Butternut Squash & Cannellini Bean Curry

Nothing beats the comfort of a curry! Kickstart your new year cooking with this delicious butternut squash and cannellini bean recipe by Lisa from My Relationship with Food. Warming and nutritious, it’s perfect for batch-cooking midweek meals and lunches.

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Servings: 6 people

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch cubes (discard the seeds)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1/2 red chilli, sliced 
• 2-3 tbsp ground cumin (depending on your preference you can add 2-3 tbsp. ground cumin)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste 
• 1 x 400g canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 x 400ml coconut milk (Lisa recommends the brand Biona Organic)
• 1 x 400g canned chopped tomatoes or passata (Lisa recommends the brand Mutti Polpa finely chopped tomatoes)
• 2 tsp honey, agave or rice malt syrup
• 125g spinach leaves, washed

Serving suggestions

• Coconut rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, brown or white rice
• Mango chutney
• Coriander

1. In a large saucepan sauté the onions in olive oil until soft and translucent over a gentle heat.
2. Then add the minced garlic, red chilli, ground cumin and tomato purée. Season well with sea salt, Herbamare and cracked black pepper.
3. Add the butternut squash and cook for 5 minutes, continuously stirring. Add the canned tomatoes or passata. Continue cooking for a further 5 minutes. Add the beans, honey or rice malt syrup together with coconut milk.
4. Stir together and check for seasonings. Bring the saucepan to a medium high heat, then cover and cook on a low heat for 45 minutes, lightly stir to prevent burning
5. throughout the cooking process. When cooked stir in the washed spinach until it's wilted and you’re ready to serve.
6. Serve with rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
7. Enjoy!

You can make this curry in advance as the flavours improve over a few days, so you can enjoy it throughout the week or freeze for a later date! If you’re making it in advance, add the spinach when reheating to keep the colour. Serve with some mango chutney and poppadom’s on the side! You could also sprinkle some crushed peanuts when serving.

Lisa is an avid cook and published cookbook writer with a passion for eating mindfully. Priding herself on recipes that are gluten free with limited dairy or refined sugars, Lisa enjoys inspiring people to cook nourishing meals from scratch and to develop a positive relationship with food. Discover more about Lisa and lots of delicious recipes on the My Relationship With Food blog