Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram (although you should, because I’m...

Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram (although you should, because I’m doing a massive giveaway once I hit 200k followers – plus, it’s a good place to find daily healthy inspiration!), I’m in Florida right now.

I came down to Florida two weekends ago for my sister’s bachelorette party and because Lu was traveling for work and I had to be back in Florida two weeks later for my sister’s wedding, it didn’t make any sense to fly back to NJ and be alone without Lu and then fly back down a couple weeks later.

Plus, I love that Luca is spending lots of bonding time with his grandparents! I grew up with both sides of my grandparents living down the street, so I was constantly there – and it led to really strong relationships with my grandparents.

I remember hiding underneath the coffee table in my grandparents’ house so many times when my Mom would come to pick me up after spending the night there. I want Luca to feel the same way about my parents!

Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

Needless to say, I’m happy to be here in Florida for many reasons – the sunshine, the extra set of hands, etc. Luca loves it too – he loves being outside and feeling the fresh air, I see his mood lift immediately when we walk him outside!

Anyway, the point is that in the winter in Florida, the nights aren’t as hot or humid as they are during the summer, and I LOVE how cool they get (and by cool, I mean mid 60s, haha!) After a few cool nights, I was craving something warm and cozy and thus, this curry was born.

Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

Originally, I wanted to make this curry with cubed butternut squash, but then I thought it’d be nicer if the butternut squash was spiralized into noodles. And I was right!

The butternut squash noodles add a little sweetness to the curry flavors and offer a different consistency and texture, making every bite of this curry the best.

Okay, the baby’s waking up – I have to run, I hope you cozy up with this curry soon!

Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a butternut squash using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

 

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion peeled and diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 2 carrots peeled and diced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1.5 teaspoons chili powder or more, for more spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger or replace with 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes no salt added, drained
  • 1 head of cauliflower chopped into small florets
  • 1.5 cup lentils
  • 2 13.6oz cans lite coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 medium butternut squashes
  • fresh cilantro leaves to garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions, celery and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes or until softened.
  • Add the garlic (and ginger, if using) and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Then, add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander and chili powder and stir until vegetables are coated in the spices.
  • Add in the tomatoes, cauliflower, lentils, coconut milk, and broth and stir to combine well. Season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
  • Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let cook for 30 minutes or until lentils and cauliflower are tender.
  • While curry cooks, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the butternut squashes and chop the bulbous ends off and reserve for future use.
  • Spiralize the peeled butternut squash necks with Blade C.
  • Lay out the butternut squash noodles, spritz with olive oil cooking spray, season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
  • When curry is ready, divide the butternut squash noodles into bowls and top with curry. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

with love, Ali

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Recipe Rating




comments

  • Looks great! I love making simple curries like this in the winter; though you're in Florida now, you know how these NYC area winters can get. Ha! I'll have to add recipe this to my repertoire. And good to have Luca spend time with his grandparents! I grew up with my three living grandparents and 2 great-grandmothers all within 10 minutes of my parents' house; my Nana Fracaro - my mom's grandma - took care of me starting when I was 2 weeks old (and SHE was 86!) as my parents had to return to work. Having that bond with even one grandparent is special. :-)
    • That's so amazing, Allison! Thanks for sharing!!
  • I absolutely HATE coconut. What can I use as a substitute for the coconut milk? I'd love to make this recipe because everything else sounds great.
    • Honestly, I'm not quite sure what you could use as a substitute! You could try almond milk, but I'm not sure I haven't tried it!
    • Sometimes when I'm too lazy to get coconut milk I just use extra vegetable/chicken broth and it's still great (at least in my opinion)
    • Try natural yogurt, Greek style for thickness and 0% fat for low fat option
  • So true -- there's nothing quite like the love and special bonds between grandparents and grandchildren! I grew up in the Midwest with all four grandparents in the same city, and our families all got together for every holiday you can imagine, and had so much fun! Everybody enjoyed each others' company, and I am so blessed to have been able to know and love them all -- how great that you and Lu can do the same with Luca now and as he continues to grow up. Really enjoying the new photos of Luca as well as these new recipes -- thanks, Ali, for all that you do to help us "out here" stay healthy and for the encouragement you give!
  • Are the lentils pre-cooked (canned)?
    • No, we typically use dry lentils but you could use those as well!
  • This looks really interesting and I'm going to try it, but you have a few typos (steps 4 thru 8) that make this a bit confusing. Also, you didn't specify which lentils you mean. Most lentils, if simmered for 30 minutes, will turn into mush. I'd also suggest reminding readers to thoroughly sort and rinse the lentils, as small debris sometimes gets into the package. Your recipes are really inventive, can't wait to try this one tonight.
    • Thanks for bringing that to our attention and for your feedback, Edith! We appreciate it!
  • Grandparents are the absolute best!! Miss mine dearly and cherish all of those sleepovers, too!
  • I just made this tonight and it was delicious! My first time making a curry. Thanks for the tasty, easy recipe.
    • That's fabulous to hear, Marie! We're so happy you enjoyed it.
  • WOW. Oh my goodness. This is delicious! It is a little labor-intensive but completely worth it for the taste and yield of the recipe. Thanks, Ali!
    • Thank you for your feedback! We're happy you enjoyed it.
  • I cut the recipe in half and made this for dinner. The flavors ROCK!!! I do believe that next time I'll ditch the noodles (gasp!), and add a bit more veggie stock. I used brown lentils and we thoroughly enjoyed this meal! Thank you so much!
  • This is now officially on rotation. So delicious and enjoyed by the whole family (including kids 5, 2.5 and 6 months). Thanks for the creative, veggie packed recipes.