steps as the pressure cooked one. Make this curry in a wok or karahi, and after adding the oil, follow the recipe until step 3. After step 3, lower the heat and let the curry simmer for 10-15 minutes. Once the squash has softened and the liquid has reduced, add the spinach and cook for two minutes more. Serve hot with white or brown rice.
How to make the green chutney
These are the ingredients you will need:
- a bunch of cilantro
- half a bunch mint leaves
- one small tomato
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1-2 small green chillies
- salt, to taste
Throw these ingredients in the blender along with a few tablespoons of water and blend to get a smooth puree. Your chutney is ready.
Other Indian vegetarian curries you might like
📖 Recipe
Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry with Spinach
Equipment
- 6-quart Instant Pot Duo
- Small blender for making the green chutney
Ingredients
For the butternut squash curry
- 26.4 oz packet butternut squash cubes frozen or fresh
- 18.2 fl oz can chickpeas
- 11 oz pre-washed baby spinach chopped
- 3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion diced
- 1 heaped tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 big tomato chopped
- 1 heaped teaspoon Madras curry powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- Sea salt to taste
For the green chutney
- a bunch of cilantro
- half a bunch mint leaves
- one small tomato
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1-2 small green chillies
- salt to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Switch on your instant pot and press sauté (normal). Once the display panel shows HOT, add the oil, onions and garlic. Sauté for a minute. If the garlic is sticking to the pot, loosen with a few splashes of broth.
- Add the tomato, spices and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the broth followed by the chickpeas and butternut squash.
- Cancel sauté and close the lid. Make sure the steam release handle is sealed, press the pressure cooking button and set the timer to 2 minutes.
- Once the timer beeps, release the pressure immediately (QPR) and open the pot. Press sauté again and add the spinach. Cook for 1-2 minutes more until the spinach has wilted. The curry is ready to be served with white or brown rice.
Stovetop Method
- The stovetop recipe follows the same steps as the pressure cooked one. Make this curry in a wok or karahi, and after adding the oil, follow the recipe until step 3. After step 3, lower the heat and let the curry simmer for 10-15 minutes. Once the squash has softened and the liquid has reduced, add the spinach and cook for two minutes more. Serve hot with white or brown rice.
Green Chutney
- Put all the ingredients in a blender along with a few tablespoons of water and blend to a smooth puree.
Notes
- If you don't have Madras curry powder, substitute with regular curry powder.
- For more heat, use regular cayenne instead of Kashmiri chilli powder.
- Make your own cumin powder if you don't want to buy it. Toast a few tablespoons of cumin seeds in a small frypan until they change color slightly and give off the aroma of cumin. Cool and grind in a spice or coffee grinder and store in an air-tight glass bottle in your spice cabinet.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Pat Odoms says
Excellent recipe. Very tasting, easy to make, short time to get it on table.
Lianne says
How much does the lackey of squash weigh? I have a fresh one. I see that you can buy 400 grams or 750 grams. Thanks
Lianne says
I meant packet
Saima says
Hi Lianne. I used the 750 grams packet of frozen, diced butternut squash. If you have a fresh packet of squash available in this size, go right ahead.
Kimberley says
Have made this several times in the instant pot. It’s quick & so delicious!
Saima says
Thank you, Kimberley!