Kabocha Squash Coconut Curry

Kabocha squash, or known as Japanese pumpkin, is a great addition to your coconut curry. With some spices and your favorite protein (I used chicken), you can have a bowl of delicious kabocha squash coconut curry that is ready to be shared. With the addition of kabocha squash, your curry will be creamy and it is cozy. 

If you never had kabocha squash before, you can find this winter squash at any grocery store. This squash is sweet, and it is rich in texture and flavor. It has orange flesh on the inside like a sweet potato. And it has a fluffy texture and sweet flavors like a cross between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. If you are a butternut squash fan, kabocha squash tastes sweeter than butternut squash. 

Like other squash, kabocha is packed with nutrients, and you will want to add this squash to your diet all winter long. It’s packed with beta carotene, which is great for immune health, hair, skin, and eye health. Kabocha squash is rich in iron, Vitamin C, some B vitamins, and fiber. Other great reasons to add kabocha squash into your diet are lower in calories and carb compared to other squash varieties! Kabocha is about 40 calories per cup and less carbs than most other squash.

The Best Kabocha Squash Coconut Curry

Simple Ingredients

I like to keep things simple when it comes to cooking. To make this curry, you only need a handful of ingredients, and you probably already have all these ingredients right in your kitchen.

Fresh Ingredients

When it comes to making curry, I love making my own curry base. While you can purchase store brought curry paste, this recipe is perfect for someone who doesn't have curry paste on hand. You will be building your own curry base with ingredients you already have. But if you do have curry paste on hand, you can use it to develop more flavor.

Creamy & Cozy

Kabocha squash has a fluffy texture, and when you blend it, it offers a very nice silky and fluffy texture. If you want to go for the ultimate fluffy texture, use coconut cream instead of coconut milk. Coconut milk is much thinner in texture, like regular milk. In comparison, coconut cream is much richer and thicker, like heavy cream. It also has more fat and protein than coconut milk.

Make It Vegan

If you are looking to cook vegan-friendly kabocha squash coconut curry, it is doable and straightforward with this recipe. Simply choose vegan-friendly protein like tofu, chickpeas, or tempeh.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Slice the kabocha squash in half or quarters and remove the seeds. You can clean and roast the seeds as a snack.

2. Place your sliced kabocha pieces in a pan with the flesh facing up. Drizzle some avocado oil on the flesh. Bake at 400F for about 20-30 minutes or until soft. You can check by using a fork to poke the flesh. If you can poke the fork in easily, your squash is fully cooked.

3. Once your squash is fully cooked, place it on a cooling rack and let it cool down.

4. Once your squash is cooled down, scoop out the flesh out and place it into a blender. I used my Vitamix, but you can use any blender. Place onion, pepper, ginger, and coconut milk into the blender. Blend until smooth.

5. In a medium/ large saucepan, heat avocado oil with sliced garlic at medium heat. You want to infuse the oil with garlic. Once the garlic is starting to turn golden, put in your chicken. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and paprika.

6. Stir fry your chicken with garlic until it turns mostly white, and then add in your sauce.

7. Mix the chicken and the sauce together, and then add in your sliced zucchini. Let it cook down. Once you notice your zucchini is starting to get soft, add in your sugar snap peas. Let it cook until your zucchini is soft.

8. Once your zucchini is soft, you are done. I like my sugar snap peas to be somewhat crunchy but if you want it to be softer, cook longer or until desired.

Like this recipe? Check out my Sweet Potato Coconut Curry recipe.