This butternut squash and sweet potato curry recipe is a rambunctiously vibrant and hearty dish that’s rich and comforting. With a combination of butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and a fragrant curry sauce, it’s a delightful midweek dinner.
I love a curry. Warming, filling, delicious and a great family feast.
I’m not going to lie; we buy jars all the time. Curries are worth the effort, but they can take a while, and getting the flavours right can be tricky.
This one really isn’t.
You basically throw it all in a pan and simmer until the veggies are soft. It’s almost as easy as opening a jar and absolutely tastes better.
I highly recommend it whether you are after a vegetarian curry recipe or just fancy something different.
Why I Love Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Curry
I love this butternut squash sweet potato curry because:
- It’s super quick and easy, with barely any effort at all.
- Butternut squash and sweet potato curry is a fantastic midweek dinner without meat.
- It’s absolutely delicious if you are a meat-eater, you won’t miss it at all!
- It’s colourful and vibrant.
- The veg is super soft, making it easy to eat and ideal for very young kids.
- Sweet potato and butternut squash curry is packed full of nutrients.
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Ingredients For Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Curry
This recipe for butternut squash and sweet potato curry is super simple, without any fancy ingredients for techniques. To make my easy butternut squash and sweet potato curry, I use:
Ghee – I absolutely adore ghee, but you can use butter, olive oil, vegetable oil, or another cooking oil if you don’t have it.
Red Onion
Chilli Puree
Ginger Puree
Garlic Puree – I use purees for all three because I’m a fan of a time saver. You can swap for fresh, though, if you prefer.
Curry Powder – I use mild curry powder.
Coriander
Cumin
Pinch Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Sweet Potato – Either one medium or large, or two small.
Butternut Squash
Coconut Milk – Butternut squash and sweet potato curry with coconut milk is gorgeous and creamy. But I don’t recommend using low-fat coconut milk. It will cause your curry sauce to split.
Chopped Tomatoes
Vegetable Stock
Tomato Puree
You’ll Also Need
I make this curry with sweet potato and butternut squash in my cast iron Dutch Oven cooking dish.
You can, however, use any flameproof dish or pan.
You also need a chopping board, potato peeler, a sharp knife to prepare your ingredients, and a spatula or spoon to stir.
How to Make Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Curry – Step-by-Step Instructions
Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One
Melt the ghee on the hob in a large, flameproof, non-stick pan or dish over medium heat. I use a large cast iron Dutch Oven.
Step Two
Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes until starting to soften, stirring often. They don’t need to be fully soft, but you should be able to tell that the colour and texture have changed.
Step Three
Add garlic, ginger, chilli, curry powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in until the onions are red and sticky.
Step Four
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step Five
Add the sweet potato and butternut squash. If your pan is big enough, you can stir it all together. I always find it’s a struggle to fit, so don’t stir until I’ve added the liquid.
Step Six
Pour in the coconut milk, chopped tomatoes and veg stock and add the tomato puree.
Your coconut milk will have separated in the tin. Use a spoon to scoop the firm white coconut out and add it to your curry before pouring in the water from the bottom of the tin. Try to get as much of the white bit as you can for a creamy sweet potato and butternut squash curry with coconut milk.
Step Seven
Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer gently for 30-45 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. If your veggies are getting soft, but your sauce is still too thin, you can make a paste with cornflour and water to stir in. This will thicken the sauce up in a few minutes.
Top Tips
I don’t really have many. It’s such a simple and tasty recipe!
- Don’t simmer for too long, or your veg will go mushy. I’d taste at 30 minutes and only cook until 45 if your veg is still firm.
- Taste for flavour, too. This is a family mild curry, but you can add some hot chilli powder, chilli flakes or cayenne pepper if you prefer something spicier.
Serving Suggestions
I love all of the curry sides!
I served my butternut squash and sweet potato curry with brown rice and naan bread on this particular occasion. Basmati rice, or long-grain white rice, is excellent, too.
I also love things like onion hajis and samosas, though.
All of them!
Variations
There are a few things that you can do differently.
Making Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash without Ghee
I love ghee. The smell of onions cooking in ghee is so wonderful!
I buy a big tin from the World Foods aisle in Asda, which lasts ages. It’s certainly worth it if you cook a lot of curries at home.
But if you haven’t got ghee, you can make this recipe with either butter or your usual cooking oil or spray. Butter would be the closest to ghee.
Using Fresh Ingredients
I use lots of purees and ground spices because it’s easier, and I’m a working mum. All the time savers for the win!
You can use fresh, though. There’s a note at the bottom of the recipe card below with the fresh quantities.
Add Chickpeas
If you only have small butternut squash and sweet potato or want to add something extra, a tin of chickpeas (drained) would make a fantastic addition. A sweet potato butternut squash and chickpea curry would be amazing.
Add Fruit
Dried fruit could also work well, although I haven’t tried this myself. I might add raisins to my easy sweet potato and butternut squash curry.
Make it Spicy
This is a family-friendly curry, so the spice level is fairly mild. If you prefer a spicy curry, add extra chilli, some chilli powder, chilli flakes or a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Leftovers
You can reheat leftovers on the hob or in the microwave. Just bear in mind that the veggies will soften further as they cook.
Serve your leftovers with rice, naan bread, chips or on a jacket potato.
I don’t recommend keeping leftover rice, though, so I’d cook fresh.
Storage
Remove leftovers from the cooking dish and place in a clean tub or bowl to cool. When cool, seal or cover and place in the fridge for up to three days.
FAQ
Yes, this curry is good for you. The coconut milk and ghee mean it’s not low fat, but it is packed with nutrients.
No, I don’t recommend using low-fat coconut milk. I find it separates.
Butternut squash has an earthier flavour, and sweet potato is softer and sweeter. They are similar, but you can tell the difference.
Other Recipes
If you like this recipe, you might also want to try:
- Leftover Roast Pork Curry
- Leftover Vegetable Curry
- Butter Turkey Curry
- Beef and Sweet Potato Curry
- Sweet Potato Hash
- Vegetable Tagine
- Sweet Potato and Chilli Soup
Recipe Card
Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Curry
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Ghee
- 1 Red Onion (Finely Diced)
- 2 Teaspoons Chilli Puree
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger Puree
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Puree
- 1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
- Pinch Salt and pepper
- 1 Medium Sweet Potato (Around 500g. Peeled and diced into bitesize chunks)
- 1 Medium Butternut Squash (Around 800g. Peeled, seeds removed and diced into bitesize chunks)
- 400 ml Full-Fat Coconut Milk
- 400 g Chopped Tomatoes
- 500 ml Vegetable Stock
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato Puree
Instructions
- Melt the ghee on the hob in a large, flameproof, non-stick pan or dish over medium heat.
- Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes until starting to soften, stirring often.
- Add garlic, ginger, chilli, curry powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the sweet potato and butternut squash.
- Pour in the coconut milk, chopped tomatoes and veg stock and add the tomato puree.
- Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer gently for 30-45 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.
Notes
- If the sauce is too watery and your veg is soft, mix a tablespoon of cornflour with a splash of water and stir through. Simmer for a few more minutes.
- You can swap for fresh chilli, garlic and ginger if you prefer. A teaspoon is around an inch of ginger, two cloves of garlic, a fresh red chilli, or a teaspoon of chilli powder.
- Read the post above for more tips and advice.
Nutrition
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
