Curry Roasted Butternut Squash

21 Comments

roasted butternut squash

Before we get to this roasted squash, I must tell you – this is not actually Indian roasted butternut squash as I call it in the title of this post. It’s actually curried butternut squash, made with a spice blend reminiscent of Indian flavors but not actually Indian. Curry powder is a bit complicated, I know. That’s why I wrote an entire post about it if you want to check that out. Basically curry powder is a British invention.

If you’re cutting a whole butternut squash, be prepared to work out those finger muscles – peeling them is… tricky. While the sweet buttery treasure inside these little squashes is worth the effort, thankfully it’s easy to find pre-cut squash in stores these days.

If you do plan to cut it yourself, the secret (it’s not so much a secret as it is common sense) is to cut off both ends of the squash. This allows you to stand it up, which makes it easier to cut in half lengthwise. This trick works with all round fruits and vegetables (watermelon, other squash… and well, that’s all I can think of at the moment).

butternut squash with ends cut off
butternut squash with ends cut off

To make life even easier, before you slice the squash in half lengthwise – first chop the squash into two pieces: skinny neck part and the bulb:

separate the skinny part of squash from the bulb

Then, slice the squash open and remove the seedy stuff inside. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel away all of the skin before you dice the squash into cute little cubes.

Put your little cubes of squash in a bowl and then add oil, salt, pepper and curry powder. Curry powder is a great ingredient to have on hand because it’s basically a pre-made spice mix that you can toss on whatever. I use it with veggies all the time when I’m trying to make a quick and tasty side dish. It’s also my go-to spice when I’m making fish on a weeknight. Just toss some fish in olive oil and curry powder and pan-fry.

Curry powder includes spices like coriander, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, etc. It’s a great savory and slightly spicy contrast to this sweet squash.

Once you have the squash nicely bathed in oil and spices, the only thing that’s left is to roast it, which will help bring out the sweet and nutty flavor in the squash.

Indian Roasted Butternut Squash

Indian Roasted Butternut Squash

5 from 11 reviews
Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 1 medium-large butternut squash approx. 2 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven on convection setting to 425F.
  • Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. (you can see details/pics of how to cut squash above).
  • Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler.
  • Cut the squash into cubes and toss with oil and spices.
  • Bake in the oven 40 -50 minutes, stirring the squash at the halfway mark.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @myheartbeets on Instagram and hashtag it #myheartbeets!

Pin This Recipe

Like this recipe? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board now so you will remember to make it later!

Pin Recipe Now0

Related Recipes

Cookbooks

Find out more about my cookbooks Indian Food Under Pressure and South Asian Persuasion.

About Ashley

Hi, I’m Ashley. Thanks for being here! I truly believe that food brings us closer together. Gather around a table with good food and good people, and you’ll have the ingredients you need to create some happy memories. My hope is that you find recipes here that you can’t wait to share with family and friends.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get our latest content by email. We won't send you spam. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. John Barstow says

    5 stars
    I added Kashmiri red pepper powder (deggi mirch) in place of the black pepper to give a little heat, and drizzled some melted ghee over the cooked squash and tossed to coat. Our teenagers took second helpings, so I rate this recipe a success!

  2. Kate Lawless says

    5 stars
    I riffed a little, using curry powder, curry leaf, turmeric, and salt, plus olive oil. It was amazing! Thanks!

    • Lynn_M says

      5 stars
      Another winner recipe. This has become my favorite site when I’m looking for recipes.

      I really dislike the challenge of peeling raw butternut squash. So I placed my whole butternut squash on a trivet in my Instant Pot, added a cup of water, and cooked it on manual for 3 minutes. I did an instant release and removed the lid but then put the lid back on and cooked it on low for another 15 minutes or so. Because I had something come up, I didn’t get around to making this recipe until the next day. But the peel was then soft and a pleasure to peel. And it was easy to discard the seeds and chop the flesh up too. I then followed the recipe as written above but shortened the baking time about 10 minutes I broiled the squash at the end to give it a bit more bite. In the future, I’ll be experimenting to see how little time I need to cook the squash in the IP first and still have it easy to peel.

  3. Lucy Myerz says

    5 stars
    Thanks for the great recipe — this is totally delicious! I replaced the olive oil with melted ghee and it turned out perfectly. Wonderful substitute for potatoes alongside roast chicken!

  4. pat mogey says

    I don’t peel skin and its really delicious. Not tough, just like eating potato with skin on. Saves a lot of bother, lol.

  5. Claire says

    I liked this recipe so much, I have already made it twice! It’s so simple yet so delicious. I bought pre-cut butternut squash to make it even easier. Thanks for your recipes! I love Indian food, and I love your healthy twist on it.

  6. SarahP says

    I just found your website today, when I followed a link on an Amazon.com review for what looked like an amazing book, but was actually the product of intellectual theft according to all three reviewers. I AM SO GLAD I FOUND YOU! Your recipes look amazing and I cannot wait to try them at home. My husband and I both adore Indian food, as do my parents, but due to various health and location factors, eating at Indian restaurants isn’t always an option. You are now in my bookmarks bar, and I plan to come back regularly.

    • My Heart Beets says

      Sarah, thank you so much for this comment! You totally made my day. It looks like there is good coming from all of this 🙂 I hope you enjoy the recipes – let me know if you ever have any questions. Happy to have you as a reader!

paneer lababdar

Ashley's Secrets

INDIAN FOOD

MADE EASY

Favorite tips & tricks to

easy & delicious Indian cooking

FREE EMAIL BONUS