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Vegetarian Chili with Butternut Squash

This smokey, hearty chili will please everyone in your house. It's vegetarian, vegan, paleo and, of course, gluten free. This chili is a nice addition to the table for those of you observing Lent too.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 1 small butternut squash
  • 1 large red pepper or orange or yellow
  • 1 large Onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 4-6 large chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 14oz can black beans
  • 1 14 oz can white beans
  • 1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2-3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

Instructions

  • Cut the squash and remove the seeds with a spoon
  • Peel the butternut squash. (Trader Joe's sells packages of peeled, cubed butternut squash if you want to save time)
  • Cut the butternut squash into 1/2" cubes
  • Chop the pepper. I had some tiny, colorful peppers in the refrigerator and they worked great.
  • Dice the onion
  • Chop the garlic
  • Drain and rinse the beans
  • Heat the oil in a dutch oven or soup pot
  • Add the chopped onions, peppers and squash to the pot and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften - about 10 minutes
  • Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and cinnamon to the pot
  • Stir to combine the spices with the vegetables and cook for a couple of minutes to meld the flavors
  • Grab your Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (also known as Chilies in Adobo). These are easy to find in the ethnic section of your local grocery store and/or at your favorite Mexican market
  • Chop the Chilies in Adobo and reserve the sauce
  • Add 2 of the Chilies, a teaspoon of the Adobo sauce and bay leaf to the pot. I almost always add 6 Chilies in Adobo to the chili but you can easily adjust the spice to your taste
  • Add the beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and add more Chilies in Adobo if you like
  • Simmer for 20 more minutes or until the squash is al dente and the flavors have melded nicely
  • Serve with your favorite salad or corn bread and enjoy! This chili only gets better and more flavorful if made ahead. A win-win!

Notes

This is adapted from a recipe I saw on Cookie and Kate