This incredible curry boasts a rich, creamy sauce, oodles of flavour and a stunning texture. Sound good? Then this butternut squash and chickpea dopiaza is for you!
Best of all, this curry is totally meat-free. In fact, it's vegan, which means it's a perfect option for a family meal if you're trying to reduce your meat consumption.
Why go meatless on Mondays?
Have you heard of Meatless Mondays? On the most basic level, it means following a vegetarian diet every Monday, of course, but for many people it's also about making a small contribution to the health of the planet.
Search the #MeatlessMonday hashtag on Twitter and you'll see that it's a big thing. Lots of people who would prefer not to go fulltime veggie for all sorts of reasons are cutting out meat once a week the whole world over.
Think of it like doing your bit by using the recycling bin or flicking off the light switch when you leave a room - you know your small contribution isn't going to clear the air, land and oceans of decades of pollutants, but as part of a much larger collective, you know you're making a difference.
Where to start?
If you're used to eating meat with every meal, coming up with something tasty and vegetarian to eat at least once a week might seem daunting. Trust me, it's really not. Most of the recipes on this site are veggie, in fact, and none compromise on taste.
To get you inspired, here's an utterly delicious butternut squash and chickpea dopiaza.
The sauce is rich, thick and perfectly spiced. It smells amazing as it cooks and it tastes incredible.
How to make butternut squash and chickpea dopiaza
This butternut squash and chickpea dopiaza has a very special, exceptionally creamy sauce made with a perfect blend of spices, onion, garlic, ginger and sweet potato.
Meanwhile, the butternut squash is roasted to perfection with black onions seeds, and chickpeas and spinach make the meal complete.
Here's the full recipe for you to try.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 6 sticks celery sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 20 g (0.7 oz) ginger peeled and minced
- 400 g (14.1 oz) sweet potato peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp madras powder
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp black onion seeds
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 pinch salt
- 40 g (1.4 oz) tomato paste
- 200 g (7.1 oz) chopped tomatoes
- 440 g (15.5 oz) coconut milk
- 500 ml (1.1 pt) vegetable stock gluten free if required
- 50 ml (1.7 floz) sweet chilli sauce
For the squash
- 1 butternut squash peeled, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tsp black onion seeds plus some to garnish
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
To finish
- 400 g (14.1 oz) can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 50 g (1.8 oz) spinach finely chopped
- 10 g (0.4 oz) fresh coriander finely chopped, plus a little to garnish
Equipment
Instructions
To make the sauce
Heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat.
Add the onion, celery, garlic, ginger and sweet potato to the hot pan.
Fry for 5 minutes until they start to soften and colour.
Turn down to a medium heat and add the coriander, cumin, garam masala, madras powder, chilli flakes, black onion seeds, black pepper, turmeric and salt.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to prevent the spices from catching on the bottom of the pan, which will make the curry taste bitter.
Add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and sweet chilli sauce.
Add the stock.
Stir well.
Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Blend until smooth using a food processor or stick blender, then transfer back to the pan and keep warm.
For the squash
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 320F).
Meanwhile, spread butternut squash on a non-stick baking tray.
Sprinkle with the onion seeds. chilli flakes and salt.
Add the oil.
Mix well.
Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender and golden.
To finish
Add the chickpeas, coriander, spinach and roasted butternut squash to your sauce.
Stir through.
Serve into bowls.
Garnished with a sprinkle of onion seeds and coriander leaf.
I recommend serving with paratha or naan bread, popadoms and boiled rice.
More tips for the perfect dopiaza
Can I add meat to this dopiaza curry?
Yes, you can add meat to this curry if you wish. Chicken breast pieces work well. Season and fry separately while your butternut squash is roasting and your sauce is reducing, then add to the sauce at the same time as the chickpeas etc.
Can I add a vegetarian meat substitute to this dopiaza curry?
Yes, you can add Quorn, soya chunks or tofu to this curry if you wish. Quorn fillets work really well. Season and fry separately while your butternut squash is roasting and your sauce is reducing, then add to the sauce at the same time as the chickpeas etc.
Print this vegetarian dopiaza recipe
Are you thinking of trying this at home?
Here's that butternut squash and chickpea dopiaza recipe again in a printable format.
Butternut squash and chickpea dopiaza
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 6 sticks celery sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 20 g (0.7 oz) ginger peeled and minced
- 400 g (14.1 oz) sweet potato peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp madras powder
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp black onion seeds
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 pinch salt
- 40 g (1.4 oz) tomato paste
- 200 g (7.1 oz) chopped tomatoes
- 440 g (15.5 oz) coconut milk
- 500 ml (1.1 pt) vegetable stock gluten free if required
- 50 ml (1.7 floz) sweet chilli sauce
For the squash
- 1 butternut squash peeled, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tsp black onion seeds plus some to garnish
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
To finish
- 400 g (14.1 oz) can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 50 g (1.8 oz) spinach finely chopped
- 10 g (0.4 oz) fresh coriander finely chopped, plus a little to garnish
Instructions
To make the sauce
- Heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat.
- Add the onion, celery, garlic, ginger and sweet potato to the hot pan and fry for 5 minutes until they start to soften and colour.
- Turn down to a medium heat and add the coriander, cumin, garam masala, madras powder, chilli flakes, black onion seeds, black pepper, turmeric and salt.
- Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to prevent the spices from catching on the bottom of the pan, which will make the curry taste bitter.
- Add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, stock and sweet chilli sauce. Stir well.
- Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Blend until smooth using a food processor or stick blender, then transfer back to the pan and keep warm.
For the squash
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 320F).
- Meanwhile, spread butternut squash on a non-stick baking tray and sprinkle with the onion seeds. chilli flakes and salt. Add the oil and mix well.
- Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender and golden.
To finish
- Add the chickpeas, coriander and spinach to your sauce.
- Add the roasted butternut squash and stir through.
- Serve garnished with a sprinkle of onion seeds and coriander leaf.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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More simple, delicious curry recipes to try
Don't forget to check out my other spicy mains too!
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[email protected] says
This sounds so yummy. Love the sauce and spices!
nazima says
looks delicious. I love chickpeas in curry - I usually use potatoes but this is a nice variation!
[email protected] says
I haven't consciously taken part in meatless Mondays but think it's the perfect day to do it, especially after a big roast on a Sunday and we all could do with having a more balanced and less meat heavy diet. This curry looks like an ideal recipe to start with :)
Jeanne Horak-Druiff says
Great post - it reminds me of my "hot to eat an elephant" post a week or two ago :) It's not about the massive changes, but about everyone making little changes. Love the curru - I often do a squash and chickpea curry (adding whatever is lying around the fridge, really - they are so satisfying!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I think it's great people are turning to a veggie diet, even if it is just 1 day a week. I means people have the chance to see how exciting veggie food can be. That can only be a good thing. This is a fab recipe to start with too. It looks super tasty and such a gorgeous colour.
Margot @ Coffee & Vanilla says
Emily, your curry looks delicious! I could eat vegetable dishes like this every day, not only on Monday. I used to be vegetarian, started eating chicken and fish while pregnant and continued like this... haven't had red meat since college.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I love how the sweet potato is blended right into the sauce, it makes it so thick and creamy! Just gorgeous.