Butternut Squash and Lentil Curry

Ingredients

• 1 medium (about 2 lbs) Butternut squash

  On sale at Publix: Fall Hard Squash, Acorn, Butternut, Buttercup, or Spaghetti Squash; or Pie Pum

  $0.99 $1.99

• 1 cup Dried lentils

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• 1 cup Oatmilk

  On sale at Publix: Oatly! Oatmilk, 32 or 64-oz ctn.

  $2.95 $5.89

• 2 cups Vegetable broth

  On sale at Publix: College Inn Broth, Or Bold or Vegetable Stock, 32-oz ctn.; or Rotel Tomatoes, 1

  $1.70 $3.39

• 2 teaspoons Garlic powder

  On sale at Publix: Badia Garlic Powder Value Pack, 8 oz (226.8 g)

  $2.49 $5.19

• 1 medium Onion

  about $0.75

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil

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• to taste Salt

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• to taste Black pepper

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• 1 teaspoon Cumin

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• 1 teaspoon Turmeric

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Prices are from Publix the week of October 11, 2026. Sale prices change every week and differ by store.

Steps

1. Peel, seed, and cut butternut squash into 1-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread on a baking sheet and roast at 425 degrees for 25 minutes until tender and browned.
2. While squash roasts, dice the onion and cook it in a large pot with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened.
3. Add lentils, vegetable broth, and oatmilk to the pot. Stir in garlic powder, cumin, and turmeric. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until lentils are tender.
4. Fold the roasted squash into the lentil mixture, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 more minutes until flavors blend.

Why it’s cheap

4 of the 11 ingredients were on sale at Publix the week of October 11, 2026, led by butternut squash at $0.99 instead of $1.99.

The sale items rang up $8.33 under their regular prices.

Penny Meals prices a dinner by the share of each package you actually cook, adds an estimated shelf price for anything that wasn’t on sale, and counts pantry staples like oil and salt as free. That came to $0.82 a serving, or $3.28 for 4 servings.

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