This vegan eggplant butternut squash curry is comfort food perfection! Rich, creamy, and intensely savory, it's exactly what you look for in a curry dish that's also ready in 30 minutes. Gluten-free and easy to make.
I know a lot of people say that the colder moths = curry season. But for me, the whole year is curry season. In my humble opinion, nothing beats a steaming bowl of curry in the evening, served over a bed of fluffy rice. Always something to look forward to!
And yes, it's entirely possible to make a dish as yummy as this vegan eggplant butternut squash curry out of vegetables. Trust me, you'll have this one on repeat!
Vegan eggplant butternut squash curry
I love love love butternut squash. In the winter, it's one of my most-used ingredients. The flavor is tender and subtly sweet, but not too overwhelming, making it a super versatile root vegetable. I mean, you can even make mac and cheese with it! Talk about magic.
And if this vegan butternut squash curry is pretty close to magic. To me, a perfect curry is one that has a really deep, intense and savory flavor, with plenty of saltiness and spice, but not so much that it gets overwhelming. And this recipe has that balance of flavors down to a tee.
The vegetables work together really well to create plenty of texture and variety in every bite. The spices, together with the curry paste, give the curry a lot of depth and hints of umami too. Some curry recipes use just coconut milk, but this one uses chopped tomatoes too, in order to bring in a little bit of tanginess.
Serve this over a bed of your favorite rice and dinner is sorted!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Onion. Use either red or white onion, or shallots.
- Grated ginger.
- Garlic, either chopped finely or minced.
- Eggplant (aka aubergine). This is a key ingredient, creating a really thick and chewy texture.
- Mushrooms. Use any variety of your choice. I used white button mushrooms.
- Tomato paste.
- Smoked paprika.
- Butternut squash. I've also tried this recipe with sweet potato and it works just as well!
- Coconut milk. Use either regular or reduced fat depending on your preferences.
- Chopped tomatoes.
- Vegetable stock. For an even creamier curry, use an unsweetened plant based milk of your choice.
- Vegan curry paste. Curry powder works too.
- Turmeric.
- Salt.
- Black pepper.
- Spinach. Kale works as well, or any other leafy green of your choice.
How to make the curry!
It's super easy!
STEP 1: Heat some olive oil in a non-stick skillet.Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Sauté over a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
STEP 2: Add the eggplant, mushrooms, tomato paste and smoked paprika. Stir to coat the vegetables, then continue to cook and stir frequently for a further 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables had softened.
STEP 3: Add the butternut squash and pour in the coconut milk, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir through the curry paste, lower the heat to medium and simmer for around 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the butternut squash is cooked through.
STEP 4: At the last minute, add the turmeric, salt, black pepper and spinach. Stir until the spinach wilts, and you're ready to serve.
You will love this vegan eggplant butternut squash curry!
It's ...
- Flavorful and indulgent.
- Savory.
- Rich and very creamy.
- Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Ready in 30 minutes.
- Super easy and great for beginners in the kitchen.
- Gluten-free.
- Oil-free.
- A super delicious one-pot meal.
Tips and Tricks
Don't skimp on the spices, as they really help bring this dish together!
You can store this vegan curry in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
This is also a freezer-friendly recipe. You can freeze it in ziplock bags for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw fully before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.
more vegan curry recipes
Let me know in the comments: what's your favorite dish to cook with butternut squash? If you give this vegan eggplant butternut squash a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@ohmyveggies) so I can see your creations, and leave your feedback in the comments below!
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Non-stick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
- ½ medium eggplant, chopped
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1.5 cups butternut squash, cubed
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- 1.5 tablespoon Thai red curry paste, ensure vegan
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups spinach
- cooked rice, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Sauté over a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 1 1-inch piece ginger, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the eggplant, mushrooms, tomato paste and smoked paprika. Stir to coat the vegetables, then continue to cook and stir frequently for a further 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables had softened½ medium eggplant, 2 cups mushrooms, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Add the butternut squash and pour in the coconut milk, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir through the curry paste, lower the heat to medium and simmer for around 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the butternut squash is cooked through.1.5 cups butternut squash, ¾ cup coconut milk, ½ cup canned diced tomatoes, ½ cup vegetable stock, 1.5 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- At the last minute, add the turmeric, salt, black pepper and spinach. Stir until the spinach wilts, and you're ready to serve.1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper, 2 cups spinach
Rita Anderson says
I made this for dinner tonight, added a can of drained lentils. It was very good; will make it again.