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Roasted curried butternut squash is the tender, savory all-purpose dish you need. It’s easy enough to enjoy as a simple dinner, but is also plenty special to be part of your holiday feast! Everyone will make a quick work of this warmly-spiced fall recipe, vegan or not!
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe
Roasting butternut squash intensifies its natural sweetness and nuttiness, while curry powder infuses it with a warm, earthy flavor. The caramelized outer layer and soft and creamy center make it out-of-this-world delicious! All you have to do is peel and slice the squash, toss with the rest of the ingredients, and bake.
Plus, it takes just a few shelf-stable pantry staples, so you can have the ingredients ready whenever you are! Best part? You can feel amazing about how healthy and satiating curried butternut squash is. This low-calorie winter squash is high in fiber and brimming with vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants. It may be just what you need to replenish your stores after a long week!
Want even more ways to use this butternut squash? I love making Thai Butternut Squash Soup, Butternut Squash Red Pepper Soup, or Butternut Squash and Apple Soup on a cold day, or a Butternut Squash Burrito on game day!
How to Pick the Best Butternut Squash
Choose a squash that has a solid beige color. Watch out for deep cuts, brown patches, or punctures, as those can allow bacteria and mold growth. The bigger, the better rule does not apply with butternut squash. Rather, when you hold the squash, it should feel heavy compared to its size.
Ingredients
Creating this easy Curried Butternut Squash takes only a few simple ingredients. I have on the recipe card below the exact measurements.
- Butternut squash: It has a sweet, creamy, nutty flavor that makes it ideal for roasting. If you can’t find one, acorn or delicata squash will do nicely.
- Olive or vegetable oil: This will help achieve that caramelized, roasted texture.
- Curry powder: It’s a terrific ingredient to keep on hand because it’s essentially a pre-made spice blend that you can put on anything!
- Sea salt: Add a dash of salt to bring out the sweetness of this vegetable.
How to Make Roasted Curried Butternut Squash
Step 1: First, prep your squash by removing the skin with a sharp knife while keeping the squash stable on the chopping board. Then, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Note: some people prefer to roast it in half, but for this recipe, cut it into 1-inch cubes for the best caramelization.
Step 2: Next, toss the cubed squash with sea salt, curry powder, and olive oil. Then, arrange the seasoned squash on a sheet pan, so that the pieces don’t overlap.
Step 3: Finally, place the pan in the preheated oven at 425 degrees F and roast for 35-40 minutes or until squash is soft. Give them a stir, once in a while, during roasting to give that even golden color. Once cooked, serve warm with your favorite entrees!
Toni’s Recipe Tips
If you want to know more about using and handling this delicious, versatile squash, check out my article on Roasting Butternut Squash.
- Cut evenly: Cut the butternut squash into equal-sized cubes to ensure they roast evenly.
- Adjust spices: Add more spices! Curry goes well with this dish, but you have many options when it comes to seasonings. Squash pairs beautifully with cinnamon, but you can also add sage or cayenne to make it more savory or spicy.
- Save the seeds: Don’t toss squash seeds! They make a terrific snack if you treat them just like pumpkin seeds. Simply clean, drain, and dry the seeds with a paper towel before baking at 300°F for 45 minutes to an hour, or until crisp. And there you have it: something to eat while watching TV or reading.
- Try ready-made: Want to cut down on peeling and slicing time? You can go to your local grocery store and look for pre-cut squash. You’ll save time working on those orange gourds if you do it this way.
FAQs
Peeling a butternut squash may be a daunting task. I like to poke the gourd’s skin all over with a fork and then place it in the microwave on high for 3.5 minutes, to soften it a bit. Then, peel the skin off the squash with a paring knife after slicing it in half lengthwise, so it can lie flat on your cutting board.
Aside from curry powder, you have quintessential fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg that work well. Other warm and savory spices like sage or cumin could take the flavor profile a different direction.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice/quinoa/grain: Serve on a bed of brown rice risotto, veggie-packed vegan fried rice, or garlic rice. Or add to a roasted vegetable couscous, or healthy quinoa veggie bowl.
- More veggies: Pairs well with roasted asparagus, roasted parsnips, or sauteed Swiss chard.
- Salad: Serve alongside or atop some yummy greens, like this easy butternut squash salad, fall quinoa salad, roasted pumpkin salad, or roasted sweet potato salad.
- Mains: Butternut squash is a lovely touch to a nice vegan roast dinner, BBQ seitan, easy lentil loaf, or crispy baked tofu.
- Bread: Scoop it up with a soft piece of vegan naan or flatbread, or a butternut squash biscuit.
- More curry!: Embrace the Indian-inspired flavors with curried chickpeas or tandoori chickpeas.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: You can also freeze roasted butternut squash for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat: To reheat, warm gently in a skillet on the stovetop. You can also use the oven at 350 degrees F, or in the microwave for a few minutes.
More Ways to Enjoy Butternut Squash
Vegan Dinners
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Vegan Side Dishes
Easy Butternut Squash Salad
Vegan Appetizers
Butternut Squash Sage Biscuits
Vegan Dinners
Butternut Squash Sauce and Roasted Veggies
If you tried this curried roasted butternut squash recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Roasted Curried Butternut Squash
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Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Get out a large sheet pan.
- Toss together squash, oil, curry powder and salt. (I do this on the sheet pan to avoid having to wash another dish.) Spread squash evenly on sheet pan.
- Roast for 35-40 minutes or until squash is tender and golden, stirring once or twice during the roasting time.
- Remove from oven and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Cut evenly: Cut the butternut squash into equal-sized cubes to ensure they roast evenly.
- Adjust spices: Add more spices! Curry goes well with this dish, but you have many options when it comes to seasonings. Squash pairs beautifully with cinnamon, but you can also add sage or cayenne to make it more savory or spicy.
- Save the seeds: Don’t toss squash seeds! They make a terrific snack if you treat them just like pumpkin seeds. Simply clean, drain, and dry the seeds with a paper towel before baking at 300°F for 45 minutes to an hour, or until crisp. And there you have it: something to eat while watching TV or reading.
- Try ready-made: Want to cut down on peeling and slicing time? You can go to your local grocery store and look for pre-cut squash. You’ll save time working on those orange gourds if you do it this way.
Oh my, this is an EXCELLENT recipe! And so easy! I roasted the butternut squash to add to curry and it took some serious willpower not to eat a bunch of it before adding it to my curry! Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed this roasted butternut squash recipe! It’s always worth the wait, haha 🙂
Once the squash was in the oven, I didn’t stir it at all; one side ended up nice and crispy, while the rest was lovely and soft. Highly recommend this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it! It’s a yummy one!