Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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Ultra delicious Thai-inspired butternutsquash red curry that is creamy, spicy, rich, and comforting! The sweet butternut squash pairs beautifully with all the red curry spices.

Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry Recipe | Little Spice Jar (1)

And here it is!

Two very different curry recipes delivered to you back to back.You should know that this was seriously poorplanning on my part. I didn’t mean to bombard you with curry recipes one after the other. But in my defense, this curry is absolutely worth obsessing over.

Won’t you let me feed you a spoonful of red curry with basmati rice to make it up to you?

Thank the lawwwwd it’s butternut squash season again. The best season there is in my very humble opinion. Because um.. hello! Butternut squash red thai curry is actually a thing. And it’s creamy, spicy, sweet, crunchy, comforting, and just down right addicting. Something i’ve been waiting all summer long to share. But who makes spicy curry in the summertime other than me?

Everything we love about food in general all rolled into one easy curry recipe.What I need you to know is that this is weeknight curry. We’re using store-bought red curry paste and really amping up the flavor with a little yellow curry powder. WHAT. Yes friends. The yellow curry powder addssooo muchspice and flavor to this easy one pot butternut squash curry.

How to Make Butternut Squash Red Curry:

Food like this is my life.

I go a little loopiewhen I think about all that sweet, tender butternut squash nestled in a slow simmered silky coconut curry sauce. Judging by this and the last recipe i’ve shared, it’s obvious that curries would be on the list of food that I could eat forever and ever. Also, top it with crushed cashews/peanuts and freshly chopped cilantro and i’d think you were after my heart.

And speaking of butternut squash. I’m no longer allowing myself to purchase whole butternut squash anymore. That privilege was immediately revoked last fall when I made a decent sized cut between my thumb and forefinger and then proceeded to almost faint from the ample amount of blood that was gushing from the wound.It’s not that slicing and dicing butternut squash is difficult, it’s that the person behind Little Spice Jar happens to have a ton moreaccidents than the average human being. ‘Uncoordinated’ can totally be my middle name from now until the end of time. So it’s a rule now. For my own sake, Imust only purchaseprecut butternut squash.

And hey! On the positive side, shortcuts like these are totally welcome. Especially when I want to get butternut squash red curry in my belly in 30 minutes. Found thatsilver lining. ??

Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry Recipe | Little Spice Jar (3)

There are two main components to my butternut squash red curry:

1.) the curry base: I’m using store-bought red curry paste and really oomphing up the flavor with a little yellow curry powder. Along with that we need shallots, ginger, a little fish sauce, and some sugar. If you follow a vegan/vegetarian diet, feel free to omit the fish sauce. I know, the stuff smells terrible but what it does for this curry is amazing. It really adds a nice depth that makes the curry taste//smell like it’s been simmering all day. And finally you need a can of coconut milk. I’m not gonna tell you that low-fat coconut milk won’t work, because it will. I’m just going to tell you that full fat coconut milk makes this a more luxurious red curry experience. And to that, i’ll say no more. ?

2.) the veggies: in our case, i’m using butternut squash and baby spinach because I find the combination of the two works really well. We’re big fans of baby spinach and use it for just about everything. Needless to say, we always have some on hand. Kale also works well for this recipe, but keep in mind you’ll have to let it cook with the butternut squash a bit as it takes longer to wilt than spinach. Kabocha squash, acorn, sweet potatoes, and even carrots would work really well in place of the butternut squash. All of these ingredients have that sweet starchy factor that this curry needs.

Grab a bowl, because curries are meant to be eaten in a bowl. Fill it with a nice mound of fluffy basmati rice and top it with that silky coconut sauce loaded withtender squash and top it off with a handful of crushed nuts and fresh cilantro. A squeeze of lime juice wouldn’t hurt either.

This is get snug-on-the-couch-with-netflix food.

Yield: 4-5 servings

Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Ultra creamy and delicious Thai inspired butternut squash red curry that is creamy, spicy, rich, and comforting! The sweet butternut squash pairs beautifully with all the red curry spices.

Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry Recipe | Little Spice Jar (5)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons coconut oil (or any oil really)
  • 1 large shallots, chopped (or 2 small)
  • 2-2 ½ cups diced butternut squash (about 1.5 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2-3 tablespoons red curry paste
  • ½ tablespoon yellow curry powder
  • 1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk
  • ¾ cup vegetables or chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce (omit for vegans/vegetarians)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach
  • basmati rice, crushed cashews/ peanuts, cilantro, lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and saute them for 5-6 minutes or until they just begin to get golden. Add the butternut squash and grated ginger, stir to coat with the oil.
  2. Add the red curry paste, yellow curry powder and stir until all the butternut squash is nicely coated. Continue to cook the curry paste for 2-3 minutes or until it's fragrant. Add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Let the sauce come to a simmer before covering. Lower the heat and allow the squash to cook all the way through, about 12-18 minutes. You'll know it's done when you can easily pierce the butternut squash with the tip of a knife. Stir in the baby spinach and allow it to wilt.
  3. Serve with basmati rice topped with crushed nuts, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

  • Kale can be used in place of the spinach in this recipe but keep in mind you'll need to add it in earlier so that it has enough time to wilt.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

instant pot cajun butternut squash soup

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Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

FAQs

How to make Thai red curry more spicy? ›

If you're looking for a spicier red curry, use hotter peppers. Thai peppers are excellent here if you can find them, but if not, use your favorite chili peppers of choice.

What is the red spice in curry? ›

Red Curry. This type of curry is moderately spiced and one of the most versatile. Red curry is made with several red chilies, which gives it a bold and spicy flavor. Ingredients for the curry base include coriander, cumin, red bell pepper, red chile, lemongrass, and ginger.

How to spice up bland Thai curry? ›

Add in more dried spices. Nearly all the Central Thai curry pastes call for a small amount of white pepper, cumin and coriander seeds. To my taste, the aroma from these spices are among the first I notice when I eat green, masaman or panang curry.

How do you make jar curry less spicy? ›

Top five ways to make a curry or chilli less spicy
  1. More vegetables. ...
  2. Coconut milk or cream. ...
  3. Lemon, lime or vinegar. ...
  4. Yogurt or soured cream. ...
  5. Sugar or ketchup.
Dec 21, 2020

What spice makes Thai curry spicy? ›

Thai red curry gets its colour from the red chillies used in the paste. They can be hot, but the spice factor in this Thai curry is toned down a little by the inclusion of coconut milk. If you're making this Thai curry from scratch at home, you can always remove the seeds from your chillies to make it less spicy, too.

What are the 5 spices in a curry? ›

The Essential Five Spices are:
  • Cumin seeds.
  • Coriander seeds.
  • Black mustard seeds.
  • Cayenne pepper.
  • Turmeric.

What is the most popular Thai curry? ›

Green curry is considered the most popular curry in Thai cuisine. The green color of Thai green curry sauce has become more vibrant over the years with the addition of fresh coriander (cilantro), makrut lime leaf and peel, and basil.

Can I use curry powder instead of curry paste? ›

Curry Paste vs Curry Powder

Curry paste uses whole chili peppers, while curry powder usually does not contain any chili, making the heat level in curry paste more intense than that of curry powder. Curry paste is not a substitute for curry powder or vice versa.

What is the secret to restaurant Thai curry? ›

The secret to making amazing Thai curries is to use plenty of aromatics, like onion, ginger and garlic. Choose full-fat coconut milk for its richness (you won't regret it!). Stirring in just a little bit of rice vinegar and sugar adds tons of complexity.

How do you add depth to Thai red curry? ›

To further the complexity of flavors, we also add Thai sweet chili sauce, and the classic cast of Thai food characters: soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, dried basil and a bay leaf. Its a somewhat long list of ingredients, but most of them you are just dumping into the sauce.

What makes restaurant Thai curry so good? ›

To make a Thai curry dish, you can always expect that there are great amount of fresh herbs and spices added to it. And the combination of these ingredients gives the dish a bold and strong flavour that cannot be replicated by other types of curries.

Does honey make curry less spicy? ›

You can add a dollop of yogurt to curries, incorporate sour cream into Mexican dishes, or use coconut milk in spicy Thai or Indian recipes. Include Sweet Elements:Sweetness can balance out spiciness. Try adding a sweet component like sugar, honey, maple syrup, or fruit juice to your dish.

How do you thicken Thai curry? ›

How can I thicken up a Thai red curry sauce? Make a slurry of cornflour and water, say a teaspoon of flour to a tablespoon of cold water, mix it well and drizzle it into the curry sauce, drizzle half in and stir to thicken and if not thick enough add more and so on.

Does milk make curry less spicy? ›

Thai curries are known for their bold flavors and spicy kick. To cool down the heat, adding more coconut milk or cream can be highly effective.

How do you fix bland red curry? ›

Another simple way to improve the taste of bland curries is by adding some slightly roasted onions, garlic, ginger. You can toss or caramelize them separately and add them to the curry and simmer for sometime so that it can absorb the flavours.

Why is my Thai red curry bland? ›

The most probable reason for the Thai curry to taste bland is that the flavor inducing ingredients such as galangal, garlic, onion are being added in less than required dosage. If the herb mix is not right then also the Thai curry may taste bland.

Why is my Thai curry not red? ›

For those who want to know the difference between green and red curry paste the answer is simple. Whether a curry paste is designated green or red is down to one ingredient only: the chilli. If the paste uses green chilli, it is a green curry paste. If it uses red chillies, it is a red curry paste.

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