Butternut Squash Chili with Beef and Beans

Delicious Butternut Squash, Bean, and Beef Chili – perfect combination of flavors! Other ingredients include red kidney beans, green bell pepper, corn, garlic, tomatoes – there is really nothing NOT to like in this chili.

I love cooking with butternut squash in the Fall and in the Winter, making the Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna, or Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini, or Black Bean and Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole.

Of course, I could not NOT make chili with butternut squash.  It’s a perfect vegetable to be used in chili.

My whole family loved it, and I will soon be making another large pot of it. It’s very filling, which makes it a perfect “man food” 🙂 and a great choice for dinner or lunch to take to work the next day (which is what I’ve been doing for 2 days in a row now).

I love that this chili is so healthy: it has tons of veggies, minimum amount of fat, it’s made with quality ingredients, and it’s gluten free!

I garnished the chili with a dollop of Greek yogurt and grated cheddar cheese, and everybody agreed that it was even better than topping the chili with sour cream! Talk about healthier toppings!

5 from 1 vote

Print

Butternut Squash Chili with Beef and Beans

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

Healthy, gluten free Butternut Squash, Bean, and Beef Chili - perfect combination of flavors! Other ingredients include red kidney beans, green bell pepper, corn, garlic, tomatoes.  Perfect food during Fall and Winter.  Great recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 437 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 lb butternut squash (1/4 of whole squash, cut into 3/4 inch )cubes, or 2 cups chopped squash
• 1 green bell pepper , chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 15 oz red kidney beans , from the can, rinsed
• 7.5 oz corn , from the can, rinsed
• 28 oz tomatoes from the can (I used peeled tomatoes Cento San Marzano brand)
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt at least

For garnish:

• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese , shredded
• 4 green onions , chopped
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain the ground beef of any fat.
2. To the same pan, add cubed butternut squash, chopped green bell pepper, minced garlic, kidney beans, corn, and canned tomatoes. Use a spoon to break all tomatoes into small bites. Add 2 cups of water. Season with 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and salt to taste (at least 1/2 teaspoon of salt). Mix everything well, and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Cook on low simmer for about 20-25 minutes until squash is tender. Remove from heat. Add extra chili powder, if you want more heat. Season with more salt, if necessary.
3. Serve topped with grated cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and a dollop of Greek yogurt.
4. The chili only gets better the longer it sits. If you let it sit for 2 hours, covered, after cooking, it absorbs all the flavors and tastes much better than if you eat it right after it's cooked. It tastes even better the next day, after being refrigerated overnight.

Nutrition Facts

Butternut Squash Chili with Beef and Beans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 437 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 20g 31%

Saturated Fat 7g 35%

Cholesterol 59mg 20%

Sodium 318mg 13%

Potassium 1267mg 36%

Total Carbohydrates 41g 14%

Dietary Fiber 10g 40%

Sugars 8g

Protein 25g 50%

Vitamin A 196.8%

Vitamin C 66.5%

Calcium 15.4%

Iron 31.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.