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!
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: 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!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Wendy Rasmussen
Soooo yummy!! One of my new favorites, for sure.
★★★★★
Jessi
I made this for about 12 friends for a party at my place last night and it was a huge hit! I quadrupled the recipe and played around with the spices a little bit (always more garlic!) but I’m so pleased with how it turned out. We sprinkled some shredded cheddar to the final product and what a masterpiece!
★★★★★
Rob clements
Made this last night. WOW, tasted amazing.
★★★★★
Debi Petersen
Can you freeze the butternut chili?
★★★★★
Kate
It should freeze well!
Ashley
Hello!
What would be the chipotle powder/paprika amount be as a substitute for Adobo sauce – I ran out!
Best,
Ashley
Kate
Hey Ashley! Start at 1 1/2 teaspoons, and add more if desired.
Ashley
Thank you! I also saw a mention of your website in this morning’s Morning Brew email – congrats!
https://www.morningbrew.com/daily/latest
Kate
How cool is that! Thanks so much for letting me know. :)
Kavita
Hi Kate, would it work if I used sweet potato in place of the butternut squash? I don’t have any squash in my kitchen right now! Thanks!
P.S. I’ve made this recipe before (from your cookbook) and loved it so much!
★★★★★
Kate
I think sweet potatoes would be great! So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed this one.
WinS
Do you know if this freezes well?
Kate
I believe this one does! I haven’t tried it, but I believe other readers have.
Sarah
Made this for dinner tonight with a few changes to accommodate ingredients on hand. It was absolutely fabulous! Will definitely make again! I did find that we needed more beans because I like lots of beans.
★★★★★
MJ
By far the most flavorful chili recipe I’ve made to date. Love the addition of cinnamon. I never would have though to add taht, but it complemented the flavors amazingly well! 1 tbsp of the peppers added just enough heat without overpowering the flavor. I might try a touch more next time as I like things with a little extra kick.
Any thoughts on carrots or zucchini for those who want a little extra vegetable matter in their meals?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Mj! Carrots could be nice. Just add carrots in when you saute the onion. I hope this helps!
Ashley
Is it possible to use frozen sweet potatoes (it has added brown sugar) and maybe some extra green peppers instead of the butternut squash? The pre-chopped fresh squash I bought went bad very quickly.
★★★★★
Kate
Hey Ashley! Sweet potatoes would be a great substitute for the squash. I’m just not sure about the brown sugar component. Could you perhaps rinse some of that off?
Ashley
Thanks Kate! It was frozen sweet potato so I couldn’t really get the brown sugar sauce off but it turned out pretty good! At the end it had bit more liquid than expected (I think due to the frozen aspect) but still tastes good!
Jolene
Hi Kate. I’ve been following your blog for a while now and love your recipes. Your sweet potato black bean enchiladas are fantastic; the Thai red curry, delicious; and the super veggie fried rice, super! I needed to cook a butternut that had been sitting in my kitchen for weeks, and I couldn’t think of anything interesting to make until I chanced upon this chili recipe. I didn’t have chipotle pepper or chili powder, so I used what I had: 1 teaspoon of smoky chipotle paste and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (blasphemy, I know!). It certainly doesn’t taste anything like yours, but it turned out delicious!! It’s one of the most flavourful chilis I’ve ever eaten. We ate it with white rice, and it went down a treat. Thank you for these amazing recipes. You make me enjoy cooking veggie food
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Jolene! I’m happy you have been a follower for so long. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this recipe!
Do No
One of the best chilis that I’ve ever had. My husband agreed. The ONLY “change” that I made was to top it with shredded jack cheese. So good!!
★★★★★
Hayley
Curious as to whether pre-cut, frozen butternut squash would work? Unfortunately its not butternut squash season, yet with the rain in my hometown the past few weeks it feels like chili season!
Kate
Hi Hayley! Yes, that should work too. It may be a little softer, but I believe others have tried it and liked it. Let me know what you think!
Jenni
This is hands down the best chili I’ve EVER eaten. I used crushed tomatoes instead of diced (my hubby doesn’t like chunks of tomatoes) and MOST IMPORTANTLY I made my black beans from Kate’s ‘from scratch black bean’ recipe on this site. I doubt I will ever buy canned black beans again. I added dried oregano and thyme (just because why not) and diced avocado and shredded cheese to the finished product. Subbed trisquit crackers in place of the tortilla chips for added whole grain goodness. I wish I had doubled the recipe to freeze, but here in NY winter will come too soon and I plan to make this again and again. Thanks Kate!
★★★★★
Jan
So grateful for your recipe!! Loved the combination of flavors! Just made this with a 4lb squash that’s been sitting on my counter for weeks, that our local farm delivered! I wanted something besides soup as it’s too hot & they also brought 2avocados Housebound limits my options I had grain free Cassava chips I was saving so this was a real treat! I used smoked paprika & Chipolte powder instead of Chipolte in adobo sauce. I gave it a 10+ hubby had seconds & he’s not vegetarian! Thx
★★★★★
Amber
I am so excited to try this recipe out but I’m super interested in trying it out in the crockpot. I just wanted to clarify that I put all ingredients into the crockpot before cooking? Thanks :)
Kate
Hi Amber! I think this is best when everything is added in as the instructions state for maximum flavor. If you plan to do this in a crock pot, I would still recommend to cook the vegetables as listed.
Honey
Made this chili today. Love it! I really like heat, so I upped the Adobe sauce a little, as well as the chili powder. Did mash it a good bit at the end to thicken it. I put a dollop of plain no fat Greek yogurt, some fat free cheddar cheese, and a generous squeeze of lime on my bowl right before I ate it. Chili heaven! I like the tortilla strips(have made them for another recipe)but I was lazy. Next time I will do them.
Thanks for your blog and your cookbook!! I’m a huge fan!
Honey
★★★★★
Samantha
Thanks for this recipe, so delicious and healthy! I usually eat plant based meals, and I looove how the squash gave the same heartiness to the chili that meat normally provides. To top it off, the cinnamon and chipotle flavors were so fallish and such a good complement. Can’t wait to make this one again :)
★★★★★
Kate
Making this again tomorrow, it’s so satisfying and delicious. I tell all of my friends to check out the site and cookbook. Love your soups!!
★★★★★
Jen D
Great rich, smoky flavor! Do you have the base calorie info, without the tortilla strips? Is the avocado included in your calculation?
Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Jen! Everything listed in the ingredients is included in the nutritional information.
kiley
LOVE this chili, this is my third time making it and my favorite chili recipe I have ever made. Definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
Lauri
My family loves this chili! I make it regularly, as I do with many of your delicious recipes.
★★★★★
Kim
This is our absolutely favorite chili recipe. Even my meat eating husband loves it! So great to have a vegan recipe that everyone enjoys. It’s the best!!! I think the chipotle in adobo sauce and the cinnamon are key ingredients.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review, Kim! I’m happy you love it.
Robin
This sounds amazing! Except…I’m not a huge fan of black beans. Would it be possible to swap the black beans for lentils? Or is there some other swap that might be fitting?
Kate
Hi Robin! you could try it, or pinto beans could work well.
Peter
what do you think about roasting the Butternut squash (as in your other recipe), and add once the Bell peppers are almost done?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Peter, I like this best as written.
Lynn Muniz
My husband…non vegan absolutely loved this recipe, as did I. He kept saying how fresh this tastes! Thank you again for another stellar recipe. You never disappoint
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited that is the case! Thank you for your review, Lynn.
Anita
I have a comment/question for you Kate. My partner is sensitive to spice. So I started with 1/2 a Tablespoon of chilli powder (instead of a full Tbsp), 1 tsp of cumin, and substituted smoked paprika (1.5 teaspoon) as suggested instead of the Chipotle in adobo sauce.
When it was finished cooking, I kept adding more chilli powder and smoked paprika because it lacked something. My question – because I am adding extra spices at the end of cooking, it’s really not the same as adding them in the beginning right? This morning, I added red pepper flakes, which made up for the “something” I was missing.
Be sure to make Kate’s cornbread too! The link she provides for the muffin tins are fantastic as well.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Anita, yes adding spices at the end vs the beginning can impact the end result since there isn’t as much time for them to meld into the dish. I’m sorry this one wasn’t a hit! Thanks for sharing you like my cornbread.
Martha
Hi Anita, I also used smoked paprika instead of the chipotle sauce and found something was lacking at the end and turned out it was salt it needed not spice. I added two pinches of salt at the end and that really elevated all the flavours. I used only 1/4 tsp chilli powder as my husband also doesn’t like things too hot, plus the 1+1/2 tsp smoked paprika Kate recommends. My guess is the chipotle sauce she used already had salt in it, hence if you’re omitting that you might need a dose of salt.
I give this 5 stars – it was delicious and my husband said he likes it even more than the other chilli I make! Which is great as this was way easier to make than the other one! Thanks Kate!
★★★★★
Anita from Vancouver, BC
HI Martha (and Kate…pls comment)
Thanks for that suggestion of salt. As a result of your email Martha, I decided to try making it again. The weather is suppose to be crappy for the next few days, so I will be in the mood for chilli. The chilli is in it’s last hour of simmering now. Hopefully it will taste good because as it turned out, I tinkered with the amount of garlic, chilli powder and smoked paprika because of what I had. I used sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash which I read in the comments that should be ok.
Kate – I decided to follow your instructions of how to make black beans from scratch and add them to the chilli. I wondered since I added onions, garlic, cumin etc while cooking the black beans, and these are also ingredients for the chilli, then I wondered if that was right, as I am doubling up on these ingredients. Was I suppose to do that? When it came time to add the cooked beans to the chilli, I drained them as best as I could. Well, I am happy to report I think it tastes quite good!
I bought your book and it came a couple of days ago. So excited to try more recipes :-) I already made the risotto with cherry tomatoes
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m happy that you found a reader comment helpful to make this suit what you were looking for. I think if you liked the end result, that’s what matters!
Martha
Hi Anita glad you gave it another go and that you think it tastes good!
On my second time making this I added 1/2 tsp salt at the start when frying the onions peppers and sweet potato, instead of adding salt at the end, and it was perfect for me. Can’t wait to cook it for friends.
Romana
This came out amazing! I used a whole adobo pepper and pureed some of the soup and added it back in to make the chili a little thicker. Definitely a keeper!!
★★★★★
Jeanne
This was perfect for tonight’s snowy weather and so very delicious! Even my hubby liked it. Thrilled to have leftovers. Thx for sharing your craft!
★★★★★
Condy
Made this last night. I was worried, as my husband isn’t a very “adventurous” eater. He also isn’t a “spicy” food person, and I used my homemade chipotles in adobo, which has quite a kick to it. He LOVED it! Of course I loved it, too, but I knew I would. His comment? “You can make this for dinner Anytime!” WIN!
Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad he loved this one, Condy.
Tina
This is a keeper! I used avocado oil instead of olive oil, and increased the cumin to 1 tablespoon. Cilantro is a must! For additional toppings I included grated cheese, roasted tomatillos, and sour cream. I can’t wait until we can have company again so I can serve this hearty vegetarian meal to my friends.
★★★★★
Mary Alice Sparks
I don’t want to mess with butternut squash so I always substitute sweet potatoes. Love this recipe!
★★★★★
Jill
So good! I am never disappointed with any of Cookie and Kate’s recipes, but this was so good for a cold night.
★★★★★
Kate
That makes me so delighted to hear that, Jill! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Kat
Four stars only because I did have to fiddle with the recipe a bit to suit my tastes, but this is definitely a solid one, especially if you, too have a pile of late season CSA squash on the counter. I used one can each of black beans and dark red kidney beans, added about a teaspoon of coriander, and used a small red onion and a small cooking onion because the first red onion I cut into was rotten inside. I added hot sauce at the table rather than upping the chipotle because I was feeding kids, but if I was just making this for me I’d use a whole tablespoon of chipotle up front. I’ll definitely make this again!
★★★★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it and it wasn’t just right. Thank you for your feedback, Kat!
Annarose
This was the best chili I ever tasted. Nice heat and awesome flavor. Gave my coworkers a taste and they made it the next day! Great recipe Kate! Say hi to Cookie!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you think so, Anna! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Anna
I just received your cookbook for Christmas and this was the first recipe I made. So delicious and easy! My family did not miss the meat at all!
★★★★★
Becky Beerling
I had a butternut squash from my CSA I needed to use, this was the perfect dish to use that little guy in so yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
KD
Made this today with a few alterations and it was FANTASTIC! I asked my significant other about making it because he’s not big on squash. He agreed only because he didn’t think we actually had butternut squash and we had a good laugh. BUT he thoroughly enjoyed it and the “unique” flavor of the squash.
I only used ground Chipotle chili powder (2 1/2 TSP), added in dried cilantro, balsamic vinegar and 2+ TSP brown sugar. Skipped the red bell peppers and used a sweet onion, instead of a red. Cooked it in a crockpot for 4 hrs, but didn’t add the squash right away and they cooked to perfection. Easy to make and definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, KD! Thank you for sharing.
Oriana
This is really a winner. One of my favorite chillis, and so nice with avocado on top. You regularly blend a portion of your soup and it makes them so comforting and flavourful. Thank you for all the care you give to your recipes.
Bev
I’ve been making more vegetarian meals to be more healthy, hoping my husband wouldn’t complain. I decided to start with soups and came across your great selection of soups which all looked delicious. So, I started with your Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili w/Avocado. My husband told me, “This is a keeper!” :) That says it all! I’m passing this recipe on to my daughter, daughter in-law, and friends as it’s that good. I’ll be trying all of your soups, so stay tuned . . .
★★★★★
Kate
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Bev.
Janice
I haven’t made this in a while because I always default to your vegetarian chili recipe (it’s my fave), but I made this last night from your cookbook, and it was so delicious! I had forgotten how good this was. The combo of spice and sweet is so good. This may be taking your other veggie chili’s place for the rest of the winter. :)
★★★★★
Kate
Love that! Thank you for sharing, Janice!
Gerry
The above recipe was AMAZING! It has a great flavour with some heat to it. The tortillas also dd a nice crunch. It is a lovely treat to make a dish my vegan daughter can enjoy as well as my daughter who eats GF. Thank you for sharing your talents. I look forward to trying more of your tasty recipes.
★★★★★
Barb Cerny
absolutely wonderful chili!Add more adobo chili if you like hotter.
WE LOVED THIS!
★★★★★
Lily
Hi! I was thinking about making this recipe, but I have a bag of frozen cubed kabocha squash. Do you think I would be able to substitute that for the butternut squash? Or do you think the taste/texture would be too different?
Kate
I wish I could be of more help, but I’m not sure without trying it.
Yolanda
What makes the fat content so high?
Kate
Hi Yolanda, I find this recipe delicious and well rounded. Avocado is a significant source.
Whitney Jones
So delicious! This chili is really hits the spot and is so filling!
★★★★★
Tim carey
I made this recipe for my son and vegetarian daughter-in-law so they would have more time with their newborn daughter. It was a hit! Also in my house, my wife insisted I make another batch. I’m diabetic so too many carbs for me but it is really luscious. I used chipotle salsa not chipotle in adobo. Not as a hot. I used 2-3 tablespoons each time.
★★★★★
Jen
Tried this recipe few days ago, WOW. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Michel
It was the best I ever had. I did not have chipotle, but I did have some chipotle chili powder. I added just s tsp and a half. I roasted the butternut squash and a bulb of garlic and threw it all in and I did not taste test. It was so hot I was crying. Used a whole bunch of methods to TAKE DOWN THE heat. It did not really alter the flavor. It was amazing. Love your recipes
★★★★★
Kate
Best ever, that’s awesome! Thank you for your review, Michel.
Charley
would it work ok if i used pumpkin instead of butternut squash?
Kate
Hi, You could try it. I don’t find pumpkin itself offers all that much flavor. Let me know what you think!