Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry with Spinach

butternut squash and chickpea curry with brown rice in bowl

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry with Spinach

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?

Course Lunch/Brunch

Cuisine Indian

Keyword butternut squash and chickpea curry, Indian vegan curry, instant pot vegetarian curry

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 268.5kcal

Author Saima Zaidi

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

US Customary - Metric

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