Fall is in the air, as they say. The green leaves are just beginning to acknowledge the change in seasons along their peripheries; my nose is following suit with incessant sneezes. It’s that wonderfully awkward transitional time when I’m never sure what to wear: shorts now, or a sweater for later? And what do I cook: the last of the tomatoes, or sweet potatoes? We’ll be bundled up in scarves, carving pumpkins and crafting Halloween costumes before we know it. I can’t wait.
Football season seems to be in full swing, too. My old friends are taunting me with photos of game day meals made in the college town I used to call home—let’s be honest, football is really all about the food and beer anyway. Forget standing in crowds at stadiums! Give me a comfortable seat, friends, good food and drinks. The fact that a game is on while I chit-chat is purely secondary.
This butternut squash and black bean chili is just right for fall weather and football games. It strikes that balance between spicy and sweet that I love in Mexican food, like a good mole sauce. Chipotle and chili powder provide ample spice to round off the sweet, seasonal flavor of butternut squash. Top with crispy tortilla strips and plenty of creamy, diced Avocados from Mexico for a hearty meal that will satisfy vegans, carnivores and gluten-free eaters alike. Meals like that aren’t easy to come by, you know?
The chili happens to be super simple to make, too. Once you have your vegetables chopped, your work is almost done. Speaking of which, I’ve done my fair share of cursing at butternut for being difficult to peel and slice, but I didn’t have any trouble when I followed Simply Recipes’ method. I don’t know if it was her method or this butternut squash in particular, but it was a breeze. Try it!
Watch How to Make Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili
Le Creuset 5 1/2-Quart French Oven
Wusthof Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife
Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili with Avocado
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Hearty, spicy and sweet vegetarian chili made with butternut squash and black beans. Top with creamy avocado for an easy meal that satisfies vegans, carnivores and gluten-free eaters alike. This recipes serves 3 to 4. This chili is very hearty, but feel free to add another can of tomatoes or more vegetable broth if you want to thin it out a bit. Double the recipe for a crowd.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 1 small butternut squash (1 ½ pounds or less), peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½+ tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper in adobo* (start with ½ tablespoon and add more to taste, I thought mine was just right with 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked black beans
- 1 small can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, including the liquid**
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or one 14-ounce can)
- Salt, to taste
- 2 Avocados from Mexico, diced
- 3 corn tortillas for crispy tortilla strips (or substitute crumbled tortilla chips)
- Optional additional garnishes: Chopped fresh cilantro and/or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper and butternut squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are turning translucent.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic, chili powder, ½ tablespoon chopped chipotle peppers, cumin and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the bay leaf, black beans, tomatoes and their juices and broth. Stir to combine and cover for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Taste about halfway through cooking and add more chopped chipotle peppers if you’d like.
- You’ll know your chili is done when the butternut squash is nice and tender and the liquid has reduced a bit, producing the hearty chili consistency we all know and love. Remove the bay leaf and add salt to taste.
- To make the crispy tortilla strips: stack the corn tortillas and slice them into thin little strips, about 2 inches long by ¼ inch wide. Warm a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat until shimmering. Toss in the tortilla slices, sprinkle with salt and stir. Cook until the strips are crispy and turning golden, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 7 minutes. Remove tortilla strips from skillet and drain on a plate covered with a piece of paper towel.
- Serve the chili in individual bowls, topped with crispy tortilla strips and plenty of diced avocado. I added a little sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional). Cilantro would be nice as well. You might want to serve this along with some chipotle hot sauce (Tobasco makes one) for the spice addicts like myself.
Notes
*Chipotle in adobo sauce is usually found in the Mexican section of the grocery store. I never need a whole can at once, so I use what I need and then transfer the rest to a small freezer bag, pressing it flat before freezing it. Then, I can pull off as much as I need later. As a substitute, use smoked paprika (start at 1 ½ teaspoons, and add more if desired).
**Find BPA-free cans of diced tomatoes if possible. Muir Glen’s canned tomatoes are BPA-free.
On leftovers: This chili reheats great. Avocado and crispy tortilla chips should be added after reheating, just before serving. These tortilla strips tend to lose their crisp over time, so you can a) skip them altogether, b) make more just before serving or c) substitute a small handful of crumbled tortilla chips instead!
Want to make this in a crockpot/slow cooker? I haven’t tried, but commenters report that this chili turns out well after 4 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low.
Fun fact:Â If you’re looking for the butternut chili presented by a contestant on ABC’s The Chew, this is it!
▸ Nutrition Information
Disclaimer: This is a working partnership with Avocados from Mexico and Muy Bueno Cookbook and I was compensated for recipe development. Opinions expressed are my own, always. The truth is I love avocados!
melissa
made this tonight.. didn’t make any changes other than i forgot to buy vegetable broth so i just used water and it was fantastic. loved it. my husband (who doesn’t love vegetarian dishes) went back for seconds. great recipe. will definitely make this again. thank you.
Kate
Thank you, Melissa! So glad you both enjoyed it!
Amelia
Hi! My friend passed along this recipe because she knows I mostly cook vegetarian. I modified this slightly for a chili cook-off today at work & got 2nd place! I called it “Oh My Gourd!” and served it with crumbled Donkey chips, avocado, & goat cheese (which I think ended up being a great complement to the dish). It was the only vegetarian dish & people really liked it & have been asking for the recipe, so I’m passing it along. I added some pumpkin pie spice, left out the chipotle peppers (because I forgot to buy them!) so subbed in mild green chiles & smoked paprika. This is a fun recipe to play around with, thanks so much! I’ll be eating leftovers all week.
Kate
Oh My Gourd! Love that name! I’m so glad the chili went over well. Your version sounds so tasty!
Nicole
This was delicious! I’ve been trying to find some vegetarian recipes to add to our meal rotation and I’m happy to say this has been added. Thanks for this tasty meal!
Kate
Awesome! Thank you, Nicole, for taking the time to let me know!
Erin
Oh my. This was RIDICULOUS in its deliciousness. My new fave veggie chili.
lexi
Would I be able to make this in a crockpot? I don’t own the proper dish but this looks amazing!
Penny
I made this today. I followed the recipe exactly. Absolutely delicious! Perfect for fall weather. The spices are distinct and flavorful. Thank you for the recipe!
Kate
Thanks Penny! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Amanda
Just wanted to say this was fantastic! I am not a vegetarian so was skeptical about how the chili would come out – it is super rich and hearty. I entertained a group of girl friends with this on Saturday and it was a hit. I actually found that it could easily feed 4-5 people provided that there was bread and an additional side (we had roasted brussels sprouts and grapes with it as well). Thanks Kate.
Kate
Thanks, Amanda! Glad you all enjoyed the chili!
Anita
Kate, this is the first of your recipes that I’ve made, though I’ve added many of your recipes to my ‘must make’ list! This chili is delicious, healthy and so cozy on a chilly winter day. I can tell you that my non-vegan, non-gluten free husband enjoyed this dish as much as I did. (I’m the gf vegan!). Thanks for the recipes and the inspiration! Please keep them coming :)
Kate
Thank you, Anita! So glad you both enjoyed the chili! Hope you find many more recipes to enjoy. :)
Julie
I got to this recipe through your “12 Healthy Soups” post. I had butternut squash in the freezer that I had already cubed and added some chopped portobello mushrooms to the sauted veggies. I had never cooked with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce but really like the warmth they added. I had a bowl right away for dinner tonight and froze the rest. I look forward to having the soup for lunch when I go back to work after the holiday break. Thanks for a fantastic recipe, Kate!
Jane
Hello Kate:
I made this recipe today for a dinner party as a vegan alternative to the beef in red wine that I also cooked for the meat eaters. Guess which one was almost totally gone and got the most requests for the recipe? Yours of course!
Love your recipes..Jane
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Jane.
Kelly
I really want to try this! Thank you for sharing!
Erica
This is also the first thing I’ve made off of your website, directed here by a friend. Wow. This was so delicious and might even replace my long-standing veggie chili recipe (which is saying something!) I don’t ever comment on recipes, but this was worthy of one.
I think the cool avocado is perfect on top. I did the onions first with the spices because I think it helps bring the flavor out in recipes. I did heaping amounts of the spices, added a couple more cloves of garlic, and added another can each of beans and tomatoes because my squash was a bit larger. Like you, I am also a fan of chipotle and spice, so I think 1 Tbsp is great, in fact I did 1.5. ;)
Yummmmmm! Thank you! I will definitely be back for more recipes.
Kate
Hey Erica, thank you for taking the time to comment! I’m glad you found my blog and enjoyed this chili so much. Your version sounds fantastic.
Tess
I found this on Buzzfeed today and made it this evening for our weekly Meat Free Monday. It was so easy and absolutely delicious! Even my meat-loving husband thought it was wonderful and said he could eat it every day! Thank you so much :)
Kate
Thank you, Tess! Glad you found my recipe! :)
Linda
I’m a couple of months late in trying this out but just made this today and it’s delicious. It’s perfectly flavorful and spicy!
Linda
I should also say, I used sweet potatoes instead of squash because it’s what I had on hand.
Kate
Thanks, Linda! Glad you enjoyed it!
Naomi
Hi, we’ve made this twice now and it really is fantastic! Currently our favorite chili recipe. I’m considering substituting sweet potato for the butternut this time to save on prep time. Any thoughts on how that would turn out? Thanks again for the great recipe! :-)
Kate
Thanks, Naomi! I think it would turn out great, shouldn’t require any adjustments!
Alice
This is just ridiculously good. I now have my go-to veggie chili recipe dialled in, thanks to you!
Kate
Thanks, Alice! Happy to hear it!
Anna Kohn
Kept meaning to tell you I did try this chili and it was another huge hit with my family. Have already to make another batch!
Am trying the Roasted Cauliflower Freekeh dish tonight. So far you’ve got a perfect batting average. Great to find.
Kate
Happy to hear it, Anna! Hope you all enjoyed the freekeh dish, too. :D
Anna
Yep, made the freekeh dish (with ferro) to great acclaim, with a repeat performance already. Wow, Kate, really impressed, with your skills :)
Kate
Oh good, I’m glad! Thanks again, Anna. :)
MadInGlasvegas
Made it this week, it was great lunch/dinner very satisfying, tasty with earthy notes and filing. Avocado makes it super luxurious. I added a bit of vegan cheese on top and it was even better. Mind you i could not eat whole portion with cheese tortillas and all. Goes very well with a glass of rioja. Omni bf approved.
Kate
Thank you! Glad to hear it. :)
Mary Anne Stern
While waiting at a doctors office I watched The Chew. I finally found your recipe and was glad to know it was the same one I Saw on TV.
This is by far my favorite meal to make. It speaks to everyone. I have friends that are vegetarians and some that are meat lovers. This chili is so hearty that all enjoy it. I add some sour cream on top.
This is fantastic
Kate
Thank you, Mary Anne! I’m so glad you found it and enjoy it so much. :)
Erin
This is so delicious! I am so glad I had some that was made by someone else before I made it, I generally do not like cinnamon but she had used it and I think it really adds to the richness of the flavor. . Have you ever used chopped frozen butternut squash? There are some days I would make it but I don’t always have the time (or desire) to peel and dice the squash. Let me know if it has ever been attempted and if it works. Thank you!
Kate
Thanks, Erin! Glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried chopped, frozen butternut squash but I bet it would work great and save quite a bit of time. Good idea!!!
Pam in Sacramento
I used frozen butternut squash. Just added it towards the end since it is already partially cooked. Worked great!
Kate
Great idea! Thanks, Pam!
Duncan Graham
This is an absurdly good chili. I did something I rarely do; I made no adjustments. The recipe is just what it should be.
Kate
That’s quite a compliment! Thank you!
vanessa
i made this a few nights ago for my boyfriend, and it was perfect! so easy. will definitely make it again. i normally don’t really like squash OR red peppers (why did i make this in the first place? because why not), but REALLY loved it. thanks!
Kate
Well, sounds like the odds were stacked against this one, but I’m so glad you loved it!
Pam in Sacramento
This is awesome chili. I didn’t have any chipotles and can’t take much heat. So I used a can of tomatoes with green chilis and added a teaspoon and a half of smoked paprika to give it the smoky flavor chipotle provides. We loved it! Definitely will make this again. To the person who asked if you could use California avocados. Of course you can. I always do.
Monique
Do you think I could make this in a crockpot?
Kate
Yes, I think so! Here’s what another commenter said when she tried it: The only issue was it took longer to cook than I expected – about 4 hours on high, and that was with cutting the squash fairly small, about 1 cm cubes. Oh, and my butternut squash was actually a pumpkin, so butternut might take even longer.
Kerrie
So delicious .. I’ve been trying to get around to making this for ages .. Sooo good. Devoured by myself, hubby, three year old and 10month old (kids without the chilli :)) I’m a big fan of all your recipes and it drives me crazy that I can’t get some if your ingredients here in Ireland but I try my best .. Keep up the great work
Kate
Thanks, Kerrie! Glad you all enjoyed it!
Andrea
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! It has become a standard in our kitchen for well over a year now. The flavors are rich and delicious. We are temporarily living in Mexico. I have not seen butternut squash in our local market but I found cubed sweet potatoes make a fine stand-in here.
Kate
Thank you, Andrea! I bet it’s great with sweet potato.
Joanna
This was amazing! I used a pound of ground turkey so my husband would eat it and used Rotel instead of plain diced tomatoes. I never knew butternut squash could taste so good. The chipotle and cinnamon really take this chilli to the next level! It was so good my husband said he would eat it without the turkey even! Can’t wait to try more recipes. Thank you!
Kate
Thanks Joanna! So glad you both enjoyed it!
Sarah
Butternut squash is one of my favorite things about fall. I have to try this out. I stumbled across this on Pinterest and hope you don’t mind we’ve shared this on Richmondmom – linking to you for the recipe of course!
Kate
Thanks, Sarah!
Kristina W.
This chili is so delicious! Tried it for the first time at book club and we all asked for the recipe. I wound up making it for a chili cookoff at work and it tied for 1st place! Thanks so much!
Kate
Yay!!!!
Michele
We loved this variation for chili. It includes so many things we love, black beans, butternut squash, chipotle. Unfortunately, living in Munich those three ingredients are difficult to find but I finally persevered and got all the items in the house. I can only get butternut squash for a couple of months so we eat a lot of it when it is available and I am always looking for new recipes. I try to keep some down in the cellar so we can enjoy them through the winter. We will definitely make this again before they are all used up for the year. We can’t get chipotle here (unless I pay a fortune at a Mexican Mercado) so I buy a can or two whenever I am in the States. I count the peppers, puree with the sauce, then put into an ice cube tray dividing into as many cubes as there were peppers – usually 10-12. After they freeze I remove the cubes from the tray and put into a Ziploc bag – 1 pepper portions ready for any recipe.
Kate
Thank you, Michele! I’m so impressed that you hunted down all the ingredients. Happy to hear that you love the chili!
Amanda
This looks amazing! Is there a way to modify it for the crock pot?
Kate
Hi Amanda! Here’s what worked for another commenter: I made this for a party in a crockpot. I used a vegetarian boullion cube instead of the vegetable broth, and added the tomatoes and a can of water when I got there so I didn’t have to worry about liquids spilling during transport. I didn’t bother with sauteeing anything, and didn’t miss it. The only issue was it took longer to cook than I expected – about 4 hours on high, and that was with cutting the squash fairly small, about 1 cm cubes. Oh, and my butternut squash was actually a pumpkin, so butternut might take even longer.
Bill C
We were having good friends over for dinner last night. They are vegans; we are virtually omnivores. I am also more of a Julia Child/NY Times cookbook cook since my mom was, not a slow cooker type. I am so glad we came across your site and this recipe! What a winner, Kate! To prepare this dish and in this manner with accolades, and seconds without aaking (!), I couldnt ask for more! I will be sure to bookmark your page etc since Mrs Bill wants to eat more like this anyway.
Thanks! Two, I mean, EIGHT, thumbs up!
Bill C
That’s “without aSking”! Definitely not aaking or acking! ;^D
Kate
Thanks, Bill! So glad this chili turned out well for you all!!!
Shelley
Amazing! Made it for a chili cook off last night and won first place! (I gave you all the credit!)
Thank you – keep the wonderful recipes coming!
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Shelley!
Francesca
Delicious. Did not use cinnamon because my husband is not a fan. We loved the fresh corn tortilla strips. Will definitely make again.
Kate
Thanks, Francesca!
Katie
Any tips on making this in a slow cooker?
Kate
Hey Katie! I just added a note to the recipe—I haven’t tried, but another reader said that the chili turned out well after 4 hours on high in her slow cooker.
Sina
I made this today and it was amazing, even without the spicy sauce. I also added one can of pinto beans since I only had one can of black beans at home. Delicious! I had one quick question though, you mentioned above that the cans are BPA free, but I looked on their website and couldn’t find it anywhere. Is it on the can maybe?
Thanks!
Kate
Thanks, Sina! Great question. I’m not sure why Muir Glen doesn’t use their BPA-free cans as a selling point on their site, but I heard directly from a company representative a few years ago that all of their cans are BPA-free. I just checked my cans and they say BPA-free on the back!
Sina
Thanks so much for letting me know! I will definitely be buying this brand of canned tomatoes from now on! And thanks so much for sharing this information, I would’ve never known otherwise!!
Kate
You’re welcome! Their tomatoes are conveniently also the tastiest. :)
Tanya
This was absolutely amazing!!! I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your recipes!!! Now I know that living off vegan meals is not only possible, but also delicious!!!
Kate
Thank you so much, Tanya!
Taylor
I love this chili! Making it right now for the second time this month. The addition of butternut squash and chipotles in adobo is just perfect.
Kate
Hooray, thanks Taylor!
Holly
I’ve made this a few times now after a friend passed along the recipe to me and have fallen in love again every time I make it. Other than adding quite a bit more chipotles in adobe (I love spicy food) – I haven’t made a single change to the recipe.
My friend from work runs out annual chili cook off (all proceeds benefit the local food bank and Salvation Army) and she asked me to bring something to participate so I decided on this one.
It won 2nd place! Apparently the cook off has gone on for 8 years and I believe this is the first time a vegetarian chili has even placed.
Thank you so much for the great recipe!
Kate
Hip hip hooray! So glad this chili did well at your cook-off, Holly! Love that you add extra chipotle. I love spicy, but try to keep flavors in check for the blog. :)
holly
made this exactly as written and my family devoured it! going in the recipe arsenal! thank you!!!
Kate
Thanks, Holly! Happy to hear it!
Mikaela
I’ve made this chili several times for friends get-togethers or my own get-togethers. I’ve made it several times for myself and my son. (This makes for bookoo leftovers! Freezes well and voila! Easy dinner for other fast paced nights!) I decided the other week to make this for a chili cook-off at work where not only am I definitely the only vegetarian, but also the only female among 40 carnivorous males. Wouldn’t you know it?! I got second place and passed on your blog and link to the recipe for many of them. I toned down the spice for the cook-off but I typically use a half a can of adobo! Those cauliflower lentil tacos the other night too! Oh man! Though I may have went a little overboard on the adobo peppers. My boyfriend was sweating the whole time!! Haha! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Sweet potato chili is up next.
Kate
Mikaela! Your comment made me smile. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner! High five for second place!!! Yes! The more peppers, the better, I say.
Rabia
Just made this Chilli- absolutely Delicious! Thank you for the recipe- great comfort food to warm you up for those cold winter nights. Especially in Britain!
Kate
Thank you, Rabia! I’m glad this chili did the trick for you.
Margot D
Just finished leftover lunch 1 of 3, so yummy! Perfect transition to Thanksgiving flavors. Will make this again for sure!
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Margot!
Kathryn
Love so many of your recipes (just made one of your pastas tonight!) and would love to try your chills, but can’t eat bell peppers. Do you have a recommendation for a substitute? Or just do without? Sometimes skipping works just fine in recipes, other times it leaves a big whole in the flavor. Thought I’d seek your recommendation before I started experimenting! Thanks for the great recipes!
Kate
Hi Kathryn! I think you’d still enjoy the chili without the bell peppers. If you can eat other peppers, a seeded/chopped jalapeno might be a nice touch. Or poblanos!
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma)
This chili had great flavor. I cooked it in the slow cooker for 8 hours on low. The only thing was I used 2 cups broth and it definitely seemed like soup. I’m not sure why it didn’t get thick like yours. It was still good but we called it “Chili Soup”.
Kate
Hi Kelli, I’m glad it still turned out good. I bet that simmering the chili on the stove condenses it more than the slow cooker. If you make it again, you might try blending 1 1/2 cups of the cooked chili in your blender and then returning it to the pot—that should do the trick!
Jenny
I used my immersion blender on some of the soup to thicken it. Just had to beware of the bay leaf. Turned out great!
dimora
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this Delicious recipe! i made it for my family and they ALL Loved it! it is one of the Extremely rare times that all members of my family have approved my cooking!
I was so amazed that i had to blog about it. btw i included a link back to your website so readers can check out your recipe :D
https://darkmoonbakery.wordpress.com/2015/12/01/family-approved-butter-nut-squash-chili/
Kate
Thank you, Dimora! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the chili. Loved your post about it!
Janice
One of THE best chili recipes EVER!!! We loved it!! We used 1 T chopped chipotle peppers as suggested and it was perfect! Topped with cilantro because the avocados at the grocery were less than perfect. Thank you!!!
Kate
Awesome! Thank you, Janice!
Ellis
WOW was this delicious! I just happened to come across it while looking for a butternut squash soup recipe. SO happy I made this instead. I fed it to meat eaters and vegetarians alike during a football party. I served it with a dollop of plain yogurt on top. Literally everyone asked me for the recipe Thanks for sharing – this is going in my favorite recipes file!
Kate
Thank you, Ellis! Glad to hear it!
Dee
I made this chili tonight and fed it to 3 omni guys and myself. Everyone raved over it! We used Jalapeño tortilla chips crumbled on top that added a nice touch of extra heat. Thanks so much for sharing! My husband asked me to make sure I saved this one =)
Kate
Yay! Thanks, Dee!
Dee
Just noticed that you are in KC…me too! I live in OP, KS
VictoriaO
Kate, this is the first recipe I have made from your blog, and I am SO impressed. Thank you for sharing this gem; I can’t wait to save it to my recipe collection and use it on a rainy day (it does that a lot here in Seattle!).
Kate
Thank you so much, Victoria! I’m glad you found my blog. Happy cooking!
Chelsa
(Hope this dosent post more than once, my computer is acting cray and I’m retyping this!)
Five star recipe like always…perfect combo! Sweet, spicy, smoky, creamy, cool and crunchy. Every base covered :)
Hearty and warm for a FREEZING January day here in Va.
Andrea
Made this today for my vegan family and we loved it. I’m making my husband take it for lunch tomorrow. The combination of spices with the chipotle adobo was amazing! Great recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Andrea! Happy to hear it!
Cara
Delicious! I’ve now made this 3 times in the last month and it is so good. I don’t like eating the same food on repeat yet this keeps getting devoured before I can stash any in the freezer. Tastes so hearty yet it’s so healthy! I put half of it in my food processor at the end to make it more hearty. This is the 3rd recipe I’ve made from your site and they are all so easy and delicious. Can’t wait to try more!
Sarah
I’ve been making this recipe (and faster approximations inspire by it) all winter, and I am still obsessed with it. Hope this gets a whole spread in your cookbook!
Leilayni
This is the best vegetarian chili recipe I have found and I make chili quite often. I am not a super fan of butternut squash, but it worked so well in this dish. My kids cannot handle spicy food, so I only used 1/2 tbsp of the chipotle in adobo and it was just almost too spicy for them. Truly a fantastic recipe!
Grey
We’re getting 4 days straight of late winter rain, which is actually weather I like, but still perfect for chili! I have been thinking about this flavor combination (sweet squash, spicy beans/peppers) for a while, so I made this last night. I didn’t have all the ingredients, so your recipe was more inspiration than direction. I used red kidney beans and TVP for protein and a mix of squash and rutabaga. The sweet veggies make a great contrast to the smoky adobo, and greek yogurt and avacado add creaminess and lower the heat.
Anna
I discovered this blog while searching for something lighter to make on Christmas Eve. This was the first recipe I tried. I have made many vegetarian chilies and this is by far my favorite. So tasty and spicy. I definitely recommend making it.
Kimberly
Oh, lush! I love it! Eating it right now. I omitted the avocado and tortilla topping; instead, I whipped up vegan cheese, green onion rosemary dumping, which I baked in this chili in the oven for half an hour or so. Scrumptious. Satisfying. Thanks, Kate!
Leisureguy
You store the leftover chipotles in adobo in a freezer bag, but you don’t actually say whether you freeze them or just store them in the refrigerator. Do you freeze them?
Kate
Sorry about that! Yes, I freeze them and they last for a long time that way.
Sharon V.
I do the same thing! Until I learned this trick, I would feel so wasteful throwing out chipotles after leaving them sitting in a tupperware in my fridge for weeks (…or maybe months) after I made a recipe that only needed one or two. I also use this method with leftover canned tomato paste :)
Meredith
This is AMAZING AND so nutritious…making it again tonight. So much great flavor! Thank you Kate for the recipe!!
Anne
This was super delicious! It honestly tastes better than chili with meat in it! It was nice and hearty for the cold day today in Melbourne!
Julie Henriksen
It might not be fall, but its raining, so a great excuse to try this recipe. I have lived without meat for a year now, but I still get amazed with all the options and flavours.
Julie-Alice
This recipe came together really fast. Be prepared for lots of chopping. This year I took a brake on gardening and just planted winter squash and sunflowers. I love how this recipe uses hard squash. My four little ones and I thoroughly enjoyed this chili.
Josie
This was really really delicious!!! I used normal Kent pumpkin. (I’m from Australia so don’t know if this is a kind available in the US). I don’t really like butternut so that’s why I didn’t use it. The sweetness of the pumpkin balanced the acidity of the sauce SO well. I used just original corn chips to dip in. Healthy and delicious, thanks for this recipe
Ediens
Absolutely love it. Very unique idea. Yummy.
Coral C.
My fiancé is a chili enthusiast and a meat lover. We both rank this our number one chili recipe! It is delicious by itself, with chips as a snack, with avocado (as recommended in the recipe) or with a fried egg thrown on top for brunch. Do yourself a favor–make a double batch and freeze half for later!
Kate
Woohoo! That’s fantastic to hear. Thanks, Coral!
Dave
Amazingly delicious and fresh! I’ve made so many variations of Mexican but this was so original, like a deconstruction.
I added some fresh tomatoes and lime juice over everything to compensate no salsa verde and it was excellent. And pretty easy to cook! I had to come here to thank you for the great recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Dave! I appreciate it!
Sarah Drevon
I went a little crazy today and made this like I usually do – but then put pineapple guacamole on top – OMG delish! Thanks for the great recipes!
Kate
I never would have thought to do that! Yum!
Sharon V.
Holy Moly! This was so so good! I’ve been meal planning lately (feeling really grown-up, now that I’m 32) and had this on the schedule for last night. Little did I know, my husband’s mom and brother would end up coming over to join us for dinner. Even though we’re all meat eaters, I try to cook vegetarian during the week. This was a great recipe to serve a crowd and the leftovers today for lunch were even better! Family loved it and it was so satisfying- no one missed the meat.
I used my crockpot and was a little nervous as I was starting it in the morning and not using pumpkin (unlike the commenter who also used a crockpot). I cooked it on low for 7 hours and put my crockpot on warm until it was time to eat (I had time to cook it longer, but the squash was done after 7 hours). All the flavors melded wonderfully into a rich, hearty chili. We topped it with diced avocado, cilantro, fresh diced purple onion, and sharp cheddar. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
I already have shared this recipe with my mother-in-law and can’t wait to cook it again. Thank you for sharing this perfect fall dinner!
Madison
One of my all time favorite recipes! I make this about once a week during the fall.
I just listed it as one of my top 4 butternut squash recipes in my post “Season’s Best: Butternut Squash”
http://sugarplussalt.com/seasons-best-butternut-squash/
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
Sabrina
I made this recipe last night for a weekday meal! It was very quick to prepare and didn’t take too long to cook. I added some sweet potato into my pot as well. I will definitely be making this again soon. I love when it turns into Fall and all of the best root vegetables are available.
-Toronto, ON
Rohini
this was delicious Kate!! so yum! had it with Greek yoghurt instead of avocado and was too lazy to make the strips so just had some Doritos instead! will definitely be making again soon thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!
Suzanne
So delicious!!! will defiantly make again and can’t wait to try your other recipes, and I’m not even vegan!!! So healthy and tasty. Hit was a hit with vegan friend and my daughter!
Martha
Great and very forgiving recipe!
I had do do some changes and it was still really good:
– My stomach doesn’t go well with butternut squash and terrible with bell pepper. So I used half butternut and no bell pepper and substituted it with carrot and a bit of celery.
– Don’t like chipotle so I experienced a bit with curry instead. Really good too.
– Messed up the order a bit, didn’t do a lot of damage.
Side note: Needed way longer than noted to get to a good consistency (based on the amount of fluid).
I am new at being vegan and this was a really good way to show myself again that it’s worth it and meat is great but not necessary.
Thanks :)
Kate
Thank you, Martha! I’m glad you enjoyed it. You might like my other chili recipes, too.
Lindy
LOVE this recipe!! I crave this dish, so I have made it frequently, sometimes substituting lentils for the beans, and I double the cinnamon. Off to the kitchen now to make another batch!
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Lindy!
Erica
Made this tonight. Yumm! It was so good!
Amanda
This was so delicious!! This will definitely be part of my dinner rotation!
Lisa
I made this exactly as written, and the flavor was great, but it was WAYYYY too spicy for my mild to medium palate. Would make again, but cut down on the chili powder probably by half.
Danielle
I love your bread recipes (banana and pumpkin are out of this world) but this soup did not work for me. It was watery, the butternut squash was too soft, and the flavor was not as rich as I had hoped. I followed the directions so not sure if this is just the way the soup is and just not my thing. But thank you for posting interesting recipes! I’ll keep trying.
Chan yujun
I like vegan very much
emily
My husband is suspicious of butternut squash, and chili in general, as he’s had many bland vegetarian versions. But he loved this! As did I. I used petite diced muir glen tomatoes in adobe seasoning, a bit less squash, and only 1 bell pepper. Terrific with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and avocado.
Kayla C.
For those wondering if this works in the crockpot–I do it ALL the time because I am OBSESSED with this recipe, and it works great! Literally just dump in all of the ingredients and cook on low all day and it turns out perfectly every time. Thanks Kate!
Priya
Just finished eating this meal and it did not disappoint! Very satisfying on a cold night. However, my husband would not allow me to exclude meat from a dinner, so I boiled two chicken breasts, pulled them, and added them to the chili when it had a few minutes left. It worked out great and doubled our portions!
Susie Kennedy
I cooked it in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker: Sauted onions and bell pepper, then pressure cooked on High for 3 minutes and let it reduce steam naturally. I made it Vegan but substituting water for oil. I used frozen Butternut Squash.
Mike
I’ve been vegetarian for years, but chili is one of the few things I haven’t been able to replicate in as satisfying a way as what I had when I still ate meat. And not that I have anything against those fake meat soy crumbly things, because I don’t, but…that feels like cheating somehow. I’ve been search for that perfect recipe all this time, which is why I’m here.
This…OK, TBH, this really isn’t what I was looking for, either, but I made it anyway, and…it was closer than I think I’ve ever gotten before. I thought it was quite good, with a balanced, complex flavor.
Since I’m constitutionally incapable of following a recipe as written, I should probably phrase it as “I made something inspired by your recipe,” rather than saying “I made your recipe.” I used two big sweet potatoes for the squash, a green pepper for one of the reds, a can of pinto beans for one of the cans of black beans, I omitted the bay leaf, your cinnamon made me very suspicious so I knocked that down to 1/8 tsp, I probably used twice as much chili powder and cumin, I added a can of those little mild green chiles because they’re so much fun, I glunked in some of the adobo sauce along with the chipotle pepper, midway through I added a bit of dried chipotle because I decided it wasn’t zippy enough but I didn’t want to open another can, and I put in about half a large zucchini because I didn’t think it’d live through the night and wanted to use it up. So, grain of salt and all that. Oh, right: I also used a splash of soy sauce instead of the salt.
(I do wish I had avocados for garnish, but they’ve gone back up to $1.99 each and they seem to have a window between “rock hard” and “rotting slime” of about 15 minutes. I’ve stopped buying them for now, because that window invariably opens in the middle of the night. Instead I used shredded cheddar. I doubt there’s anything that could be made *worse* with the addition of cheddar cheese, you know?)
So even though my end result was…adjacent to yours at best, I still wanted to say thanks. It wasn’t quite what I thought I was hungry for, but it was good and it was easy and it was healthful and it didn’t get a bunch of dishes dirty and that adds up to a recipe that’ll probably get made again and again.
You did good.
Peyton
I’m vegan, so I usually have to fend for myself at holiday dinners. I’ve been making this for Christmas Eve dinner for the past three years, and I just made it again this year, but for the whole extended family! Thanks for such a great recipe!
R
This recipe is at the top of our all-time favorites list. My husband and I have been feeling down about the state of the world the last few weeks. So we had to have this chili to cheer ourselves up. It won’t fix these problems but it sure made us feel better!
Kate
Same with you on that one, Rebecca. Comfort food is a must right now :)
Jennifer Silk
I served your butternut squash chili to my book club this evening, and it was 10 thumbs up. I doubled the recipe, but kept to the two cans of black beans, adding roasted corn rather than doubling the beans. In addition to avocados, I had sour cream and shredded cheese as toppings. It was delicious, especially with my Mexican cornbread.
Kate
That sounds so good, Jennifer! What’s in your Mexican cornbread?
Brian Maffitt
This was a terrific recipe. My wife is vegetarian, not vegan so finishing a bowl with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream is recommended. We also made sopapillas which I must say is the perfect side dish.
Kate
Yum! I’ll have to try those sopapillas– I’m intrigued. :)
Asako
Mmmmm this was tasty, but I MUCH prefer your traditional chili recipe. I personally thought the squash was a bit too sweet for my liking in a chili. And I loaded it with chipotle (maybe 2 tbsp) but I didn’t really taste it, just felt warmth. I WILL be making the crispy tortilla chips again though. :D
https://cookieandkate.com/2015/vegetarian-chili-recipe/
Kate
I totally understand the preference for less-sweet veggies, Asako. I’m glad you liked the chips, though!
Brandi
Nutritionist told me to eat more veggies (me and veggies don’t get along), so I decided a vegetarian food blog was my best bet. I decided on this recipe and expected maybe a 6/10 at best.
Holy crap was I wrong. 6? Really? Boy was I wrong. This was easily a 20. (I did use beef broth instead of veggie broth for a bit more of a meaty taste.) OMG like really. What is this? My taste buds have been deceived.
Kate
Haha! I’m so glad this exceeded expectations, Brandi! I hope it improved your relationship with veggies just a bit. :)
ChrisE
I made my Vegan Chili the same way as outlined, however, I couldn’t find butternut squash so I substituted it with sweet potatoes. Additionally, to add an extra meaty consistency I added lentils. The flavor was awesome. For garnish I added oven roasted Sunchokes with just seasoned salt and pepper, and grilled whole asparagus on the side. Amazing!
Zan
Great recipe. I added extra chipotle and had it with some cheddar cheese, avocado and rosemary cornbread. I will definitely make this again.
Kate
That rosemary cornbread has me all googly-eyed! It sounds delicious, Zan.
Cheyenne
I cut all winter squash in large chunks, bake, then peel. You can do large batches and freeze for later recipes. I add them at the end of recipes so they don’t get too mushy.
Everyone asking for a bean substitute might want to try TVP (textured vegetable protein). You can buy it in the bulk sections or Bob’s Red Mill has bags of it in the natural sections of most well stocked grocery stores.
Chipotle plus butternut squash is to die for!
Shannon
I’m actually eating this chili as I type and I have to say, it’s AMAZING! I didn’t think chili sans meat could be so flavorful – proven wrong. I did tweak the recipe a bit, though. Finding chipotle in adobo in France is not easy, so I just added some fresh jalapeno. This will definitely be a favorite this coming winter! Thanks!
Siobhan
Yum! I added another can of tomatoes plus about 1 T of tomato paste that I had leftover because it was looking a little too ‘broth-y.’ I ended up cooking it uncovered for about 15 mins at the end and it turned out perfectly. Served with jalapeno cornbread — highly recommend :)
Victor
Great recipe. I made it with a couple of substitutions – used Ancho chile powder instead of chili powder and fresh tomatoes. Delish!
Alice
Hmmm…wondering how I could do this in an electric pressure cooker/Instant Pot? Any guess on timing?
Kate
Hi Alice, this probably would be a good candidate. I’d use the sauté setting in the beginning for best flavor/texture, like you would to make the soup on the stove. I haven’t tried myself, so I can’t advise on timing, sorry!
Emily
This was AMAZING! I make/eat a ton of vegetarian chili but this was by far my favorite I’ve had.
Kate
Glad you liked it so much, Emily! I appreciate your review!
Francces
My favorite part of the Fall used to be a lovely butternut squash/Black bean stew for which I’ve lost the recipe. Yesterday was a suddenly autumn day and I had an intense craving for it. Once again, you come to the rescue, Kate! I went with the dried chipotle, because I’m an anti-spicehead. And added a handful of barley at the end of 4 hours in the crock pot to add some tooth. Served with a dark bread, and it’s a perfect welcome to the cool temps of the Fall!
Kate
I am happy this recipe was able to serve as a nice stand-in for your favorite butternut squash soup :) It is a great one for a chilly fall day! Thanks so much, Francces.