This Butternut Squash Chili is made for all those chilly evenings. Gather the family around the table and warm up with a delicious bowl of this hearty and healthy dinner.
Butternut Squash Chili
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend! It always comes and goes way too quickly.
Despite knowing better, I always let the boys stay up way too late during the holiday breaks (movies, popcorn, or games, anyone?!)
We totally pay for it Monday morning. That’s where this Butternut Squash Chili swoops in to save the day…or maybe the week.
Perfect chili for chilly days
Speaking of Mondays, Miss Snowstorm has decided to waltz in on the first day back to business. Snow blowers are out there in full force. Snow plows are doing their darndest to keep up.
I did my annual mad scramble for all the kids’ snow gear that has been long forgotten in The Closet Abyss. I literally looked crazy, knee deep all the outgrown boots and beanie hats with their puff balls falling off.
But here’s my happy in the blizzard: Butternut Squash Chili.
It’s sooooo chili time.
Why this is the best chili ever
This is not just any chili. This holiday inspired chili is hearty, healthy, and teeming with turkey and squash. Delicious (and easy) satisfaction in a bowl.
The use of fall squash rewards us with such vibrant colors, texture, and flavor. Not to mention it’s loaded with nutrients our bodies crave.
This chili recipe has it all: ease, simplicity, healthful ingredients, and most importantly – big flavors. There’s nothing bland or boring about this pot of chili.
There’s something kind of magical about the seasons in the Midwest. Here’s to snow boots that fit and beanie hats with puff balls sewn back on.
And to sitting down to steaming hot bowl of chili with your favorite people.
watch This butternut squash chili in the making:
Butternut Squash Chili
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10 1x
Description
This Butternut Squash Chili is made for all those chilly evenings. Gather the family around the table and warm up with a delicious bowl of this hearty and healthy dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 7 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 TB chili powder
- 1 TB ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 3 TB tomato paste
- 2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted tomatoes, with juices
- 2 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 2 (14 oz each) cans black beans, rinsed well and drained
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled/seeded, and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- shredded cheddar cheese for topping, optional
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil until hot. Add onion and garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sugar, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, and coriander. Stir to combine, 10 seconds.
- Add ground turkey to pot and sprinkle 1 tsp salt over it; cook/stir to break up into small pieces. When turkey is cooked through, add tomato paste and stir 30 seconds.
- Add bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes with juices, and broth. Scrape bottom of pan while stirring. Bring chili to a simmer; simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add beans and squash. Bring chili back to a simmer and simmer covered another 20 minutes or just until squash is tender but not mushy. Remove from heat. Add additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm, with shredded cheddar if desired.
Notes
Chili keeps well; simply cover and chill in fridge. Reheat by bringing back to simmer on stovetop.
Make it meatless by using veggie broth and omitting turkey.
This butternut chili goes beautifully with Honey Cornbread Muffins (No Refined Sugar)
- Category: main
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: butternut squash chili
For the love of chili:
- Lentil Black Bean Chili. Super hearty and delicious, with or without the meat.
- Slow Cooker Chili with Black Beans and Corn. Slow cookers are boss at making chili.
3. Turkey or Beef Chili with Sriracha. This chili recipe uses the ease of a slow cooker and the kick of Sriracha.
- White Chicken Chili. Throw it all in the slow cooker, without pre-cooking the chicken. This is the easiest and tastiest white chicken chili we’ve ever tasted (and we’ve tasted a whole lotta chili.)
These are absolute comfort food, healthy and power-packed. Love these!
You’re so welcome 🙂
It’s so easy to cook and I’m sure it’s delicious.. Who won’t want a spicy squash..?! It will make a great pair for steamy rice..
★★★★★
awesome recipe and looks so delicious and healthy. Thanks for the recipe I’m gonna make this tonight. I love it.
This sounds PERFECT! Can’t wait to try it!
I guess I will surely love this recipe. I love spicy food so much. I’m gonna eat it with rice..
★★★★★
I love that it is butternut squash season. I had butternut squash tonight and I never had it in chill form.
Yum..! It looks so festive..! Thanks for sharing the recipe.. I bet it’s so delicious..!
★★★★★
These look so delicious. Will have to try to make this next week!
Yay! 🙂 Thanks, Jay!
This looks delicious, can’t wait to try it for my kids! What can I use instead of fire-roasted tomatoes? They don’t eat anything spicy!
The fire-roasted tomatoes aren’t spicy at all…they just have a depth of flavor that comes from roasting the tomatoes. It’s so so good 🙂 Hope your whole family loves this, Layla!
My family and I have enjoyed this dish several times and we all love it! I brown the turkey in a pan and make it in the crock pot. After the first time we had it I started omitting the sugar and don’t miss it. I have also browned the meat, prepped ingredients (except for broth) and thrown it into freezer bags so that I can pull it the night before out of the freezer and dump it in the crock pot along with the broth in the morning and it is just as delicious! A great make ahead meal.
★★★★★
Thanks, Marie, and happy fall 🙂 🙂
Very good chili. I used 1/2 lb. 93% Ground beef and 2 Jennie O spicy turkey sausages. Great flavors!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed this, Gail! 🙂