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:
- 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!
Katrina
This sounds absolutely amazing! YUM!
Becky
This recipe is WONDERFUL!!! Great for the fall or really anytime! My husband and I are not vegetarians but love vegetables and I was looking to do something different with my butternut squash. I added a jalapeño, some green bell peppers, and went heavy on the chipotle. We loved it and my husband was shocked at how great it was. A keeper!!! Thanks
Kate
Thank you, Becky! I’m so glad you both enjoyed the chili! Thanks for letting me know!
Marybeth
I’ve made this many many times and my kids absolutely love it! And it is really easy
Sarah
This sounds amazing and very fall like!
Stacy
I am a BIG FAN of fall, conversation during sporting events and butternut squash. This looks delicious! Happy autumn to you. (:
Rachel
“with avocado” is the story of my life these days. What to have for dinner? hmm, how about something with avocado!
There’s a little bit of summer and plenty of fall – exactly what I’m in the mood for these days – in your chili. Yum!
Kate
I’m definitely going to have some toast “with avocado” for lunch today! It makes everything better.
Maria
I love everything about this chili!
Cassie
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this. I have already found myself on a butternut squash kick, now to use it for chili, ASAP!
Michelle
yum! I just made a very similar chili last night, I love the addition of cinnamon to chili. will have to try this one out!
Kasey
This sounds perfect! And I don’t even like football :) Anything with avocado and crumbled tortilla chips on top is a go.
Kristen
What a beautiful creation! Gorgeous!
Ashley
This is gorgeous, Kate! Simple as that! Can’t wait to try it for myself when the weather gets chilly enough for me.
Kate
We make a chili similar to this and it’s one of our favorites for the Fall season, and beyond. I like to put quinoa or bulgur in it to make it heartier, which it scarcely needs. I do love a good chili.
Kate
My mom makes a great vegetarian chili with quinoa! Yum.
Stef
This sounds like the perfect recipe to break in the fall veggies! & who doesn’t love a cozy bowl of chili?
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
This is my kind of chili! I love butternut squash and chipotle is perfect here.
sandra
this looks so absolutely perfect! I am definitely going to make it this weekend. Thanks!
Carina
Your recipes are so lovely and healthy! I’ve been doing so much cooking and photographing of food for recipe posts coming up on my blog.
Carina
http://carstina.blogspot.co.nz/
Sarah
Delicious! Found this recipe today on pintrest and prepared it this evening. I would suggest starting with 1/2 T of the chipotle in adobe (or maybe even less) and adding more to taste. 1 T was a little spicy and seemed to really overpower some of the really delicate sweetness of the cinnamon and butternut squash…even with this issue it’s a keeper. I also used 1 can black bean and 1 can garbanzo, because I like to mix these two beans, two cans black beans I’m sure would still be really good.
Kate
Thanks for your feedback, Sarah! I started out with 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo but thought it was nicely balanced with 1 tablespoon. I’m a spice head, though, so I’ve adjusted the instructions to start with 1/2 tablespoon and add more to taste.
Valeria
I have found this new love for avocados…back in Italy, it wasn’t part of my diet (or my food culture) at all, but now in London, where ALL food and cuisines are available, I can’t seem to live without them. Surely enough, my carbon footprints are sky-scraping, but they make me feel so so good. I will compensate with other local stuff :) this chili looks amazingly tasty, and pretty versatile as well. On my to-do list for the next weeks, when we expect a drop in temps that will induce to hot, comforting food like this.
Kate
That is how I feel about avocados, too! I eat as local and seasonal as I can, but I’m not giving up my avocados (or lemons and limes). Can’t do it!
L.
I just finished cooking a batch of this chilli,thank you for this wonderful recipe.It tastes and smells amazing!
Kate
Thank you, L! So glad the chili turned out well.
Kelsey
Love that shot of all the raw squash and onions! So pretty!
Natalia
Do you think I can make this without the beans????
Kate
Sorry Natalia, the beans are integral to this chili so I don’t think that would work well. I have a sweet potato soup that you might like. You could easily omit the chickpeas in that one: https://cookieandkate.com/2012/sweet-potato-kale-and-chickpea-soup/.
Martha
Sounds yummy want to try it but instruction 3 mentions sweet potatoes, don’t see that in the list of ingredients.
Kate
Thank you for bringing that to my attention, Martha! I meant to say butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes, fixing that now.
Riley
This looks like a wonderful recipe and perfect for fall!
Kathryn
I need to make a big pot of this; it sounds utterly delicious & I am so grateful for the tip about freezing chipotle in adobe! I’ve been hoarding a tin because it’s not that easy to find here and haven’t wanted to use it because I know I won’t use all of it but now that problem is solved.
Cara
Sounds fantastic! I love butternut squash in chili1
Carolyn
Made this with fresh market veggies and its so SO good! This is replacing my fav veggie chili recipe. yum!
Carolyn
Oh, forgot to mention I added a dash of nutmeg to go with the cinnamon. Enjoy! Xo
Sylvie @ GitK
I love that combination of the black beans and butternut squash with the chili.
Yvette
This sounds wonderful! I’ll be sure to make it very soon. I’m striving to be a vegetarian with a focus on a weight watcher friendly menu. This looks nice & healthy. Thanks so much!
Lamour
The is a great idea for butternut squash. I have so much from my CSA. Good way to use it up. Recipe sounds delicious.
sara
It’s still super warm here, but I can’t wait to make a big pot of this! Sounds delicious and your photos are incredible, my dear!
Bev @ Bev Cooks
Ooooooo is there room in that chili for MY ENTIRE LIFE?
Danielle
Hmm must the avocados be from Mexico or will any old avocados do?
Susanne
Help! Your recipe looks delicious, but we don’t have chipotle in adobo in Holland, is there a substitute?
Kate
Do you know if you can find dried chipotle powder in Holland? A teaspoon of that or smoked paprika would be a great substitute.
Carley
Will dried Chipotle pepper work?
Making this for dinner, but store only had dried whole chipotle!
lisa
You mention finding PBA free cans of tomatoes – I too have heard the terrible things tomatoes do in cans…I’m told to find tomatoes in jars, but they are tough to find that way.
My garden tomatoes are just ripening all at once and I’d love to use some for this reipe…do you think I could just cut them up and stew them for this recipe? Or just toss them in cubed?? Thanks!
PS – Welcome to nor cal! I hope you are enjoying your life in St Helena!!
Kate
Lisa, I have found that Pomi brand tomatoes come in BPA-free containers, so you might have better luck finding those. I think some other brands are starting to use BPA-free cans as well. That said, I think your garden tomatoes would be perfect in this chili. Just chop them up and throw them in the pot with their juices, that should work!
Gayla
This was very delicious, though I forgot to bring some avocado to put on it for my lunch!
Kate
So glad you enjoyed the chili, Gayla!
Alissa
Love butternut squash in my chili, but I despise cutting that dang thing apart. I’ll have to try this new technique! stellar.
Tiffany
This recipe sounds fantastic! However, I don’t really like beans….I know, I know, they’re healthy. I’ll eat ANY vegetable, just not beans! Is there a goood sustitution for the beans? Or just eliminate them all together? What about tofu? Just trying to figure out another option…
Thanks!
Kate
I’m sorry, this chili is so full of beans that I don’t know what to suggest. I don’t think it would taste like chili without them! Then it would be a butternut squash soup. Tofu might be interesting.
Jamie @ Thrifty Vegg
This looks fantastic! I love chili and this is a great version.
naomi
I love the flavor combo in this dish-so full of flavor!
MikeVFMK
I’m a believer that avocado makes everything better. So it goes without saying how much I dig this chilli. And how I could use a bowl or two with the crisp air swirling around these parts as of late.
MinceandType
Can’t wait to give this a try on one of these chilly October nights!
Ellen
Thank you for the recipe! I made this the other night and it turned out wonderfully. I slightly modified the recipe by adding an additional can of stewed tomatoes (I love tomatoes) and ~1 teaspoon of dried ancho chilies powder. My husband was pleasantly surprised and commented, “I don’t even miss the meat!” I consider that to be SUCCESS! Thanks again.
Kate
Hooray! Sounds like a successful dinner to me, Ellen. Your additions sound like a great idea. Thank you for commenting!
Courtney
I ran into this recipe the other day and knew I just had to try it–I’m so glad that I found your site, because it was absolutely amazing! I usually make chili with meat, but I think this has just become a new favorite recipe. I look forward to checking out some of your other recipes in the future! :)
Kate
Thank you, Courtney! I’m really glad to hear you enjoyed the chili. I also have a sweet potato chili recipe if you want to switch things up a bit. Let me know how those other recipes turn out, please!
Sonja/A Couple Cooks
Have been meaning to mention that this looks lovely – a perfect meal for the cooler temps we’re having here in IN. Thanks for the idea! :)
Allison Day
One of my food goals for this fall is to make chili for the first time ever, and this sounds like an excellent one to try out!
Emilie
Thank you so much! It was delicious, it gave a little bit of sunshine in my rainy sunday meal!
gracie
Your recipes make me so happy Kate! I can’t wait to make this on the weekend. Any suggestions about what I should substitute for the chipotle? I have never seen it for sale in Ireland. Thanks.
Kate
Thanks, Gracie! I’m sorry I didn’t answer your question sooner. If you can find dried chipotle powder, that would be ideal. Hot smoked paprika would work as well. Or if you can’t find those things, maybe just add some extra cayenne pepper? The only downside to that is that you’ll lose the smoky flavor of the chipotle/paprika.
Joanna
Any thoughts on making this in a crock pot?
Kate
Sorry Joanna, I haven’t tried it. I would sauté the vegetables on the stove as directed in step 1, then transfer them to a crock pot and add the beans, etc. That way you’re still getting the extra flavor that sautéing brings out and the butternut will be cooked all the way through. I’m not sure how long it will take to cook in the crock pot, though. If you try it, please let us know!
Jane
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.
Kate
Awesome, thanks for sharing your cooking method, Jane!
Kirsten
I am making this tonight for a little party we’re having. Can’t wait. It looks so amazing! You rock!
Kate
Thanks, Kirsten! Miss you!
Janet
This chili is delicious! I was so lucky to eat it in Kirsten’s kitchen last night. :) My boyfriend and I are trying a vegan diet for a few weeks and we are having fun experimenting with new recipes. This was fantastic and I can’t wait to make it myself soon!
Kate
Thanks, Janet! I’m so glad you both enjoyed it. I have a bunch of vegan recipes if you want to give them a try. Hope you are doing well, it was so fun to hang out with you during Kirsten’s wedding festivities!
Holly
Delicious!! My first time ever making any type of chili and I will be most definitely making this one again! Thank you so much Kate :)
Kate
Hooray, Holly! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili. If you want to switch it up, I also have a sweet potato chili I bet you’d like.
Monica
This was so good! I love the smoky hot of the chipotle and the sweet of the butternut squash. Great flavor! And it’s a huge amount. I’ll be eating this for days! I might have to freeze some.
Kate
Glad you enjoyed the chili, Monica! I think it should freeze nicely, I always make giant batches of beans and freeze them for later. Works well!
Heidi @foodiecrush
Another winner Miss Kathryn. I’m a total nut about anything with Chipotle, then toss in avocados and I’m pretty much cloud 9-ing it.
Cindy
I made this last night! YUM!! I’d love to invite you to link up at our Gluten Free Fridays recipe party~ The link will be live on Friday, come visit www.vegetarianmamma.com
Thanks and I hope that you join us! My family LOVED this recipe!! :)
WonderBunny
Made this last week and it turned out awesome. I didn’t put the chipotle in it as I’m not a huge fan of the smoky flavor. I did use fresh Cheyenne peppers that gave it a nice softly spicy flavor to compliment the flavor of the butternut squash. I also used red and black beans instead of straight black – plus I diced and stewed tomatoes from my garden while I was cutting up the squash and added those to the chili. Excellent recipe!
Kate
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Your substitutions sound great.
Julie
This was soooo delicious! I served it to company last weekend and they scraped the pot clean, even though one of them usually prefers meat at every meal. My two modifications: I added one extra can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, and served with sour cream. My boyfriend keeps asking “Are you sure there aren’t leftovers?”
Kate
Thanks, Julie! Your additions sound great.
Wren
I made this tonight. I haven’t tasted it yet, but it smells amazing! The only thing is that I cooked it for as long as you said to, and it only got more watery not less. I added a little bit of cornstarch, which seemed to help. Overall, thanks for the great recipe!
Salvatore
Just wanted to let you know this recipe was amazing! I made it last night and both my partner and I immediately agreed this is a new favorite! He is usually not a huge fan of spicy dishes but went through two bowls of the stuff anyway!
I brought some leftovers to work for lunch and by the time my bowl made its way around the table I barely had enough for myself!
My only alterations… skipped the cumin (he isn’t a fan) and cilantro (didn’t have any) and didn’t simmer it for the full hour (a. I think it was cooked enough – and b. we were too hungry) :)
Thanks!!!
melody george
This recipe is unbelievably good…and its one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day heated up after a night in the fridge….just loved it!!
Kate
So glad to hear it, Melody!
Josh
This was seriously delicious and easy to make. The only changes I made was to add a half-bunch of cilantro (not just use for garnish), serve with tortilla chips, and serve with grated strong cheddar. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Thanks, Josh! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and your substitutions all sound great.
Carrie
This was a huge football Sunday crowd pleaser! I added a couple of tablespoons of cocoa powder and HIGHLY recommend it!
Sarah
Yummy! I making this with the chipotle paste in a tube that i just bought here. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0097UW3EK
Michele Conard
This sounds yummy and I want to make but was going to try it in a crock pot. Do you think it will work and have any suggestions? Thanks!!
Kate
Hi Michele, I’m sorry for the delayed response. I would suggest sautéing the vegetables in a pan on the stove for a few minutes before adding them to the crock pot to bring out their flavors.
Carrie
I’m doing the Daniel Fast…started January 1st….and on a whim bought the prechopped butternut squash at our local Walmart thinking I could figure out something to do with it.
So, one morning, when packing my lunch, I grabbed romaine, butternut squash, avocado, cucumber, and balsamic dressing. When combined I decided that I LOVED avocado and butternut squash together. Went to Google. Popped those two ingrediets into a search, and Voila….I ended up here! I made this recipe on Saturday, fed my Mom, fed myself, fed a friend at work, and fed myself half a dozen more times! This chili is AMAZING. Some things I did differently, just based on preference, was I used green pepper, and some hot red chili peppers, chipotle chili powder, about double the amount of cumin, (omitted the cinnamon, because I totally forgot), and used a 29 ounce can of diced tomatoes. This is a Daniel Fast approved recipe (minus the tortillas crisps) and was the most flavorful thing I have eaten in a while. I have not only kept this recipe, but I have given it out to many in the course of the last few days. Thank you for posting! I have a new favorite chili recipe!
Kate
Carrie, I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili recipe and made it work for you! I do love avocado and butternut together, yum.
Kavita
Totally love it. Been wanting to make vegan chilly for a long time now. Thank u. Admire all the effort u put in the website.
Kate
Thank you, Kavita.
Sharon
I made this for the staff appreciation lunch at my daughter’s high school. It was the veggie favorite! I did add more chipotle because we like heat in the southwest. Thank you Kavita!
Kate
Sharon, I’m so glad my chili was a hit at your staff appreciation lunch! Woohoo!
Sarah
Just finished making this. It was fantastic! I can’t wait to eat the leftovers!
Jessica
This chili was uh-mazing! The squash was fantastic, and the saucy part of the chili equally delicious. It’ll be our lunch today & we can’t wait. Thank you!
Kate
So glad you enjoyed the chili, Jessica!
lynn
this looks LOVELY! On my list of “must try soon”…
BTW, you’re blog has been an inspiration to me as I start out on my own food blog adventure. thank you! :-)
~lynn
lynn
oh….if you like chipotles in your chili (and chocolate :))…here is a great chili recipe I picked up in a local foodie mag :-)
http://www.travelynneats.com/2013/02/25/chocolate-chipolte-bison-chili-3/
Chung-Ah | Damn Deli
I’m so ready for butternut squash season – and this chili looks so cozy and comforting!
Jackie
I made this for dinner tonight and it was so yummy!! It tasted great and I wish I could bottle the smell coming from my kitchen while it was cooking. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Kate
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the chili! Thanks for commenting, Jackie!
Kristen
Silly question, but I grabbed a jar of crushed chipotle peppers instead of the peppers in adobe sauce. Will this work in place?
Thanks!
Kate
Are they like red pepper flakes? I’m sure the chili will be great with the crushed peppers. I’m not sure how the heat levels compare between the two, so start with a little bit and add more to taste as the chili simmers.
Lynn
This is wonderful and easy to make! We like butternut squash so I am always looking for more recipes that include it. Thanks.
Kate
Thank you, Lynn! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe!
Melonee Tubb
Just discovered your blog yesterday, made this last night. I cannot wait to try more of your recipes! The hot toddy is next on my list :-D
Kate
Melonee, I’m so glad you are enjoying my blog and your recipes! Thank you!
Christine
I made this last weekend, for the twentieth time overall, and have been enjoying the leftovers for lunch all week. This recipe is well-constructed, and the product is delicious. Thanks for sharing it.
Kate
Thank you, Christine! :)
Christine
I’ve made this twice now & it’s delicious! I made just a couple changes due to personal preference (it’s great as-is); I double the amount of chili powder and add some rough chopped fresh tomatoes as well. Mostly bc I love the super rich taste of chili & I had some extra tomatoes to use up before they went mushy. But seriously, this recipe is amazing. You don’t even miss the meat & the cinnamon/nutmeg add such a dimension w/the squash. Thanks for this!
Hilary
Made this today and I love it! Definitely a recipe to keep. So glad I found your site!! :)
Kate
Thanks, Hilary! I’m glad you enjoyed the chili!
Leigh
I happened upon your website today SO GLAD that I did! I am making this chili as I I type. Perfect weather for a hearty bowl of warming goodness!
I can’t wait to eat it!
Thank you!!
Kate
Oh boy, I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner, Leigh! Welcome to my blog and I hope you enjoyed the chili!
Leigh
Don’t give it another thought… I’ve been happily browsing your site and enjoying other recipes along the way – crispy sweet potato fries… awesome!
Corrie
I just made (and ate) this recipe and I am an instant fan. You’re very talented and I can’t wait to try more recipes on your website. Thank you!
Kate
Thank you, Corrie! So glad you found my website. Hope you enjoy the other recipes that strike your fancy.
tricia
This recipe is seriously the bomb! Husband loves it too (ground turkey on the side for him to add in). The avocado on top takes this from a great recipe to an amazing one! A full avocado on a 1 cup serving is how you intended it, right? ;-) Chili is something I’ve always missed since becoming vegetarian– 2 years ago! thanks for a super tasty replacement!!
Kate
Tricia, so glad you two are enjoying the chili. I fully support your avocado serving size. ;)
Mary Ann
Kate, Hope Cookie is still on the mend. I made your chili this past weekend. Used a bigger butternut squash and added an extra can of tomatoes (used the fire roasted ones),it is grrrrreat! And I mean it. Love, love, love the flavor the avocado brings to it.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Looking forward to trying some of the other recipes in the list.
Mary Ann and 7 collies
Raquel
Make this last night and it turned out awesome! Thanks!
Kate
Hooray!
Raniya
I’ve made this chili twice and I love it! Aside from vegetable prep, it is so easy to prepare. It makes my apartment smell divine, and it tastes delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Kate
Hey Raniya, I’m really happy that you enjoy the chili so much. Thank you for commenting!
Nicole
Thank you for this recipe! I tried it last night and it was delicious, even using sub-par chili powder. I did puree 2-3 cups of the mixture once cooked because I like what it does to the texture :)
Kate
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it. Puréeing a portion of it is a great idea!
Emily
I made this last night and it was absolutely delightful!! Thank you very much for the recipe! I wish I’d read the tips on peeling butternut squash BEFORE making the chilli though. What a nightmare! I will definitely try the trick you used next time! :)
Kate
Thanks, Emily! Glad you enjoyed the chili! Better luck peeling the squash next time. :)
Lia P.
Okay I made this a couple weeks ago but remembered I needed to comment and tell you this was soo good! I don’t think I even made any changes to it….I threw some some sour cream, guac, and cheese on top and it was a perfect lunch.
ALSO your tip about laying leftover chipotles and adobo sauce in a ziploc bag has been amazing. I usually feel bad because I toss out the leftovers but now I’ve been able to use them at will and that’s great. :)
Kate
Thanks, Lia! So glad you loved the chili and that adobo tip. :)
Monique
WOW! Your whole post was fantastic. The meal was delicious. I made no adjustments. AND the link to cutting/peeling butternut squash was just what I needed. I just thought I had no muscles. Thank you Kate!
Kate
Thank you, Monique! I’m delighted that you enjoyed the chili so much.
Gina
I found this recipe on Pinterest and made it for dinner tonight. Delicious!! Can’t wait to try more recipes from your blog!
Kate
Thanks, Gina! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili! Hope you love the other recipes, too. :)
skye
OMG I seriously can not wait to make this next week! My husband will love this (and so will I) – looks delicious! I just love your recipes. We are trying to incorporate more ‘vegetarian’ food in our real-food changeover this year …. this is perfect.
Kate
Thank you, Skye! Hope you both love the chili. It’s been really popular with meat eaters!
Skye
Well, I made this tonight and we loved it. Seriously loved it. For caloric purposes, I divided it into 6 portions as I felt 4 servings were very enormous portions! I used fresh organic adobo instead of chipotle (I missed that ingredient when I food shopped this week!) – the adobo was a nice substitute. I never made fresh corn chips like that before – great idea! So easy too!
Kate
Thanks, Skye! So glad you enjoyed it. I’ve never seen fresh adobo for sale. Bet it was great!
Marsha
All I can say is YUMMY!! Someone went on The Chew and made your recipe.. She did not credit you but it was the same exactly as yours..even the name. I pulled it up on their website and got what I need at the store & when I went to make it the show had pulled it. Ugh…So I went on Pinterest and searched the name of the recipe and low and behold you popped up(thank you very much) and I saw this was posted in 2012. I added some portabella mushrooms(it gave it a meaty flavor), 2 more cans of dark red kidney beans along with the black beans and some veggie stock. We all didn’t miss the meat at all. We seem to be able to get butternut squash here all year long…so This will be something to make many more times…. Thank you Kate… :)
Kate
Marsha, that is exactly what happened! I asked The Chew to link to my site for the full recipe instead of taking the whole page down, but they have not. Regardless, I’m so glad you found my recipe and enjoyed it!
Julie
The Chew did finally put a link. That’s how I found the recipe. Can’t wait to make it on Monday!
Seini
Just made it for a work lunch tomorrow – love it! Thanks for the recipe :)
Kate
Hooray, thanks!
Emma and Carla aka The Merrymaker Sisters
OHHHH seriously! This looks so good… drooling on keyboard! HAHA. Love love love your site! AHH! :) Thanks for the blogger and foodie inspiration. e + c
Cameron
Made this today. I had to add a lot more cumin, and some extra chili powder. I’m from Texas so chili has to be a lot thicker. This one was way to watery, so I added some cornstarch to help. We like spicy, so added some red hots hot sauce or could do jalapenos. The nice thing, is you can add this and that during the cooking process to your liking. When it was finished cooking, I was incredibly happy with the result, especially being a person who likes his meat. You won’t miss the meat in this recipe….
Kate
Thanks, Cameron. I’m glad the chili suited your preferences. I’m from Oklahoma and didn’t think it was too watery, but maybe I cooked mine longer. :)
Cameron
sorry, I probably sounded too critical. It really was great! I have never been very satisfied with a vegetarian type meal as I was with this one. This recipe will be something prepared again in my household and I will definitely try more of your recipes very soon.
Kate
No, thank you, Cameron! I’m glad you enjoyed the chili so much. You might check out the “favorites” link below my header—those recipes are really popular with readers and are pretty hearty as well!
Kalina P.
We came across this recipe over a year ago and I never thought to comment on it. This is our go to chili recipe and honestly it is the only type of chili we make now even though our family eats meat quite regularly. I’ve begun freezing meals since my return to school and was wondering if you have any recommendations for freezing this. Thanks.
(BTW this is one of the few recipes that I follow exactly every time because the flavors are just too perfect to mess with)
Kate
Hey Kalina, thanks for commenting! I’m happy to hear that you’ve been enjoying the chili. I haven’t tried freezing the chili but I think it would be a great candidate for freezing. I like to freeze soups in individual portion mason jars. Just leave plenty of room at the top for liquid expansion and wait to screw on the lid until after it’s frozen. Then you can toss the frozen jar in your lunch box and defrost it in a microwave later.
Amybeth Hurst
Wow, that looks fantastic! We will try this over the weekend. Thank you. Amybeth Hurst, Portland, ME
Kate
Hope you enjoyed the chili, Amybeth!
Sandy
I love my y-shaped vegetable peeler I bought it specifically for peeling butternut squash after I saw Guy Fieri peeling butternut squash with ease with a y-shaped peeler on the Food Network.
It’s one of my favourite kitchen tools.
Marlene
If you also label this as vegan (which it is) you can keep getting more hits!
jacob
This sounds so good. I’m not a vegetarian so I think I might add some ground turkey to the dish. I’ll let you know how it goes. :)
shane
This is great! I made this for a chili cook off at my sons school, the adobe chili was a little to spicy so I added a can of coconut milk and had coconut milk on the side to drizzle on top. I also added 2oz unsweetened chocolate , then adding all that coconut milk make it to soupy so I added 1/4 cup brown rice. It’s a great recipe to start with and then you can add all the extras to make it fit your company. Avo was to expensive for the whole school so I had cilantro and crushed corn chips on the side. It was a big hit and our class came in second, but it was only by two votes. Thank you
shane
Adobo chili not adobe chili LOL and I forgot to rate it.
Kate
Hey Shane, thanks for your great comment! Your coconut milk, chocolate and rice version sounds fantastic! Glad it went over well at school!
Lonni
This is definitely the best chili I have ever made! Thanks for an awesome recipe! I will make this over and over again!
Kate
Yes! Thanks, Lonni!