Autumn is rapidly progressing to Winter. I miss the brightly colored leaves, crisp air, and vibrant produce. I’m still buying the Fall veggies because I can’t get enough of them!
I had half of a butternut squash still in my produce drawer, waiting to be enjoyed. I had already planned to make curry this week. It’s something I’ve ordered multiple times in restaurants, but I’ve never made at home before. Why not combine curry with fall veggies? (That’s a double win for my family, who loves both!)
I decided to make the butternut squash and lentils the base of my recipe. The first provides flavors and aromas I had been craving all season, while the latter supplies the protein and body to the dish. It’s easy to combine coconut milk with herbs to form the curry sauce. I literally add onions and garlic to everything that I cook, so I knew this recipe would be no different.
It was a complete experiment that turned out to be one of my greatest kitchen creations! As we scooped it up with pita bread, we couldn’t believe how tasty this meal was. We kept comparing it to the Thai meal we recently had (which is at a Thai restaurant owned and run by Thai immigrants, so you know their food is authentic).
Butternut squash season is coming to a close, but next time I’m craving curry, I’ll just have to explore other veggies that can be mixed with lentils for an explosion of tasty goodness.
Butternut Squash and Lentil Curry
This butternut squash and lentil curry is loaded with protein to keep you full, and will quickly become your new favorite healthy comfort food!
Ingredients
- 2 cups red lentils
- 4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 can coconut milk, 13.5oz/400mL
- 1 cup tomato sauce/puree
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Saute the diced onion and garlic in the olive oil in a large stock pot. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add additional broth if needed (there should be enough liquid to completely cover all ingredients).
- Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, until lentils are fully cooked and butternut squash is fork tender.
Notes
Serve with pita bread or naan bread. Optional: enjoy with avocado, canned chickpeas, tomatoes, or bell peppers.
To prepare in a crockpot or slow cooker, simply add all ingredients to your crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.
