Name: Butternut Squash Cauliflower Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cups butternut squash, cubed; 3 tbsp cooking oil (I used avocado oil) divided; 1 can coconut milk, light and unsweetened; 1 cup onions, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 tbsp + 1 tsp curry powder; 1/2 tsp garam masala (this is good!); 1/8 tsp salt; Pinch of dried ginger (optional); 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) + more if you like it hot; Steamed or roasted cauliflower florets; Salt/pepper to taste; Protein of choice and rice/naan to serve it with

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This butternut squash cauliflower curry is full of powerful antioxidants and flavor. Pair it with shrimp, chicken, chickpeas or tofu for a protein filled meal.

A bowl of butternut squash curry with tofu.

Fall into fall with this butternut squash cauliflower curry! The cooler temps bring cozy bowls and harvest foods to my household. Curry spice is a staple in so many pantries! Why wouldn't it be? With its amazing nutrition profile it adds a depth and flavor to a dish that warms your body! Did you know that curry powder is actually multiple spices? Traditional curry powder is made up of spices like coriander, turmeric, cumin, ginger, etc... You can find curry powder in most grocery stores pre-made, but there are a few good recipes online to make your own.

Let's talk about one of the star players here, butternut squash! Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall foods. Its bright and vibrant color means it's high in carotenoids, which is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help break down free radicals (by oxidizing them) in your body that can cause harm to your cells. Really, you're doing your body a favor by eating this butternut squash cauliflower curry dish.

A hand dipping naan into butternut squash cauliflower curry.

How To Make Butternut Squash for the Curry

There are three ways you can go about making the butternut squash.

You can buy a can of pureed butternut squash. I've seen cans of this at Trader Joe's this time of year. Other grocery stores might have it in their canned section too. Make sure the ingredients are just butternut squash puree.
Buy a whole butternut squash at the grocery store or farmer's market. This is the method I use for this recipe. Using a potato peeler, peel off the skin of the butternut squash, cut it into cubes and roast it in the oven.
Get pre-cubed butternut squash. They normally have this in the produce section of the grocery store. You want to make sure you have enough for 2 cups of cubed butternut squash.

I haven't tried making this recipe in an instant pot, but my best advice would be to add the onions, garlic, butternut squash, coconut milk and all the spices. Cook it on high for 10 minutes or so and once it's done, puree the mixture. Add the roasted cauliflower in separately. Haven't tried this route, but I think it would work.

What To Pair with Cauliflower Curry

This butternut squash curry recipe is so versatile to add protein to!

Chicken: Cooked separately and added in at the end
Chickpeas: Toss them in with the curry to simmer towards the end of cooking.
Tofu: I LOVE BAKED TOFU! You can buy it next to the produce section. I think it paired well with this cauliflower curry.
Shrimp: Sean and I ate it with shrimp the first night - so good! You can cook it separately and add it in at the end.
Banza Rice: Get in an extra kick of protein with some chickpea Banza rice! I made it with white rice (for the sake of pictures), but brown rice or wild rice would be a more nutritious option.