Squash Chickpea and Peanut Butter Curry (Vegan High-Protein)
This Squash Chickpea and Peanut Butter Curry is rich, creamy and packed with a delicious spiced peanut butter sauce, with cubes of tender squash and protein-rich chickpeas. It is naturally vegan, gluten-free and ready in 30 minutes.
I love a 30-minute midweek meal and this one packs in so much flavour for such minimal effort. It’s also super comforting and warming, great for those cold winter nights (or for all year long). Plus, the flavours only get better as it sits, you can enjoy this for the next few days as leftovers or as meal prep meals. The base contains a mix of everyday spices, with some fresh ginger and garlic, with tomatoes and juiciness. The peanut butter adds tons of flavour, while also adding healthy fats and more protein. It’s a really great dinner for all the family or for serving to friends.
Why will I love this curry?
This curry is delicious:
- Warmingly spiced and cosy
- Packed with flavours that you will already have
- Relies on cupboard staples
- Loaded with vitamins and minerals
- High in plant diversity
- A great source of protein and fibre
- Naturally dairy-free, egg-free and plant-based
- Gluten-free
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Great for midweek meals
- Also a great option to meal prep
- Freezes well and keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days
- Delicious with rice, breads or other wholegrains
- A source of healthy fats
- Fully of gut healthy ingredients like spices and fermented yoghurt
- Layers of flavour
If you already love the sound of this meal, 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 and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the spice mix:
- Mild curry powder
- Garam masala
- Smoked paprika
- Ground turmeric
- Chilli flakes
As for the curry:
- Olive oil: or your preferred oil for frying with.
- Spring onions: or you can use white or red onion.
- Garlic and ginger: fresh is best for adding a lovely flavour.
- Cherry tomatoes: add these in fresh and allow them to fry for 10 minutes to turn juicy and sticky.
- Butternut squash: cubes of squash make this curry hearty and wholesome with added fibre. You can swap this for sweet potato or pumpkin, cubes, too.
- Chickpeas: I love the Bold Bean Co queen chickpeas as they are so plump and juicy. You can use other chickpeas, though, or try cannellini beans or butterbeans.
- Thick coconut yoghurt: I love adding Cocos Organic yoghurt to my curry dishes, as it’s very similar to coconut cream. So, if you don’t have any yogurt, use a tin or pouch of 100% coconut cream.
- Smooth peanut butter: I use the Manilife smooth peanut butter as it’s my favourite and make sure you choose one with 100% nuts.
- Miso paste: this is great for adding depth of flavour. You can use white or brown miso paste.
- Baby spinach: to add some green goodness for the last 5 minutes.
- Lime juice: for tang at the end to cut through all the spices.
- Salt and pepper: to enhance the flavours.
To serve, I like to add some more yogurt, chilli oil, toasted peanuts, some fresh herbs, lime and it’s delicious with rice or other wholegrains and some breads like naan or pitta.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This is naturally gluten-free, as long as your wholegrains and breads do not contain nuts. This is not nut-free and I recommend you trying one of my other 30-minute meals here.
How do I make this?
This is ready to enjoy in a few steps:
- Combine all the spices: so you are ready to go.
- Fry off the onion, garlic and ginger in a non-stick pan: for 1 minute.
- Add the fresh tomatoes: and cover with a lid to turn sticky for 10 minutes.
- Add the squash to a bowl and allow to steam cook: in the microwave (this cuts down on cooking time. You can also steam it in a pan, or fry it off with the tomatoes).
- Stir together the peanut butter, miso and some chickpea water: to make a paste.
- Pour the paste into the pan with the chickpeas, squash and coconut yoghurt: and allow to warm through.
- Add in the spinach and lime: and cook for 5 minutes to wilt the leaves.
- Serve with your favourite breads/rice: and enjoy with your preferred toppings.
How long will it last?
Once cool, keep the curry in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days or in the freezer foe 1 month. Allow to defrost before warming back up in a pan to eat.
What other recipes can I try?
For more 30-minute meals:
- Creamy Curried Chickpeas with Spinach
- Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Beans
- Creamy Beetroot Pasta with Crispy Chickpeas
- Vegan Tomato Pesto Lasagne Soup
- Chipotle Black Beans with Guacamole
Squash Chickpea and Peanut Butter Curry (Vegan High-Protein)
This Squash Chickpea and Peanut Butter Curry is rich, creamy and packed with a delicious, spiced peanut butter sauce, with cubes of tender squash and protein-rich chickpeas. It is naturally vegan, gluten-free and ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Spice Mix:
- ½ tbsp mild curry powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- Pinch chilli flakes
For the Curry:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1-2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 160g butternut squash cubes
- 1 tin chickpeas (drained weight 240g, keep the liquid)
- 160g thick coconut yoghurt
- 3 tbsp smooth runny peanut butter
- 1 tsp white miso paste
- 40g baby spinach
- ½ lime, juiced
To Serve:
- 2-3 tbsp thick coconut yoghurt
- 2-3 tsp chilli oil
- 2-3 tbsp toasted peanuts
- Handful salad leaves e.g. lamb’s lettuce, rocket or watercress
- Lime wedges
- Fresh herbs e.g. chive, mint, coriander
- Bread, naan, pitta or rice
Instructions
- Make the spice mix by stirring together all of the spices. Drain the chickpeas, keeping the liquid in a jar.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan with the olive oil. Once hot, add the spring onions, garlic, ginger and spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and stir well for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add in the tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium and pop a lid on the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, to allow the tomatoes to turn juicy.
- Meanwhile, add the butternut squash to a heatproof and cover with clingfilm. Make holes in the top and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, until the squash is tender.
- Now stir together the peanut butter, miso paste and 60ml of the chickpea liquid until smooth.
- Smash the tomatoes with the wooden spoon and now add the squash, chickpeas, the coconut yoghurt, peanut butter mix and 100ml more chickpea water. Stir well and allow to warm through for 5 minutes.
- Add in the spinach and lime juice and stir again. Cook for 5 more minutes to wilt the spinach.
- Spoon the curry into bowls and top with more yoghurt, chilli oil and peanuts. Add on some salad greens, fresh herbs and lime wedges and enjoy with breads and/or rice.
- Allow leftover curry to cool and store in sealed containers in the fridge for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost and warm back up.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Squash Chickpea and Peanut Butter Curry so xx
With PB curry love x
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