Butternut Squash Curry with Tofu
Reminiscent of vegan Squash Tikka Masala, this is Butternut Squash Soup turned to a delicious Squash Curry dinner in 25 minutes.
Posted By Savita
Easy Butternut Squash Curry with tofu, cauliflower and aromatic curry spices. Reminiscent of vegan Tikka Masala, this creamy silky curry sauce need 15 minutes prep, is loaded with flavor of butternut squash, and curry. Makes a perfect curry bowl to serve for meatless family dinner. Vegan, gluten free.
Oh, and I use leftover butternut squash soup to prepare this amazingly silky squash curry sauce. Drum-roll!! You can even use fresh pureed butternut squash, Or even pumpkin or acorn soup leftovers from refrigerator. Options are endless.
Do you have leftover butternut squash soup in your refrigerator? I often have leftover or frozen batch of butternut squash soup in my refrigerator during Autumn season. Specially when I'm working on Squash Recipes, I have it in abundance. Even though my family loves squash soup, sometimes no one is ready to eat leftover or reheated soup. On those picky days, in my home, I often make this quick curry and all of a sudden, leftover soup is welcomed and even bowls are wiped clean with Garlic Naan. (You can also check my No Yeast Naan Recipe to serve on side.)
Remember, the Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk I shared this Monday? That was the inspiration behind this curry bowl. Does it look tasty? It is the leftover of same soup turned to yummy Curry Bowl. What not to like?!
MAKE YOUR OWN BUTTERNUT SQUASH CURRY:
In this recipe, the creamy butternut squash soup makes delicious curry sauce. Once curry sauce is ready, you can easily adapt this recipe to be vegan, meat-less or even meat-full.
To make Squash Curry, I start by sauteing the aromatics - onion, ginger, garlic. Then add curry powder with other spices. Cook until curry mixture is fragrant. Next, add Butternut Squash Soup (or puree) with some vegetable/chicken stock. Cook covered for 8-10 minutes or until curry sauce is thick, creamy and oil comes on top. In this time, squash absorbs the delicious curry flavor. Finish the sauce with sugar, lemon juice, and coconut milk or cream per taste. That's it! Squash Curry Sauce is ready to devour.
It is really a magic sauce you can use any way you prefer. For
Vegetable Squash Curry, add sauteed cauliflower, tofu, bell pepper or green peas.
Chicken Squash Curry, add sauteed chicken. Even leftover rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken or roasted turkey will work.
Isn't it magical?
Depending upon vegetable or chicken used, I cook Squash Curry Sauce half time then add vegetables/chicken and continue cooking 4-5 minute more to develop flavor. This is good way to infuse each other's flavor e.g. to give chicken flavor to sauce and sauce flavor to chicken. Plus it gives time to veggies/chicken to heat through.
I originally posted this recipe 5 years ago. Today, when I saw some squash soup in refrigerator. I felt this recipe is calling me. In original post, I made Curried Butternut Squash with Tofu. Today, I deiced to also add some cauliflower for more substantial vegetable curry. I have updated recipe description, pictures to make it come back to life.
CREAM OR COCONUT MILK CURRY:
When I use cream based butternut soup, I finish curry with little bit of cream. Often if soup is thick and rich, you will not even need cream. So, I recommend to adjust as per taste. Like wise, when using coconut milk butternut soup, I finish sauce with coconut milk. This helps keep a vegan soup to vegan curry.
That said, don't limit yourself to soup or even butternut. Any squash soup or squash puree will work for this Curry Sauce. Just remember to adjust seasonings - salt, lemon juice, sugar, paprika, and cream as per taste.
Remember to use good quality Curry Powder. Curry powder complements creamy and tangy rich sauces. No matter what is the flavor of butternut squash soup, the addition of curry and spices transform this recipe to a new bowl of flavorful curry. In-fact, for lazy days, I even buy squash soup from store to have curried squash and tofu dinner with side of steamed rice. Yumm!
CHILI (PAPRIKA) OIL
The delicious red oil you see on top of curry is Sweet Paprika and a tbsp of cooking Oil heated and drizzled on top. It adds delicious smokey flavor to squash curry. Optional but I recommend trying it once. To make oil, heat oil in small pan or spoon, add paprika and remove from heat. You don't want to burn paprika. It should just be heated through and mixed with oil. Drizzle on top of curry and enjoy.
I hope you will like it as much as we did.
Wish you a wonderful weekend. -Savita x
More Squash Recipes to try:
Ingredients
- 250 Grams Tofu (firm tofu, water drained and diced into bite size pieces)
- 3 Cup Butternut Squash (*Soup or Puree )
- 1 tbsp Curry Powder
- 1/2 Cup Red Onion (thin sliced)
- 1/2 tbsp Ginger (fresh ginger root, fine chopped)
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 Head Cauliflower (small cauliflower, about 2 cup when broken into florets)
- 1/2 tbsp Garlic ( 2-3 cloves, minced)
- 3 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1-2 Lemon (to get 3 tbsp juice, adjust per taste)
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Chili Powder (adjust per taste. Use less if soup used is spicy.)
- 1/2 Cup Coconut milk
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable Stock (or water, use as per availability )
- 1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
Directions
-
1. Heat a tbsp oil in a pan, add cauliflower florets. Season with pinch of salt. Cook until slightly soft, have brown cooking spots but not mushy. (2-3 minutes on medium-high heat). Remove in plate and set aside. -
2. Add remaining 2 tbsp oil in same pan. Let it heat. Add sliced red onion, ginger, garlic, garam masala, chili powder and curry powder. Saute for 2 minutes. -
3. Add butternut squash soup, tomato sauce, sugar, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, with 1/2 cup of vegetable stock or water. Bring to boil, then simmer covered for 5 minutes. Sauce should be thick to coat back of spoon. Additional Notes:
If soup used is too thin, don't add more stock/water. Or cook little longer until sauce is thick. -
4. Add diced tofu, coconut milk, and simmer covered for 4 minutes. Mix in cooked cauliflower and let it heat through. Now, remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt, lemon juice. Top with **Paprika Oil. -
5. Ladle curry into bowls. Top with more **Paprika Oil. Garnish with some chopped fresh herbs. Serve hot with side of rice or naan bread.
Savita's Recipe Notes:
*I used leftover Butternut Squash Soup for this recipe. However, don't limit yourself to soup or even butternut. Any squash soup or squash puree will work for this Curry Sauce. Just remember to adjust seasonings - salt, lemon juice, sugar, and coconut milk/cream as per taste. Plus, the paprika oil (as per taste) on top to bring out the curry flavor even more.
**Chili (Paprika) Oil - the delicious red oil you see on top of curry is Sweet Paprika and a tbsp of oil heated and drizzled on top. It adds delicious smokey flavor to squash curry. Optional but I recommend trying it once. To make oil, heat oil in small pan or spoon, add paprika and remove from heat. You don't want to burn paprika. It should just be heated through and mixed with oil. Drizzle on top of curry and enjoy.
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