This vegan butternut squash stew is a slight remix of the popular sweet potato coconut milk stew with lentils and kale recipe that I posted a few years ago. Itโs nicely seasoned with a mixture of ground spices (coriander, cumin, chili, turmeric) as well as fresh ginger and garlic. The coconut milk makes it creamy and highlights the natural sweetness of the butternut squash. Itโs the perfect little batch of stew to welcome fall!
While working on this pot of goodness, I took feedback from the 500+ comments on its sweet potato sister recipe to heart. I noticed a lot of people saying that they doubled the ground spices, even on the first go! The spice increase was the first tweak I madeโminus the turmeric because I donโt like to overdo it with that one. I love the results in this butternut chickpea stew! A little more warmth and contrasting heat.
The velvety texture of canned coconut milk is a natural flavor pal to squash. Iโve relied on it before with these butternut coconut noodles with greens. As an aside, this is a sleeper hit recipe that I wish more folks would try honestly! Coconut milk gives this butternut squash stew an effortlessly luscious texture without dairy. Thereโs no ingredient like it.
In the pursuit of differentiating this recipe further, I did try it with spinach but wasnโt super happy with the end result. The thicker leaves of kale just stand up to the silky, enriched vegetable stock base so much better.
A finishing drizzle of spicy chili crisp and a squeeze of fresh lime juice really brings this butternut stew into chefโs kiss territory! I hope you try it soon.
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Butternut Squash Stew with Coconut Milk & Chickpeas (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 medium white onion, small dice
- ยฝ-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ยฝ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ยฝ lbs (690 grams) butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
- 19 oz can (540 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable stock, plus extra if needed
- 13.5 oz can (400 ml) full fat coconut milk
- 1 small bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped (about 4 cups chopped kale)
- 2 teaspoons Tamari soy sauce
- To serve: chopped cilantro and lime wedges to squeeze over top
Notes
- If your local grocery store sells pre-chopped butternut squash and kale, this recipe will go even faster!
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the coconut oil to the pot and let it melt. Add the onions to the pot and stir. Sautรฉ onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent and quite soft, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Sautรฉ spices until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic to the pot and cook for another minute.
- Add the butternut squash to the pot and stir to coat in the spices. Add the chickpeas to the pot and stir once more. Season everything liberally with salt and pepper. Add the vegetable stock and stir, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Place the lid on top of the pot and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the squash pieces are almost falling apart, about 15-20 minutes. The liquid should also be reduced by almost a third. If the stew has reduced too much, add more vegetable stock to your liking.
- Add the coconut milk and kale to the pot and stir. Place the lid on top and continue to simmer the stew until the kale is wilted and bright green, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the Tamari. Bring the stew back up to a boil and check for seasoning. Adjust with more salt, pepper, red pepper flakes etc. if you wish.
- Serve the butternut squash stew with extra chopped cilantro on top and lime wedges on the side for squeezing over top.
I never had butternut squash in my life or made it lol, but have been looking for new recipes and found this and decided why not. Everyone loved it, really flavorful
I made this on Saturday for me and my mom and we both LOVED it! To add a bit more flavor, I added in a teaspoon of curry powder and 1-2 tsp cinnamon as well as some more red pepper flakes to taste. Iโll definitely be making this many more times!
Really good! My adult son is plant based but Iโm more โflexitarianโ ( slowly reducing meat to more plant based). Didnโt expect to like it but was pleasantly surprised. Used โBetter than Boullionโ vegetable base, which can be salty so reduced initial salt. Substituted baby spinach for kale (we donโt really like kale). Everything else was the same except no lime so used a bit of lemon at the end. Note to others; canned chickpeas only come in 13.5 oz so youโll need 1.5 cans. On advice of several comments, mashed a bit of the squash and chickpeas to add thickness. Will definitely make again!
My friends made this on Halloween (we had it while giving out candy in their driveway!) and it was so delicious they sent me and a couple others the recipe! I just made it tonight and it came out awesome. I made it as directed โ with the exception of: using kabocha squash instead of butternut (my friends did this too. Highly recommend! the kabocha is super velvet-yโฆ), and substituting a box of Trader Joeโs Miso Ginger broth (which I always have on hand) in lieu of veg stock. I didnโt have any cilantro or lime to finish it off with but I honestly donโt think it needed it! Will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation!
So glad you enjoyed it and love the sound of your tweaks! I use honeynut squash in this now and the flavor is sooo lovely.
-L
I really love this recipe! I made a double batch for a Halloween watch party and the fall flavors were perfect. I added tomato paste for some extra umami and doubled the spices for a strong curry flavor. I didnโt find it flavorful enough without the extra spices. I served it with the option of brown rice and/or sourdough for my friends.
I really enjoyed this. I did end up with more liquid than I expected. I think I could pull back from three cups next time. I also thought I could use some brightening. Lime would have been great but I had sumac that I decided to use, A generous half teaspoon I would say really added something lovely. Overall flavors are great, and the second time customized more to the cookโs tastes will be even better.
Another great Laura recipe! Cold season has struck and I knew I needed something comforting. The flavour is so good, and impactful.
Splendid!
I canโt easily get kale (or chard or any hardier greens) in my Japanese grocery store, so I added about 3 cups of shredded cabbage, when the 15-min simmer was done and the heat was off. Even after adding the coconut milk at the same time, the residual heat cooked the cabbage perfectly as it sat until dinner time. Also added two small packs of atsu-age tofu, cubed, to add a bit more heft to it, but itโs DELICIOUS without it, to be sure. Thank you so much, Laura!
Loved it! I put the chickpeas through the food processor first (perhaps to hide them from someone) to make the stew thicker. And in the end I used a potato masher to break up some of the squash pieces and to add more creaminess. Will certainly add to my fall soups list!
I love the sound of these clever changes, Kat! So glad you enjoyed it.
-L
Spoonful of awesome goodness! This will be in my regular stew/soup rotation for the upcoming cooler months. I used honey nut squash which I prefer over butternut. A bit denser & sweeter. Next time I may add a cup or more of cooked brown rice or quinoa to make it a bit more stew-like. Thank you, Laura.
I always prefer honey nut squash when I can get it! Thanks for this review, Claudia :)
-L
Excellent! Mine came out like more of a soup, followed the directions except added a little more of the spices. Incredible flavor, adding the lime right before eating adds a beautiful a beautiful burst of flavor! Iโll be making this again and again!!
delicious, I was heavy hand with the spices !
canโt wait to try more of your recipes
Delicious soup. Itโs so good, Iโm already figuring out when I can make it again.
I made the recipe exactly, but then added jalapeรฑos too. Iโll be honest, this is the best stew Iโve had in a long time. Iโll definitely be making this again and again. Thanks so much for the recipe.
I love the idea of jalapeรฑos in this! Thanks for this comment and review, Stacy.
-L
Will make this next week! This has everything in it that I relish in the winter. Can I do red lentils instead of chick peas or maybe half of each?
You can do red lentils, but they will need some cooking time. I would add them at the top of step 3 (once you have the stew boiling) so that they can cook alongside the squash. The red lentils may break down and sort of thicken/melt into the finished stew, which will be great texture-wise!
-L
That sounds amazing! I prefer a thicker stew.
Canโt wait to try this. It sounds amazing. Does it freeze / unfreeze well? Iโm considering it for meal prepping.
Hi Jessica,
Minus the addition of the kale, I think this recipe freezes well. Thereโs something about cooked kale thatโs been frozen and thawed that I donโt personally enjoy! Other folks are not bothered by this though. You can try freezing the stew in its finished state or leave the kale out and add it upon reheating!
-L
Sadly, this does not compare to the original lentil version (make sure to double the spices and amount of veg in that recipe and it will be delicious).
Really didnโt like the addition of Tamari in this. Wonโt make again.
Hi KT,
I am disappointed to read this but appreciate your feedback all the same. The spices in this version are increased/doubled in some cases from the lentil version. I am curious, do you double ALL of the vegetables in the lentil version? The onion, kale, and sweet potatoes? I quickly looked to see if you had reviewed that one with more detail, but didnโt see anything.
-L
I do love the flavour of the lentil recipe (when you double the spices) so I was so surprised by this one. I think itโs the chickpeas instead of lentils that changed things so much, and of course the Tamari. I add enough veggies so that itโs actually a stew and not soup. Itโs roughly double the volume of whatโs called for, give or take (I do it by eye). I add whatever veg I have on hand to make it a stew (peppers, cauliflower, etc) plus extra sweet potato/butternut squash/kale. Otherwise itโs just way too much liquid. I think if it had just been called soup from the beginning I wouldnโt have even thought about it.
I have your sweet potato/lentil/ginger stew on repeat in the winter and Iโm adding this one to the repertoire! I made this last night and it was so flavorful, easy, and nourishing. Thanks, Laura!
This sounds like my all time favorite soup, Ginger, sweet potatoes, coconut milk stew with kale and lentils. Iโll definitely give this one a try too! Thank you
What can I use instead of coconut milk? I have to watch my cholesterol and plaque
It does bring a lot of complimentary flavor to this stew and is hard to completely replace honestly. You could try an equal amount of an alternative milk to make it creamy (unsweetened soy, hemp or oat)!
-L
Delicious & tastes like fall.
Yum! Canโt wait to try this. Is it necessary to massage the kale before adding?
Massaging kale (especially in lemon juice) makes it easier to digest and absorb its nutrients.
Nope! Itโs going to simmer and wilt in the stew until soft.
-L