This post was sponsored by Better Than Bouillon as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Welcome to the holiday season! I don’t know about you, but I’m 100% NOT Grinch during this time of the year. I even welcome the crowds at some of the local holiday festivities. Let’s put on the music, buy all of the holiday decorations, send out the word about the best family get together you’ll be hosting, and get excited about all that is to come.

And let’s not forget the food, which is decidedly the best part of any seasonal gathering other than the mere idea of a gathering with the ones you both love and like and also deeply appreciate. Many people that I know fall into one or both of the following categories:

• Feel completely overwhelmed by the idea of hosting the holidays or even bringing a single dish to another gathering
• Make the same thing over and over again, without much variety, because it’s what you’re comfortable with

I am here to convince you to both switch things up and relax in knowing that what I’m proposing is easily done. This Butternut Squash Lentil Curry is the stuff your seasonal gathering needs.

In my house, we’ve been trying to make dishes that are vegetable-focused. We usually have turkey for Thanksgiving and roast pork (because I’m Cuban) for Christmas, but I wanted to add a little somethin’ somethin’ to our meal and it’s THIS. I actually made it in both the Instant Pot and on the stovetop so you’ll find instructions for both at the bottom of this post.

How to make Butternut Squash Lentil Curry

So here’s how it went down. We have butternut squash because it’s seasonal and delicious and adds just enough sweetness to your dish. You can both pre-roast it and add it in, keeping any extras for another meal or a side dish on its own, or stew it right in the curry, freshly peeled and chopped. I also added spinach because in any stew or curry, I like to finish it off with a fresh green. I also have lentils, coconut milk, Thai spices and sauces, and Better Than Bouillon’s Vegetarian No Beef Base variety.

Better Than Bouillon is extremely important to the soups and stews I make. I always have at least one jar in my kitchen at all times because, lemme tell ya, it adds a flavor to your dish that you simply cannot achieve with regular kitchen spices. There is nothing you can add to your dish that will taste the same. It’s my secret ingredient and what lends a depth of flavor that you wouldn’t want to be without again.

And, it’ll elevate your dish so that even if you go into cooking a meal with the thought that there is no way your dish will be that impressive, I can tell you that it 100% will be. TRUST ME. 

Better Than Bouillon is a paste concentrate that gives more flavor than broth and is easier to incorporate into your dish than a bouillon cube, with the same equivalency. You may need some broth to make this into a stew, but you also need Better Than Bouillon paste to give a boost of flavor. I love the varieties they make too because it means that no matter what I’m making, there is a variety that fits my dish just right.

It saves time, increases flavor, is simple to scoop out and add into your recipe, and gives your dish a “cooked all day” feeling, whether that’s an appetizer or a lentil curry main course. 

This year, I’m serving this Butternut Squash Lentil Curry over the holidays, and probably a couple of times over because it’s so simple! It’s almost too good to be true, but totally not because anyone can make this, everyone will enjoy this, and with Better Than Bouillon, you simply cannot go wrong.

Are you ready to really, truly impress your guests, or bring a dish to a host’s house that’ll make them ask YOU for the recipe? Check it below and enjoy it. Happy Holidays!

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Yield: 6-8

Butternut Squash Lentil Curry

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

A thick stew made with seasonal butternut squash, red lentils and Thai spices and sauces. Perfect for the holidays and beyond!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 leek, sliced in half lengthwise, then into half moon slices
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground garlic
• 3 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon + 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
• 4 handfuls of baby spinach
• Juice of 1 lime
• For garnish: cilantro and peanuts

Instructions

Instant Pot

1. Set the IP to saute mode and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced leeks and cook until softened, adding just a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Add in garlic power, onion powder, and ground ginger, toasting the spices for 30 seconds. Add in the red curry paste and stir until combined. Add in the butternut squash and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Then, add in the vegetable broth, Better Than Bouillon base and the water, plus the lentils, soy sauce, fish sauce, and almond butter. Cover and set the IP to manual and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
4. Once done cooking, quick release the pressure cooker, then set it back to the saute function. Add in the coconut milk, spinach, and lime juice, cooking another 5-7 minutes, or until all of the spinach is wilted.
5. Remove from heat and serve, topping with desired amount of cilantro and peanuts.

Stovetop

Follow the above instructions in a stovetop pot, but when the instructions set to set the IP to pressure, cover the stovetop pot and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the butternut squash and lentils are cooked completely.

Then continue with the recipe!