To all the “meat-and-potatoes” people reading this— I know you’re out there— despite the fact that this chili is completely meatless, you’ll want to eat it all. Even my mother, who doesn’t believe that vegetarianism should be a thing, had to compliment this chili. It’s nutritious, delicious, easy to make, cozy, and a great option during the winter for those who like to try to eat with the seasons (butternut squash is a winter squash and BONUS, it stays good for weeks on your shelf!)
Cookware Needed:
- Large pot
- Large/sharp knife
- Vegetable peeler
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- Small butternut squash (1.5 lbs or smaller)
- 2 cans of black beans
- 1 red onion
- 2 bell peppers (any color will do, red is delish but green adds a bit more color diversity)
- 1 can of diced tomatoes + juice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- Salt, to taste
- 2 c. vegetable broth
Optional garnishes:
- Avocado slices
- Tortilla strips
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh mozzarella
How To Make:
- Peel the UNCOOKED butternut squash with the veggie peeler, and then slice it into small cubes (shoot for ½ an inch, you can go smaller if you want a more bite-sized chili). I’ve found that the easiest way to peel the squash is to cut both ends off first so that it sits flat on the counter while you peel it.
- When you’re finished cubing the squash, dice the bell pepper and red onion.
- Add all of these ingredients, plus the olive oil, to the pot and cook over medium heat until the onions are a little see-through.
- Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and simmer until the squash is tender (about an hour).
- Taste it to make sure the chili’s seasoning meets your standards and add a little extra seasoning if necessary.
- Serve and garnish with your favorite option (the avocado is amazing) and devour. You can also freeze a portion of this chili and pull it out the next time you get a hankering for it if you don’t think you’ll finish it all before it goes bad. It’s awesome for meal prepping!
*Recipe adopted & adapted from http://cookieandkate.com/2012/butternut-squash-chipotle-chili-with-avocado/
