Creamy turkey curry with coconut milk and butternut squash or pumpkin, you will just love this recipe.

This turkey curry with coconut milk is one of my favorite autumn recipes!
I've cooked this for the first time many years ago and we all like it so much that I keep making it.
I cannot even start to describe to you how tender those turkey pieces are or how soft and sweet those butternut squash cubes. All surrounded by a creamy coconut milk sauce made with more pumpkin (grated this time) that makes everything complete and utterly delicious.
What do you need?
Butternut squash or Hokkaido pumpkin:
- I use whatever I happen to happen, and I love both versions. Well, they are pretty similar, I doubt anyone would notice the difference.
- If cooking the turkey curry with butternut squash, you will have to peel it first.
- If using Hokkaido (also called red Kuri squash), there will be no need to peel it, it has a soft skin, which you will not notice once it is cooked.
- You can use other sorts of flavorful pumpkins.
- Whatever you do, don't use the Halloween pumpkins, they have no taste whatsoever.
Other ingredients:
- Turkey breast
- Coconut milk
- Bell peppers and green onions
- Spices: garlic, chili, ginger, and turmeric. And fresh coriander/cilantro to finish, optional.
- Chicken stock or turkey broth, either homemade or bought.
How to serve?
- The turkey curry with coconut milk can be served immediately or it can be reheated.
- Serve over rice.
- Or serve with a dry potato and spinach curry (as pictured).
More creamy curries:
Vegan Apple and Chickpea Curry
Spinach Chicken Curry (Healthy Chicken Saag)
Creamy Turkey Curry with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 1.7 lb lb butternut squash 750 g, Note
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1.5 lb turkey breast 700 g
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 dried chili
- 1 piece of ginger about the size of a walnut
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 cup chicken stock 250 ml
- 1 can coconut milk 400 g/ 14 oz
- 1 bunch of green onions
- fresh coriander
- fine sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare pumpkin: Peel the squash (if using Hokkaido, there is no need to peel). Grate about 200 g/7 oz of the squash or pumpkin. Cube the rest of it.
- Cut the turkey breast into cubes. Both pumpkin and turkey cubes should have a similar size, but keep them separated.
- Prepare vegetables: Grate the garlic cloves, chili and ginger, cut the red bell peppers into small cubes and chop the green onions.
- Fry meat: Heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the turkey breast cubes in several batches. Don't overcrowd the pan; otherwise, the meat will cook in its liquid instead of being fried.
- Saute: Place all the meat back in the pan, add salt, garlic, ginger, chili, and turmeric and let cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Simmer: Add the grated and cubed pumpkin or squash, peppers, chicken stock, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, and let cook for about 15 minutes or until the pumpkin cubes and the meat are tender.
- Add the chopped green onions and let cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper and scatter the coriander over the dish.
- Serve hot with rice
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
So warming and delicious...Santa should grant your wish :-))
Monica says
I love it when you find a recipe that becomes a favorite or just something you make over and over again. This sounds totally hearty and delicious. And I hope you get a nice surprise under the tree this Christmas. I know what you mean about dark pictures!
Denise Browning says
A great way to put leftovers turkey and pumpkin to use. It looks comforting and delicious!!!
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
I love curries like anything and this one is calling my name. I am sure it tastes as delicious as it looks. Perfect for Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
Marvellina @ What To Cook Today says
That looks sooo hearty. I'm kinda doing the same thing, recooking the food I've cooked years ago (with horrible photos ha..ha..) and updated with new ones!!!
Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry says
Well done on how far you have come with your photography, Adina! Your photos look really professional and I think the lighting is always great but I can imagine how hard it would be to get the right light with all those grey days there in Germany! Hope your hubby reads your post and decides to get you a new camera for Christmas 😉 As for this curry, I've never tried turkey, but I imagine it's a little similar to chicken? It's not all that easy to buy here in Australia. I've seen turkey mince for sale (which is popular for weight loss/bodybuilding it seems) but I haven't ever seen turkey breast. Anyway, anything with pumpkin in it appeals to me, so I am loving the look of this recipe! 🙂
Laura Dembowski says
Lighting is always a problem. It gets dark very early here, so I have to plan when to make recipes. Luckily we have avoided the snow so far. I have always wanted to try making curry and this looks wonderfully comforting.
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
Oh, I love the sound of this recipe. Coconut curry is one of my family's favorite things. I bet the warm flavor of the pumpkin is just amazing in this. So glad you decided to take new photos and share again. I know what you mean by being at the mercy of light. I have one window I can shoot in front of and it's either covered in shadow or blasted by sun - and cloudy weather will be coming soon. And, may I just say that I love your blue pot. Thanks again for sharing this recipe.
Rachel @Simple Seasonal says
I love how you rephotographed your photos for this recipe. You've come so far with this blog!
Lashondria Taylor says
What is the other dish on the side of the pumpkin curry, looks like potatoes with ????, Looks delicious. Would like to know more and try that also.
Adina says
Hi Lashondria. Those were potatoes with spinach and lots of spices. If I manage to remember where that recipe is, I will email it to you.
Peggy says
Hi Adina, Many thanks for a lovely recipe. Tumeric, while such a great spice and good for you, is not enough flavor for me in a curry, so I added a spoonful of my favorite English spicy curry to the pot...but I could not have come up with the wonderful mixture of vegetables and turkey without your basic recipe. Wishing you sunny autumn days....I am also in Germany where the days are very short in November.
Adina says
Hi Peggy, thank you for your feedback. 🙂 Yes, the days are short here now, but still so mild, don't you think? I have never experienced such a mild November.
Iana says
Tried this, so good! Perfect for autumn and winter