This butternut squash chili a hearty one-pot vegetarian chili with tender butternut squash, kidney beans, tomatoes, cumin, and smoky chipotle. It has traditional chili flavor with a subtle sweetness from the squash, and it comes together in just 50 minutes.
For the last several years, I’ve had so many readers gently request more vegetarian recipes. I love recommending this one because it is so hearty that it doesn’t feel like a vegetarian dinner to meat eaters. It has all the traditional flavors of a chili but without the meat. Plus it is budget friendly!
Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Chili
- It is hearty without any meat. Kidney beans and butternut squash bulk up this soup, making it a filling meal.
- Comes together in one pot. An easy weeknight dinner without the extra dishes. Everything cooks in one large stockpot.
- Great balance of flavors. Sweet butternut squash and smoky spices like cayenne pepper and chipotle make this vegetarian chili anything but boring and bland.
- Comes together quickly. In under 50 minutes, this chili is hot and ready to enjoy, perfect for those busy weeknights.
- Can be enjoyed all week. This chili is even more delicious leftover and also freezes well.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash: You will need about six cups of cubed squash, which is about a medium-sized squash. Peel, remove the seeds, and dice into one-inch pieces. Do your best to cut the cubes evenly so that they cook through at the same time.
- Kidney beans: These are my go-to with chili for their smooth texture and taste. You can also swap them for black beans or pinto beans.
- Ground chipotle: This spice is made from smoked and dried jalapeño peppers and gives the chili a charred, smoky flavor. If it leaves your chili tasting too smokey, that can be balanced with fat, such as a whole milk sour cream.
- Cayenne: If you are worried about heat, you can reduce or leave out the cayenne pepper.
- Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce: Give the chili pieces of tomatoes while also giving it a thick base.
How to Make Butternut Squash Chili
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot. Add the butternut squash, onion, and garlic to the pot, along with all the seasonings. Cook until the squash is tender.
- Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beans. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom for extra flavor and bring the chili to a boil. Allow to simmer and taste. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Cut the squash into even-sized cubes. Small cubes will be mushy, and larger cubes will be undercooked and firm. Try to cut the pieces to be the same size so all are fully cooked at the same time.
- Sautéing the squash. You want to cook the squash with the onion and seasonings until the pieces are tender. You can see what this will look like in the photo above.
- Making chili more or less spicy. I recommend starting with the suggested measurements of spices and adding more at the end if you want a spicier chili. If you are worried about the chili being spicy as is, leave out cayenne pepper.
- Even better the next day. One of my favorite things about this chili is that it gets better the longer the flavors can sit together.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add meat. If you want to add a little protein and don’t need this to be a vegetarian recipe, cook some ground meat (turkey or beef) in the stock pot and when it starts to brown add the squash. Consider you may need to add in some broth to thin the chili a little.
- Double the recipe. This is easy to do without changing the recipe too much. You will need to cook the squash a bit longer at the beginning since you will be working with more. This is also a great idea because the recipe freezes beautifully, making it easy to have a fuss-free meal later.
- Swap the tomatoes. If your family doesn’t like chunks of tomato, you can use crushed tomatoes instead.
- Add more vegetables. Add shredded carrots or riced cauliflower to the other vegetables at the beginning for some extra fiber.
- Swap the beans or add more. If you don’t love kidney beans, you could use black beans or pinto beans instead of or in addition to the kidney beans. No matter what kind of beans you use, be sure to drain and rinse them well to eliminate the extra sodium.
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chili
This vegetarian chili recipe can also be made in the crockpot. Combine all the uncooked ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker and cook the chili, covered, on low for eight hours or on high for four hours. If you’ve got the time, I recommend cooking it on the low setting for the flavors to meld together.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover butternut squash chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat portions on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through, stirring halfway through. Remember that leftovers should only be reheated once, so only reheat the portion you plan to eat. Always use your best discretion with leftovers.
Freezing Chili
Freeze the chili all together or in portions to pull out for an easy lunch or dinner. Allow the chili to cool completely and put it in a freezer-safe container or bag, leaving some room at the top for it to expand. Place in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat over low heat on the stovetop.
How to Serve Butternut Squash Chili
This vegetarian chili is perfect as is, but I love to top mine with sour cream (plain Greek yogurt would also work) and cilantro. Round out this hearty meal with a piece of homemade cornbread or an easy side salad. Here are a few other ideas for toppings:
- Green or red onion, finely diced
- Pickled Jalapeños
- Shredded cheese
- Corn chips
If you make this vegetarian butternut squash chili recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Recipe Video
Butternut Squash Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cups cubed butternut squash see note (840 grams)
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 30 ounces canned kidney beans drained and rinsed, see note (454 grams)
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes undrained (794 grams)
- 15 ounces tomato sauce (425 grams)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the butternut squash, onion, and garlic. Season the vegetables with chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, ground chipotle, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Sauté until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes.6 cups cubed butternut squash, 1 medium yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add in the beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste.30 ounces canned kidney beans, 28 ounces diced tomatoes, 15 ounces tomato sauce
Notes
Jacquie says
Hi Lisa! Would Kabocha squash work with this recipe?
I haven’t tested that, so I can’t speak to if the cooking times would still work.