Easy Roasted Butternut Squash Chili Recipe

This gluten free easy roasted butternut squash chili is a delicious winter warmer, full of flavour and textures, great for sharing.  It is low in fat and ready in under 45 minutes.  

This roasted butternut squash chili is a hearty, delicious and filling.  And it doesn’t need to cook for very long so it makes a great weeknight dinner idea.  Roasting the squash separately rather than cooking it in the chili really brings out all the sweet honey notes in this delicious vegetable. Which offsets the sharp flavour of the tomato sauce.  This vegan chili with butternut squash is a combination of spicy, sweet and sour flavours, which work together really well.

How to prepare the butternut squash

Cut the butternut squash in half along its width, then cut off the end and place the squash on a chopping board. Remove the skin by slicing downwards all the way around the vegetable.  Cut into cubes and discard the seeds.

Add into the chili towards the end of cooking, when the dish is almost ready. (If you cook the squash in the oven as well as in the chili it might get a little too soft and won’t be as tasty).

While the butternut squash is in the oven prepare the chili.

Equipment you’ll need to make butternut squash chili

• Kitchen scales, teaspoon and tablespoon
• Cutting board, knife and potato masher
• Large oven tray with parchment paper
• Large pot and spoon

How to make roasted butternut squash chili: step-by-step

1.Spread the butternut squash cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet, season, drizzle with a little oil and roast in a preheated oven at 200 C until tender and lightly browned.

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2. In the meantime prepare the chili.  Start by frying the onion, garlic, celery and bay leaf with a little oil for a couple of minutes.  Then add the wine and continue cooking for a few more minutes.

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3. Add the beans (plus water from one can) and mash some of them to create a thick sauce.

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4. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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5. Add the roasted squash and cilantro.

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6. Give a gentle stir, adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.

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Top tips

• Roast the butternut squash separately and add into the chili after it’s been cooked.
• I recommend partly mashing the beans for a thicker sauce.
• Adjust the amount of chili powder to suit your taste. I used a moderate amount for a mild chili.
• Serve with chopped avocado and lemon zest (highly recommended!), with rice, quinoa or pita bread, or simply on its own.   It tastes even better the next day so make a big batch to enjoy later!
• Freeze individual portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

More vegetarian butternut squash recipes

If you are looking for more easy butternut squash recipes check out this vegan Mediterranean butternut squash casserole.  It’s a simple one pot dish that works equally well as a healthy family dinner and party food idea.  Another easy meal idea you might like is pasta with butternut squash and arugula.  Check out also quinoa stuffed butternut squash with chestnuts.

You might also like this collection of over 12 healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

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Easy Roasted Butternut Squash Chili

This easy roasted butternut squash chili is a healthy and quick weeknight dinner idea. It is low in fat, vegan and ready in under 45 minutes.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: International

Keyword: butternut squash, chili

Servings: 6 portions

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Ingredients

• 500 g butternut squash peeled, cubed
• 1.5 can kidney beans 600 g, plus water from one can
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 red bell pepper roughly chopped
• 1 green bell pepper roughly chopped
• 1x400 g canned chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp each: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt
• 1/2 tsp allspice powder
• 3 tbsp each: white wine and olive oil plus more oil for drizzling the squash
• 4-5 tbsp cilantro finely chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Arrange the butternut squash pieces in a single layer on a good size baking tray, sprinkle with salt, drizzle with a little oil and bake for 35-40 minutes (or until tender and lightly browned).
• In a large pot heat up the oil, add the bay leaf, garlic, onion and celery and fry over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes stirring often. Add the wine and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the beans (and water from 1 can) and using a potato masher mash them up a little (leave some beans whole). This will thicken the sauce. Add the peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste, all the spices, stir, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the butternut squash and cilantro. Adjust the seasoning as necessary and serve.

Notes

• Roast the butternut squash separately and add into the chili after it's been cooked.
• I recommend partly mashing the beans for a thicker sauce.
• Adjust the amount of chili powder to suit your taste. I used a moderate amount for a mild chili.
• Serve with chopped avocado and lemon zest (highly recommended!), with rice, quinoa or pita bread, or simply on its own.   It tastes even better the next day so make a big batch to enjoy later!
• Freeze individual portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 0mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

RECIPE LINK PARTIES

I am sharing this roasted butternut squash vegan chili recipe with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday. Also sharing with Cook Once Eat Twice, Meat Free Mondays, Fiesta Friday and Saucy Saturdays.