Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Chili
Despite what all the big box and department stores might have you thinking, it’s not Christmas yet! What better way to hang on to that fall feeling a little longer than by making a pot of pumpkin and butternut squash chili?
You might be wondering, “butternut squash? That doesn’t say autumn like pumpkin does!” And you’d be right. Stick with me though, and I promise this recipe won’t let you down.
If you’ve ever cooked with a real pumpkin, you know they can be somewhat stringy. They also can be a pain to clean out. (I’m looking at you every pumpkin I ever carved as a child.) Butternut squash is the solution. It is easier to clean out, and also has a much larger flesh to cavity ratio than your average sugar pie pumpkin.
I promise, you won’t be able to taste the difference. (And if you’re wondering where the pumpkin comes in, I’ve substituted a whole can of pumpkin in place of the tomato sauce you would use in a typical red chili.)
Things You’ll Need to Make Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Chili
- A nice big stock pot (Usually I use my dutch oven, but I was baking bread as well. Any stock pot will do, though I recommend staying away from non-stick for many reasons.)
- A cutting board, knife, something to sauté the meat with, a spoon
Get Your Chili Ingredients Ready
Cooking always seems to go smoother when you prep your ingredients first. Then, all you have to do is add ingredients to the pot at the appropriate time.
Dice the onion and mince your garlic. This recipe uses both fresh and granulated garlic. They add different depths of flavor to the chili, so I strongly recommend using both. However, if you don’t have fresh garlic available you can just add a bit more garlic powder. (Though, if you don’t have fresh garlic, you really should be growing your own.)
Clean out and peel the butternut squash. I used a small one for this recipe because that’s what we like. You could use more or less depending on your preference.
Cut the squash into 1/2 to 1 inch cubes. (Again, depending on your preference.)
Cooking the Chili
Add a generous amount of a neutral cooking oil, like canola, to your pot over medium heat. Cook the diced onions until browned to your liking. We use an organic, non-gmo canola oil, as rapeseed can be a heavily sprayed crop.
When the onions are ready, add your meat of choice and brown.
We have a subscription for a mixed meat box from a local rancher, and get what we get. This time I made it with ground pork and it was delicious! You could also use beef, turkey, chicken, or leave the meat out all together.
Once the meat is cooked through and browned to your liking, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Next, add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Add water to your desired consistency and simmer on low until the butternut squash is fork tender. Stir occasionally.
Resist the urge to use stock or broth instead of water. You want to preserve the flavor of the pumpkin puree and the spices.
Not pictured here is a square of 90% dark chocolate I added once the chili was simmering. The chocolate adds a subtle rich depth of flavor to the chili.
Serve with splash of lime and toppings of your choice. We served ours with sour cream, diced onions, and chopped cilantro. I also added some lightly crushed corn chips to mine for a satisfying crunch.
Even if you like your chili plain, don’t skip the lime. Adding a splash of an acid to your food helps to bring the flavors together.
Serve with a veggie and a side of homemade corn bread for a warm and delicious fall meal.
Recipe
Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Chili
Equipment
- Stock pot
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Spoon or spatula to stir
Ingredients
- 2 cans kidney beans double this if making vegan or vegetarian
- 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 1 lb ground meat beef, pork, turkey, or chicken
- 1 medium diced yellow onion
- 2-4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 small butternut squash (cubed)
- 1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
- 1 can (15oz) diced tomatoes
- 4 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garlic granules or powder
- 1 tsp onion granules or powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper more or less to taste
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves heaping
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg scant
- 1 square dark chocolate we used 90% dark
- Water amount will vary based on desired consistency
Instructions
- Add oil to the pot and heat on medium heat.
- Add diced onions and sauté until lightly browned.
- Add ground meat and cook throughly until slightly browned.
- Add minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, cover with desired amount of water, and simmer on low until squash cubes are fork tender.
Notes
Variations
- To make this chili vegan, leave out the meat. To bulk up the chili, add additional beans and/or butternut squash. You could also substitute the meat with a textured soy protein or lentils.
- Use sugar pie pumpkin instead of the butternut squash for a true pumpkin chili.
- You could also use any other type of winter squash you prefer.
- Substitute black beans for the kidney beans for a black bean and pumpkin chili.
- Don’t think beans belong in chili? I beg to differ, but go ahead and leave the beans out altogether. I’d recommend adding more meat, more squash, or more of both.
Topping Suggestions
Chili is made infinitely better with the addition of toppings.
Some topping choices might include:
- Lime (Don’t skip this one, it brings the flavors together!)
- Diced red onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Sour cream (Dairy free if making vegan)
- Greek yogurt
- Crushed tortilla chips (adds a delightful crunch)
- Corn bread (if you like your corn bread in your chili instead of on the side)
- Nacho jalapeños
- Sliced jalapeños
- Cheese
- Salsa
While I cook most of our meals from scratch, and don’t follow prewritten recipes for a lot of what I make, this is the first recipe that is truly mine. Let me know if the comments below if you’d like to read more about how I cook here on the homestead or if I should create more recipes of my own.
