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Butternut Squash Chili

By Julia · 19 commentsUpdated Oct 2, 2021 · Published Aug 17, 2016

Easily make a hearty butternut squash chili in just 30 minutes on the stovetop. Chili is a great way of incorporating this seasonal squash into your meals, and perfect for vegetarians and vegans alike.

butternut squash chili served in bowl with glass of milk

Butternut Squash Chili

5.00 from 8 ratings
Prep
30 mins
Cook
30 mins
Total
1 hr
Makes
5 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Sauté: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable broth in large pot (Note 2) over medium heat. Add garlic, chipotles, and butternut squash to pot, cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more vegetable broth if pot gets dry. Add bell pepper, cooking for another 5 minutes.

  2. Simmer: Add black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes (including liquid in can), 1.5 cups vegetable broth, quinoa, and all spices (paprika, cinnamon, salt, pepper). Stir well. Bring to simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until butternut squash is tender. Serve (Notes 3-4).

Nutrition

Makes 5 Servings
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 300 (7% from fat) 
Total Fat 2g4%
   Saturated Fat 0g2%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 930mg39%
Net Carb 42g 
Total Carb 61.5g21%
   Dietary Fiber 19.5g77%
   Sugars 11g 
Protein 14g 
Vitamin A 430% · Vitamin C 154% · Calcium 22% · Iron 27%

Photos

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Butternut Squash. The listed weight refers to its raw, unprocessed state. Since squash sizes may vary, two pounds can be either 1 small butternut squash or half of a large butternut squash. Use the scale at your grocery store to select a suitable squash.

(2) Pot. Use a 5-quart or larger sturdy pot, such as a dutch oven.

(3) Serving. Serve butternut squash chili in a bowl, garnished with cilantro. Add toppings as desired, such as chopped avocado, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, or sliced scallions. Serve with sides such as jalapeño cornbread.

(4) Leftovers / Make Ahead. Leftovers or chili made ahead of time can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.

More Mains: Vegetable:

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Discussion & ratings

19 comments · 5.00 / 5 from 8 ratings

adam rodriguez

★★★★★

To the recipe, I adjusted to two onions, two green peppers, added a bunch of spinach. I added an entire head of roughly chopped garlic. I bought low sodium chopped tomatoes and black beans. I substituted pinto beans for can of vegan refried beans (seasoned mashed pinto) to increase heartiness and richness. I also added a cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken to product. I also cut out the quinoa completely. Delicious! Thanks for this recipe!
Like (3)
Ashley

★★★★★

Didn’t change a thing and it was amazing! Gonna be a fall/winter staple meal. Thanks.
Like (2)
Karen
I made this recipe today. I liked the idea in general, but needed some tweaks to make it taste like chili though. First, I sauteed garlic, onion and celery, added the squash, beans, and tomatoes. Then I added some zucchini and mushrooms. Spices added were liquid smoke, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and more salt. NOW it tasted like chili!
Like (2)
Christian

★★★★★

Wow! I never comment on things like this, but I had to reach out after my wife and I made this on our first chilly fall evening. It was so great! The chipotle has a subtle spiciness that complements the squash perfectly. We paired it with a fresh batch of cornbread and now have an autumn staple for our recipe book. Thanks so much!
Like (2)
Leels
Going to make a variant of your recipe pretty much RIGHT NOW! So excited, I was going to throw together just a regular veggie chili, with some butternut since I have a pile but the addition of quinoa is a great idea! I'll be doing that for sure :D I'm thinking of just adding 1/2 up dry quinoa in with the mix to let it thicken up the chili, we like it thick and chunky!
Like (1)
Rachel

★★★★★

Made this fall 2018, now it's a must have every fall. Only thing I changed was the 2 chipotle peppers to half of one chipotle pepper cause I'm not a spicy fan. Otherwise, an awesome dish!
Like (1)
Jana
This sounds delicious! One clarifying question: when you say two pounds of squash, do you mean two pounds before you cut it up or two pounds after you cut it up?
Like (0)
LynnReply to parent

★★★★★

I added everything that Karen did (her suggestions are listed above, thanks Karen) but subbed riced cauliflower for the quinoa and used only one can of black beans to make this keto vegan modified..
Like (0)
Danielle

★★★★★

I absolutely love this recipe! It sounds delicious. Butternut squash has such a great flavor, and this would be perfect for my weekday healthy lunches.
Like (0)
Liz
Hi Julia - Have you tried this recipe in the crock pot? What changes would you make for the crock pot? Thanks!
Like (0)
juliaAuthorReply to parent
Hi Liz! I haven't tried this recipe in the crockpot. I don't think it would take long to cook in the crockpot, maybe just 3-4 hours on low until the butternut squash is tender. Let me know if you give it a try :)
Like (0)
LizReply to parent
Thank you! I will! I made this tonight. I'm not a huge chili fan, but I LOVE butternut squash. This is absolutely wonderful. So delicious! Best part is the peppers in adobo, paprika and cinnamon. I highly recommend for anyone looking for a good fall recipe. Thanks for such a great dish!
Like (0)
Karis

★★★★★

Does this recipe freeze well? I’ve made this a couple times already this fall, and I’m wondering if will make a good freeze ahead meal to pull out later in the winter. Not sure how squash does in the freezer!
Like (0)
Felisha

★★★★★

Seriously love this recipe! I make cornbread with it and it makes the perfect cozy, comfort soup for cold winter days. Not too expensive and you can make enough to freeze and enjoy on a lazy day. Thank you. ❤️
Like (0)
Donna
About how many cups of butternut squash versus 2 pound fresh? I just want to use frozen as I’m making this for my vegetarian daughter for Thanksgiving along with the traditional turkey and fixings for my husband. Trying to cut down on prep.
Like (0)
Carol
What is serving size for nutritional info - one cup?
Like (0)