Description
This fall-inspired recipe for Roasted Butternut Tikka Masala can be made with chickpeas or chicken. The fragrant tomato coconut sauce is infused with Indian spices. Vegan & Gluten Free! A healthy delicious dinner recipe, perfect for fall! Video above!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1-inch cubes ( about 6 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Garam masala Spice Blend
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 can chickpeas, drained (or sub 1 lb boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces)
Tikka Masala Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup sliced ginger
- 1/4 cup garlic (10 cloves)
- 1–4 small fresh serrano chilies- cut in half lengthwise- roughly 1-3 tablespoons- (or sub a jalapeno)
- 4 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (see below)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 8 roma tomatoes- rough chopped ( sauce will be blended)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional but AMAZING)
- 3/4 cup plain, full-fat yogurt (or 3/4 cup of canned coconut milk, or 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream)
- —-
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
- Serve with basmati rice or naan bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a medium bowl, toss butternut squash with olive oil, garam masala and salt, until evenly coated. Spread out on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. (You can also roast the chickpeas if you like them crispy- toss with the butternut, add a little extra oil.)
- *If adding chicken, place cut-up chicken into a bowl. Drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon garam masala, and toss to coat. Place on another baking sheet or baking dish, and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Broil for a minute or two to get a deeper color.
- Make the Tikka Masala Sauce: Place sliced ginger, garlic and chiles in a food processor to make a paste. Pulse until very finely chopped. Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy bottom pot or dutch oven. Saute the paste over medium heat until nicely browned for 6-8 minutes, turn the hood on, stirring, scraping up brown bits with a metal spatula. Cook until golden. Add tomato paste, and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until color deepens. Add garam masala cinnamon and paprika, and cook for 2 more minutes, to intensify flavor. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, water and optional fenugreek leaves. Bring to a simmer, lower heat and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Blend the Tikka Masala Sauce in batches either using an immersion blender, (or a regular blender, covering the blender with a kitchen towel and firmly holding the lid down to prevent an explosion. Return the blended sauce to the pot). Whisk in the yogurt (or coconut milk or cashew cream, or heavy cream). This sauce could be made ahead and reheated!
- Add the roasted butternut squash and chickpeas (or roasted chicken) and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust salt.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over fluffy basmati rice, or with naan bread with a side of raita!
Notes
Notes: If making the Easy Garam Masala, know that using whole seeds and toasting them, then grinding them, will make an even more flavorful spice blend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: with full-fat yogurt
- Calories: 276
- Sugar: 6.9 g
- Sodium: 815.7 mg
- Fat: 14.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 7.3 g
- Protein: 9.5 g
- Cholesterol: 4.6 mg