Instant Pot Butternut Squash Curry

As the temperature starts to drop, I find myself craving my comfort food. And speaking of comfort foods, curry is my ultimate choice. 

The aroma of a simmering curry conjures up wondrous memories of my childhood. My mom would cook up delicious curries made with seasonal squashes and serve it with homemade bread. There was something unique and nice about that curry that just screamed ‘Comfort food.”

Over the years, I’ve experimented with different flavors and squashes, and the one that has matched my family palate is the Instant Pot butternut squash curry.

This versatile squash, when combined with nutrient-rich vegetables, creates a creamy bowl of comfort that’s low in calories and bursting with hearty fall flavors, making it the perfect weeknight dinner!

Let’s look at all the flavorful ingredients that make this recipe a nutritional powerhouse. ?

To make this easy curry, you will need simple ingredients like:

• Butternut Squash: this nutty and sweet squash is the building block of this recipe. 
• Red Bell pepper: the secret ingredient. When combined with tomatoes, it tastes amazingly delicious and holds the whole recipe together. In short, it forms the base of the sauce.
• Tomatoes: fresh tomatoes and tomato puree add a robust flavor to this curry. The acidity of the tomatoes is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of squash and red bell pepper.
• Whole spices like bay leaves and black peppercorns.
• Onion, ginger -garlic paste: essential staple ingredients for all the curries. They add a deep flavor and neutralizes the sweetness of the squash.
• Green chili: to balance the sweet flavors of butternut squash and red bell pepper.
• A blend of spices like: cumin seeds, turmeric, cayenne pepper, curry powder, and salt. These spices will intensify in flavor as the curry cooks. 
• Zucchini: has a fairly neutral flavor. It adds texture that deliciously complements the nutty flavor of the butternut squash and red bell pepper.
• Vegetable stock: adds a gorgeous depth of flavor. If you prefer, you can use water instead.
• Fresh Spinach leaves: a healthy way to incorporate nutrients to your diet. In addition to that, it adds a vibrant color and flavor.
• Lemon Juice: totally optional, but it adds a great taste to the curry.
• Avocado Oil
• Top with fresh cilantro, chopped acallions, and serve over cooked rice.

This recipe is divided into 3 stages:

1. Roasted bell peppers and tomato sauce

2. Cut the butternut squash

3. Prepare the curry.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the baking tray with oil. Cut bell peppers in quarters. Discard the stem and the seeds. Likewise, cut tomatoes into quarters. 

2. Arrange tomatoes and bell pepper on the greased baking tray, placing the halved side down. Brush with oil. Roast the bell peppers and tomatoes until tender and slightly charred. It will take about 20-22 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Transfer the roasted bell peppers and tomatoes to a blender.

4. Pour in the tomato puree and blend until smooth and creamy.

7. Turn the Instant Pot to ‘Saute mode.’ Once it displays ‘hot,’ add avocado oil to the insert. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, black peppercorns to the oil. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. This way, the spices will release more flavor.

8. Stir in ginger-garlic paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

9. Stir in chopped onions. Cook until it’s soft and translucent.

10. Add green chilies to the cooking onions. Cook for 1 minute.

11. Add the spices.

12. Add the roasted bell pepper and tomato sauce (that was prepared earlier in the recipe).

13. Mix to combine. 

14. Pour in vegetable stock to deglaze the Instant Pot insert.

15. Add chopped zucchini. Mix until incorporated in the sauce.

16. Add the squash.  Make sure the squash pieces are submerged in the sauce. Do not stir.

17. Turn the Instant Pot off. Close the lid and seal the pot. Press the Manual or pressure cook button and cook the squash curry for 6 minutes on HIGH.

18. Once the cooking time has elapsed, turn off the Instant Pot. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release. When the pin drops, carefully open the lid. 

19. Stir in chopped spinach leaves.

20. It will wilt in the hot curry.

21. Taste and adjust the recipe to suit your preferences. Add lemon juice to the curry. Lemon juice will enhance the flavors more and add a burst of freshness. Bring the curry to a light boil until all the flavors are blended together. 

22. Serve the Butternut squash curry over rice and enjoy! This delicious squash curry can be enjoyed on it own, or served over rice or quinoa, for a comforting and filling meal. 

This great thing about this curry is that it’s very flexible; therefore, it can be tailored to suit your preferences. 

• Feel free to swap, butternut squash with any other kind of squash you have on hand. I have tried this curry with sweet potato, and it tastes equally delicious.
• For added flavor: roast butternut squash too in the oven. A caramelized butternut squash will take this curry to a whole new level. Roast it separately ina separate baking tray. 
• Want to save some time: look for the pre-cut butternut squash in your local grocery store. 
• For a creamy curry: swap vegetable stock with coconut milk for a rich and velvety flavor. 
• Sensitive to spice: omit the green chilies or less curry paste and cayenne. 
• For more flavor: add more warmth to this curry with nutmeg and cinnamon. 
• Experiment with other veggies: I liked the combo of butternut squash + zucchini, but you can use celery or broccoli instead of Zucchini. Likewise, baby spinach can be swapped with fresh kale leaves.
• Not a vegan: then for an extra nutritional punch, try to add some protein to this butternut squash curry. 

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe. Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries, and I would be happy to answer them.

Craving for more, other curry recipes that you may enjoy are: