This Easy Butternut Squash Chili recipe is made with red or black beans, turkey or ground beef, and homemade chili seasoning. Feel free to roast your squash for added flavor! Top the chili with sour cream, avocado, or crackers.
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Butternut squash can typically be found in most grocery stores year-round, but many prefer to consume it throughout the fall. It’s the perfect nutrient-dense food to add to soups and chili.
How to Cut and Prepare the Squash
- Start by cutting the stem and the bottom off the squash.
- Use a vegetable peeler and remove the skin from the squash.
- From there, slice the squash in half horizontally.
- Scoop out the inside flesh and seeds.
Can You Eat Butternut Squash Seeds
Yes! The seeds actually have nutritional value. You can eat them just like you would pumpkin seeds.
Do You Have to Peel It?
You can eat the skin, so there’s no need to peel it, if you don’t want to. Simply halve it, scoop out the seeds and chop it into chunks. Peeling is a matter of preference. You can also grab peeled butternut squash in the refrigerated produce section of stores like Trader Joe’s.
Is Butternut Squash Healthy?
It’s technically a fruit. Butternut squash is low in calories but high in nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium. A one-cup serving of cooked butternut squash provides more than 450% of the Recommended Daily intake for vitamin A and over 50% of the RDI for vitamin C.
Key Ingredients
- Butternut Squash
- Homemade Chili Seasoning
- Red Bell Peppers
- Green Bell Peppers
- Onions
- Garlic
- Ground Beef or Turkey
- Beans
- Corn
- Tomato Paste
- Broth
How to Make Butternut Squash Chili With Turkey or Beef
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Heat a pot on medium-high heat. When hot, add olive oil, chopped onions, green peppers, and red peppers.
- Saute for a few minutes until the veggies are soft.
- Add in the minced garlic.
- Add in the ground beef.
- Season the beef with the chili spices and seasoning.
- Add broth, beans, corn, diced tomatoes and chilies, tomato paste, and cubed sweet potatoes to the pot.
- Simmer.
How to Substitute Beef
You can use ground turkey, ground chicken, ground beef, whatever you like, or omit the meat.
How to Use Roasted Butternut Squash
I like to use the air fryer if I’m going to make roasted butternut squash for the chili. Check out my Air Fryer Butternut Squash here. It tastes so much better!
If using the oven, slice it up and bake the squash for 25-30 minutes on 400 degrees.
How to Make it in a Slow Cooker or Crockpot
You will have to cook your ground beef first on stovetop. Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker or Crockpot and cook for 4-5 hours on High or 7-8 hours on Low.
What to Top the Chili With/Toppings Ideas
- Tortilla Strips
- Avocado
- Seeds from the squash
- Heavy cream or Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt (plain)
- Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- Chives
- Crackers
- Croutons
How Long it Will Last in the Fridge
It will last tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warm.
Freezer Tips
This is a great freezer meal! It works wonderfully for meal prep. I freeze the soup using these soup molds from Amazon. The soup will freeze for up to several months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Pair With These Recipes
Homemade Southern Cornbread
Cornbread Muffins
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Honey Cornbread
Air Fryer Cornbread
Pumpkin Cornbread
Keto Low Carb Cornbread
Southern Cornbread Dressing
More Chili Recipes
Slow Cooker Chili Mac and Cheese
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Keto Low Carb Beef Chili
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Pumpkin Chili
Sweet Potato Chili
Leftover Turkey Chili
Creamy Seafood Chili
Buffalo Chicken Chili
Chili Cheese Fries
Easy Butternut Squash Chili With Turkey or Beef
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup chopped green peppers
- 1/2 cup chopped red peppers
- 2-3 garlic cloves Minced.
- 1 pound ground beef
- 30 oz canned chili beans Drained. I used 2 15oz cans.
- 15 oz corn Canned, fresh, or frozen.
- 15 oz canned diced tomatoes and chilis Drained.
- 1/2 cup broth Beef, Chicken, Vegetable, etc.
- 4 cups butternut squash Peeled and seeded chopped into cubes about 1/2-1 inch thick.
- 6 oz canned tomato paste
Homemade Chili Seasoning (You can also use a store-bought chili packet if you wish).
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper Optional for spicy.
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large stock pot on medium high heat. When hot, add the olive oil, chopped onions, green peppers, and red peppers.
- Saute for a few minutes until the veggies are soft.
- Add in the minced garlic and stir.
- Add in the ground beef. Use a meat chopper and break down the ground beef.
- Season the beef with the chili spices and seasoning. Stir until the ground beef has fully cooked or for about 5-6 minutes. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
- Add the broth, beans, corn, diced tomatoes and chilies, tomato paste, and cubed squash to the pot. Stir.
- Adjust the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and allow the chili to simmer until the squash is soft, for about 35-40 minutes. Check in every 10 minutes and stir.If using cooked and roasted squash the cook/simmer time is only 15-20 minutes.
- Cool before serving.
Notes
- You can use ground turkey, ground chicken, ground beef, whatever you like, or omit the meat.
- You can use any beans you prefer for this recipe.
- Instead of making your own seasoning, you can use a chili packet if you wish.
- Feel free to add sugar or sweetener to the chili if you like it sweet.
- This recipe has not been tested with an Instant Pot.