Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Butternut Squash and Chickpeas
Fall squash, canned chickpeas, and a spoonful of curry paste — a vegetarian curry that tastes like it took real effort and costs about as much as a bag of rice.
Equipment
- Slow cooker 6-quart or larger
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash about 3 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk divided
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or Thai basil chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts chopped, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4-5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic, ginger, and red curry paste. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens and smells fragrant.
- Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker.
- Add the butternut squash, chickpeas, bell pepper, vegetable broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, turmeric, and about three quarters of the can of coconut milk. Reserve the rest. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the squash is tender at the center but still holding its shape. Check early - squash goes from tender to mush quickly.
- Stir in the reserved coconut milk and the spinach. Cover and cook 10 more minutes, just until the greens wilt.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice and half the herbs. Taste and adjust with more soy sauce, sugar, or lime.
- Serve over jasmine rice, topped with the remaining herbs, chopped peanuts, and a lime wedge.
Notes
Whole butternut squash costs a fraction of pre-cubed squash and keeps on the counter for weeks. Microwave it for 2 minutes before peeling and it becomes far easier to cut.
Dried chickpeas are cheaper still. Soak 1 cup overnight, add at the start with an extra cup of broth, cook on LOW 6 hours, then add the squash for the final 2.
Sweet potato works in place of squash at roughly the same price. Frozen cubed squash works too - add it in the last 90 minutes.
Naturally vegan if you use soy sauce rather than fish sauce, and it freezes well without the greens and herbs.