Butternut Squash Chili
- By Amy Dong
- Published Dec. 1, 2015
- Updated Nov. 2, 2023
This Butternut Squash Chili is the perfect easy dinner for fall and winter nights. Gather the family around the table and warm up with a delicious bowl of this hearty and healthy meal.
In This Article
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Why This Recipe Stands Out
Nothing beats a piping hot bowl of chili at the end of a crisp, cold day. We especially love warming up with this Butternut Squash Chili. Here’s Why:
- Butternut Squash: We love the subtle sweetness that the squash brings to this chili. It balances the spicy, savory flavors of the meal.
- Healthy: This chili is both balanced and healthy. Protein, veggies, complex carbs, broth, vitamins: it’s got it all!
- Comforting: This chili will warm you up instantly. It’s so cozy and comforting.
- One Pot: Butternut Squash Chili is another one of our favorite one-pan (or pot) recipes, meaning super easy clean up.
- Versatile: This recipe can easily be tweaked to fit a number of dietary needs or preferences. It’s part of our gluten-free recipes collection. It’s also in our healthy recipes collection.
- Make Ahead: Chili is a great make-ahead meal for busy weeknights.
Key Ingredients
- Ground Turkey – Ground turkey offers lean protein; you can use ground beef as well.
- Butternut Squash – This vibrant squash brings a sweet, nutty flavor to the chili that balances the spices perfectly.
- Spices – Chili powder, oregano, coriander, cinnamon, and cumin bring warm, earthy, and spicy flavors to this dish.
- Broth – We recommend adding chicken or turkey broth to this chili for added flavor and amazing health benefits.
- Garlic – We use 7 cloves of garlic in this chili! Sounds like a lot, but trust us when we say it makes all the difference.
- Black Beans – Black beans make this chili even more nutritious and filling.
Substitutions And Variations
As we mentioned earlier, this chili is so versatile. Take a look at some of our best variation ideas for this recipe:
- Vegetarian: Make this chili vegetarian by simply omitting the ground turkey and chicken (or turkey) broth. Replace the chicken with extra beans and the broth with vegetable broth.
- Squash: If you don’t have butternut squash on hand, this recipe also works amazingly with sweet potato, acorn squash, or even carrots.
- Veggies: We use green peppers as our main veggie in this recipe, but feel free use any other vegetables, such as green beans, kale, or collard greens.
- Beans: Not a fan of black beans? Try swapping them with kidney beans, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, or even butter beans.
- Toppings: Top Butternut Squash Chili with a sprinkle of cheese, a dollop of sour cream, or even sliced avocado. Try crumbling corn chips on top for added crunch.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot (or Dutch oven). Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrant. Then add sugar, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, and coriander.
- Add turkey along with 1 tsp. salt and break up until cooked through. Then add tomato paste.
- Add bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes with juices, and broth. Bring chili to a simmer, and 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. Serve with salt, pepper, and desired toppings.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
This chili itself is the perfect prep-ahead meal. Here are a few ways to make this chili in advance:
- Spices: As always, spices for this recipe can be measured and mixed in advance to make things easier for cooking.
- Veggies: The butternut squash and green bell peppers can be chopped in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Cooked Chili: Make the whole pot of chili in advance and either store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply reheat when you’re ready to enjoy!
What To Serve With Butternut Squash Chili
- Cornbread: There’s a lot to be said for the tried-and-true combo of chili and cornbread. Try making this classic Sweet Honey Cornbread or this perfect-for-autumn Sweet Potato Cornbread. These healthy Honey Cornbread Muffins are also perfect with chili.
- Bread: We really love any tender and fluffy bread side with this chili. Try baking a batch of the Best Buttermilk Biscuits or these Quick and Easy Homemade Dinner Rolls. We also think this Easy Garlic Herb Flatbread would be amazing with this chili.
- Rice: Try serving Butternut Squash Chili over a soft, fluffy bed of rice. We like both this Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice and this Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.
Commonly Asked Questions
What does Butternut Squash Chili taste like?
Butternut squash chili tastes like your classic bowl of chili with the slightest burst of sweetness and extra warmth from the squash and cinnamon. It’s amazing for those fall comfort food cravings!
Why is my butternut squash not getting softer?
If your butternut squash is taking forever to soften, you may need to chop it into smaller pieces. We shoot for 1/2 inch cubes. Otherwise, just keep cooking low and slow until it becomes fork tender.
Is butternut squash chili gluten free?
Yes! This butternut squash chili recipe is actually gluten and dairy free if you omit the cheese as a garnish.
Can I make this chili in the slow cooker?
Absolutely! This chili can be made in the slow cooker. We recommend looking at our Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe for cooking times and tips for this method.
How long does butternut squash chili keep?
This chili is good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes well. In the freezer, it will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
What other squash can I use in this chili?
You can try acorn squash, cut-up fresh pumpkin cubes, or even cut-up spaghetti squash.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Butternut Squash Chili
This Butternut Squash Chili is the perfect easy dinner for brisk fall and winter nights. Gather the family around the table and warm up with a delicious bowl of this hearty and healthy meal.
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
- 29 oz fire-roasted tomatoes, with juices
- 2 cups chicken broth, or turkey
- 28 oz black beans, from cans, 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)
- If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 385mg | Potassium: 1736mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 8741IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 191mg | Iron: 6mg
More To Make And Eat
- The Best Vegetarian Chili – Whether you choose to make this on the stovetop or in the slow-cooker, this is the best vegetarian chili you’ll ever taste! You won’t miss the meat with these big, bold flavors.
- Crockpot White Bean Chicken Chili – Throw all these delicious ingredients in the crockpot and come home to the most flavorful, comforting meal. We can’t get enough of this white chili, especially with cornbread!
- Stovetop Chili – This classic stovetop chili is bursting with flavor due to the perfect combo of bold spices. Chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and a dash of tabasco sauce bring those bold flavors that we love.
- Healthy Chicken Chili – This chili is healthy, delicious, perfect for meal prep, and comes together in only 30-minutes. It’s a quick weeknight dinner that the whole family will devour.