Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash with Chickpeas and Kale (Vegan High-Protein)
This Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash with Chickpeas and Kale is a delicious warming and cosy recipe made with plant-based and high protein ingredients. Served with extra squash on top, it’s great mopped up with bread.
I am back with another cosy bowl of chickpeas, and these ones are loaded with chunks of roasted butternut squash, kale and lots of hearty herbs. The chickpeas are great for a midweek meal or for meal prep and will make everyone happy. Serve these chickpeas with hunks of bread or over rice, inside a roasted potato or with pitta breads to dip for the best meal that’s ready in just over half an hour. Full of fibre and protein, they’re filling and wholesome while packing in lots of different plants.
Why will I love them?
These chickpeas are so good:
- Creamy, heart and wholesome
- Warming and feel good
- Packed with fibre from chickpeas, squash and vegetables
- Full of protein thanks to the chickpeas
- Great for the gut
- Abundance of vitamins and minerals
- A source of healthy fats
- Will keep you full and satisfied
- Great to meal prep ahead of time
- Delicious midweek or at the weekends
- Naturally plant-based, dairy-free and egg-free
- Gluten-free and nut-free
- Great served with breads or with rice or potatoes
- Keeps well in the fridge or freezer
- Colourful, vibrant and delicious
If you already love the sound of these chickpeas, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the roasted squash:
- Butternut squash: the squash is used in two ways for this recipe. Half of the squash is kept chunky and then scooped out to blend into the sauce and the other half is roasted in small chunks and served on top of the chickpeas.
- Olive or avocado oil: or you can use rapeseed oil, too.
- Garlic: for flavour.
- Onion: white onion or shallots work well here.
- Herbs and spices: this recipe uses dried thyme, sweet smoked paprika and cumin.
- Salt and pepper: to season.
To make the roasted seeds:
- Butternut squash seeds: these are so goods for some crunch on top. So, be sure to keep the seeds when you scoop them out.
- Spices: add on some sweet smoked paprika and cumin.
- Maple syrup: to add some crunch and slight sweetness.
And for the chickpeas:
- Kale: for some brain-boosting green goodness. You can also use spinach.
- Chickpeas: these are so good for adding protein and fibre. I love the Queen Bold Bean Co Chickpeas as they are so plump and juicy. The chickpeas are used in the pan to add texture to the sauce. Note that the chickpea water is used in the squash sauce, too, so be sure to keep this.
- Dairy-free yoghurt: this makes the sauce really creamy. I use Cocos Organic yoghurt which is full of gut-healthy live bacteria.
- Miso paste: for umami richness and fermented goodness.
- Lemon juice: for tang.
To serve, these chickpeas, I add some extra yoghurt, bread (like sourdough or rye) and herbs. You can also serve these chickpeas in roasted jacket potatoes, with rice or quinoa or with pitta breads.
Are these chickpeas gluten-free and nut-free?
These are naturally gluten-free, just make sure your bread is gluten-free, when serving. These are naturally nut-free, just check your dairy-free yoghurt.
How do I make them?
These are ready to go in a few steps:
- Prepare the squash in two parts: slice the squash in half and keep one half in large pieces and chop the second into bite-size chunks, peeling the skin.
- Rub the squash with herbs and oil: and bake on a non-stick pan until tender.
- Clean the squash seeds and toss with herbs and oil: and bake until crispy.
- Scoop out the large bits of squash and blend up with the sauce ingredients: until creamy.
- To a saucepan, fry off the kale: and add in the chickpeas.
- Pour over the squash sauce: and allow to warm through.
- Divide the chickpeas between bowls and top with the roasted chunks of squash: with some extra yoghurt and herbs.
How long will they last?
These chickpeas are great to keep in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost and warm back up before eating.
What other recipes can I try?
For more warming beans and chickpeas:
- Sun-Dried Tomato Bean and Pasta Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Harissa Leek Aubergine and Butterbeans
- Sun-Dried Tomato Beans and Roasted Aubergine
- Pesto Courgette Corn and Butterbeans
- Curried Lentil Soup
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash with Chickpeas and Kale (Vegan High-Protein)
This Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash with Chickpeas and Kale is a delicious warming and cosy recipe made with plant-based and high protein ingredients. Served with extra squash on top, it’s great mopped up with bread.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Butternut Squash:
- 2-3 tbsp olive, avocado or rapeseed oil
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 whole garlic bulb, top trimmed off
- 2 shallots or onion, peeled and in ½
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika, divided
- ¼ tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper
For the Roasted Seeds:
- 120g pumpkin seeds, cleaned and dried
- ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
For the Sauce and Pan:
- 1 tbsp olive, avocado or rapeseed oil
- 50g kale, de-stemmed and shredded small
- 1 tin chickpeas (240g, drained weight, keep the liquid)
- 120ml chickpea water
- 60g thick dairy-free yoghurt, plus extra to serve
- 1 tsp miso paste
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
To serve:
- Fresh herbs e.g. coriander
- Bread/toast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180Fan/200ºC and line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
- Prepare the butternut squash. Cut the squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Keep these to one side. Slice one ½ of squash into two pieces and place on one tray with the shallots and the whole garlic bulb. Sprinkle over the dried thyme, ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika, cumin and some salt and pepper and drizzle with 1-2 tbsp oil. Rub the spices in with your hands and place the squash cut-side down onto the tray. Roast for 30 minutes (remove the shallots and cover the garlic in tin foil after 20 minutes). The squash will be tender when ready.
- To the other half of squash, peel off the skin and chop into bite-size cubes, and toss with remaining ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika, 1 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread out onto the second tray and roast for 20 minutes, until tender and crisping.
- When baked, remove from the oven to cool and reduce the temperature to 160Fan/180ºC.
- Now wash the seeds, removing any pulp/flesh and dry them properly. Add to a third baking tray with the spices, olive oil and maple syrup. Bake for 15 minutes (stirring every 5 minutes) until they are crispy.
- When the large pieces of squash are cool enough to handle, scoop out all of the flesh and discard the skin. Add the squash (NOT the cubed squash, save this for later) to a blender with the roasted shallots and now squeeze out the roasted garlic from the bulb. Add in the chickpea water, coconut yoghurt, miso paste, lemon juice, some salt and pepper and blend until smooth.
- For the pan, heat the oil and once hot, and the kale with salt. Fry off for 5 minutes to soften then add in the drained chickpeas and the butternut squash sauce. Warm through for 5 minutes.
- Spoon into bowls, serving with some extra yoghurt and the roasted squash cubes on top. Sprinkle over some roasted seeds and enjoy with fresh herbs and bread/toast.
- Allow to cool down to save for later and keep in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost and warm back up to eat.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash with Chickpeas and Kale so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With squash love x
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