Easy Butternut Lentil Curry Recipe Your Family Will Love! (2024)

Bless This Mess Recipes

By Melissa

on Sep 25, 2017, Updated Jul 28, 2020

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This Easy Lentil Curry made with lentils, butternut squash and coconut milk is the perfect healthy plant-based dinner. A simple yet delicious family meal!

I have a few more curry recipes I think you’ll enjoy. Easy Pumpkin Cauliflower Curry, Green Thai Chicken Coconut Curry and Quick and Easy Sweet Potato Curry (meatless) are great recipes to start with.

Easy Butternut Lentil Curry Recipe Your Family Will Love! (2)

Easy Lentil Curry with Butternut Squash

Today I’m working with So Delicious, and I’m really really excited about it. I’m really trying to center my kitchen on healthy plant-based meals that are good for my family, good for the earth, and good for my budget!I also like to keep a little running list of recipes that are good to serve to friends and family with food allergies. This recipe is dairy-free, vegan (check on the curry paste), and gluten-free (use the coconut aminos instead of soy sauce), just because of how it’s made.

This creamy sweet and savory lentil curry with butternut squash is hearty comfort food that comes together in a snap. This is a great meal to keep in your regular rotation because it’s so simple but so full of flavor.

We love curry in all forms and this super simple lentil curry is always a hit. The creamy butternut squash breaks down just a bit while cooking to thicken and sweeten the sauce. Add some curry paste and creamy coconut milk, and you are just about done. Rounding out this dish with a squeeze of fresh lime and chopped fresh cilantro is exactly the finish it needs. The bright flavors of lime and cilantro go so well with the warm savory flavors of the coconut milk, squash, and lentils.

Easy Butternut Lentil Curry Recipe Your Family Will Love! (3)

You are going to love this one!

And here’s why you are going to love So Delicious as much as I do. From “our robust allergen-testing program to the innovative work we do creating products made with high quality ingredients, So Delicious Dairy Free is committed to doing the right things for people, animals and the planet.” I read that about their company and it really spoke to me as a person. I’m trying to do right by my people, you, animals, and the planet, too. That’s why I’m so pleased to be working with them today.

Easy Butternut Lentil Curry Recipe Your Family Will Love! (4)

Is curry spicy?

Curry paste is a powerhouse of flavor without having to buy a million spices. If you are new to it, it’s time to try it out. I’d recommend red or green curry paste for this recipe. The heat in curry paste seems to vary a lot by brand so you are going to have to play with it a bit to see how much you like. I’d start with adding a smaller amount. Towards the end of the cooking time, taste a little bit. If it needs more flavor, add a little more until it’s to your liking.

What is the best coconut milk for making curry?

I really liked using So Delicious Coconut Milk for this recipes. It’s organic, comes in an easy-to-open carton, and just tastes so fresh. You can use the unsweetened coconut milk or the culinary coconut milk– both are great.

What do I serve with curry?

You can serve this curry over white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or spaghetti squash, or with flatbread or pita bread on the side. It’s so versatile.

What type of lentils do I use for this recipe?

I used brown lentils for this recipe. They hold their shape while cooking and you can see the individual lentils once it is finished. If you were to use red lentils, they would break down while cooking and create a thicker, more “stew-like” curry. Use what you have on hand or prefer, because both are great options.

Easy Butternut Lentil Curry Recipe Your Family Will Love! (5)

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Easy Butternut Lentil Curry Recipe Your Family Will Love! (6)

Easy Lentil Curry with Butternut Squash

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4.4 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Melissa Griffiths-Bless this Mess
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
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Description

This Easy Lentil Curry made with lentils, butternut squash and coconut milk is the perfect healthy plant-based dinner. A simple yet delicious family meal!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 35 cloves garlic, minced
  • 15 teaspoons curry paste
  • 3/4 cup lentils
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and cubed, about 3 cups cubed squash
  • 1 carton So Delicious Coconut Milk (unsweetened), or two cartons So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos, plus more for serving
  • Sea salt
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • Chopped cilantro, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat a medium pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and onions.
  2. Cook the until the onions are translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook, stirring well, until the garlic is fragrant and the curry paste is well incorporated.
  3. Add the lentils, butternut squash, and coconut milk. Stir to combine.
  4. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, until the lentils are tender and the squash is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
  5. Add the soy sauce or coconut aminos and additional sea salt to taste.
  6. Serve hot over rice or with flatbread and garnish with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and additional soy sauce or coconut aminos to taste.

Notes

See the tips and tricks section in the post for lots of notes on this recipe.

  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 35 min
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Indian

Are you new to So Delicious?

I used their unsweetened coconut milk for dishes like One Pot Coconut Chicken and RiceandGreen Thai Chicken Coconut Curry, and I keep it on hand for smoothies (and I love that it is shelf stable since I have to pick it up when I go to town, which isn’t all that often). You could also use the “culinary coconut milk.” It is whiter and fresher than canned equivalents, and it’s formulated to work with recipes calling for a 14oz can. I’m going to look for culinary coconut milk next time I’m out!

Happy healthy curry, from my home to yours! Thank you so much for supporting the brands that I thoughtfully choose to work with.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by So Delicious. I use and love this company regularly in my kitchen and all opinions are my own.

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Easy Butternut Lentil Curry Recipe Your Family Will Love! (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between lentil curry and dal? ›

Dal is just boiled lentils, with simple spices added after boiling. A 'curry', on the other hand, is usually heavily spiced. In a curry, the spices are added at the start, not at the end.

Which Indian lentil is the healthiest? ›

One of the most nutrient-dense pulses known to us is urad dal, or black lentil. Urad dal, being low in fat and calories, aids in better digestion. It is considered to strengthen our nervous system, increase energy levels, improve heart health, and strengthen our bones because it is high in protein and vitamin B3.

Which type of lentil is healthiest? ›

Urad dal or black lentil

Urad dal or black lentil is one of the most nutritious pulses known to mankind. Low in fat and calories, Urad dal helps to improve digestion.

Is it necessary to peel butternut squash before cooking? ›

Can You Eat Butternut Squash Skin? It's important to note that while many people choose to remove butternut squash skin (and this is best practice for soup making, where you want smooth results), you can 100% eat roasted butternut squash skin. Slice butternut squash into crescents and roast it with the skin on.

Do you have to cut butternut squash before cooking? ›

Ditch the struggle. Learn how to roast butternut squash the EASY WAY without any prep work. No pre-peeling, chopping or deseeding (yes really!). Just whole-roast it in the oven until soft and tender.

Are dal and lentils the same thing? ›

Basically, you need dal (lentil) to make dal (lentil soup). While you can make a dal out of any pulse, typically, the word “dal” only shows up in the name of a pulse if it is a split lentil. For example, chana dal = split chickpeas, whereas if I am referring to whole chickpeas, I would say chana or chole.

Is dhal the same as lentil? ›

In Indian cuisine, dal (also spelled daal or dhal in English; pronunciation: [d̪aːl], Hindi: दाल, Urdu: دال), paruppu (Tamil: பருப்பு), or pappu (Telugu: పప్పు) are dried, split pulses (e.g., lentils, peas, and beans) that do not require soaking before cooking. India is the largest producer of pulses in the world.

Is dhal same as curry? ›

Dal Spices– Dal is made with far less spices than most Indian curries! This recipe calls for a simple combination of cumin, garam masala and turmeric. Garam masala is a spice mix found in supermarkets nowadays – it's like a more potent curry powder.

What is lentil curry made of? ›

It's a gourmet-tasting yet weeknight-friendly meal that packs rich and decadent flavors into a simple one-pot recipe. Using pantry staples, like red lentils, coconut milk, aromatics, ground Indian spices, and almond butter, this hearty lentil curry comes together in a snap.

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