YES! Another cozy family weekday meal! A vegan, gluten free nutrient-packed Mexican inspired meal that everybody in the family loves. This hearty butternut squash red bean and chickpea chili hits the spot!
This hearty chili is an easy 1-pot meal that is ready within half an hour. And 1-pot meal means less dishes after dinner. SWOON!
How to make this hearty butternut squash red beans and chickpea chili?
Before I start, this chili can be totally vegan or you can add ground turkey or chicken. The only difference is you brown the turkey/chicken before you add the onion and garlic. The rest of the recipe is the same. So if you are vegan or not, this butternut squash red beans and chickpea chili is for you!
So if I make this chili with ground turkey or chicken, I start by browning that in a stock pot. I heat up the pot with a bit of avocado oil and, once hot, I add the ground turkey/chicken.
Now, the rest of the recipe is the same for both the vegan and poultry chili. I add the onion and garlic to the pot and give it a good stir. Once the onion is translucent, I add the condiments: bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, and a bit of ground chipotle to give flavor to the chili.
Now I add the butternut squash, red beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, veggie or chicken stock and optionally a table spoon of maple syrup (this elevates all the flavors!). Once the chili is boiling, I reduce the heat to low and leave it to simmer for 20-25 minutes for the butternut squash to get tender.
I taste the chili. Is the butternut squash tender? Does it need more seasoning? I add and adjust if necessary and then this butternut squash red bean and chickpea chili is ready!
Eat it as it is or serve it with brown rice. My kids even like it with noodles! Oh and, garnish it with cubed avocado, sour cream or greek yogurt a sprinkle of freshly chopped coriander leaves and a bit of grated (vegan) cheese.
Tips and tricks for picky eaters
My boys, 8 and 10, are still very picky when it comes to ‘combined food’. What’s that? When you can see different ingredients in your food. So they might like beans, squash, carrots, onions, but it all combined in a soup or stew they cringe their noses. So to keep this a meal that everybody likes, I blend part of it at the end so my boys like it as well.
So when the chili is ready, I transfer a portion for the kids to a different sauce pan and use a submergible blender to blend the chili smooth. That’s all, everybody happy.
I tell them at the dinner table that we are actually all having the same meal, but that I blended it for them. The first step to get them to eat ‘the real chili’. Second step is to not blend it completely. What I also do sometimes is set a few ingredients aside (f.e. beans and ground chicken) and add that to the blended chili. Little by little that’ll get them to eat this hearty butternut squash red bean and chickpea chili without the use of a blender.
We all love this hearty butternut squash, red bean and chickpea chili (blended version or OG). We hope you do too. It is
filled with wholesome ingredients – warming you up on a cold winter’s night – full of flavor – and SO delicious!
Hearty butternut squash, red bean and chickpea chili
Equipment
- (Submergible) blender (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb ground turkey or chicken (optional, if you want to add meat to it. This recipe doesn't need it though. The vegan version is equally delicious!)
- 1 medium size onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- ½ tbsp ground oregano
- ½ tbsp ground paprika
- 1-3 tsp ground chipotle (optional but recommended, even if it is just a little bit)
- 2 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups tomatoes (cubed. You can also use a can of diced tomatoes, a can of fire roasted tomatoes or use my
oven roasted tomato sauce*) - 2 cups butternut squash (cubed)
- 1 ¾ cup cups red beans (made from scratch** or canned)(or sub black beans)
- 1 can chickpeas (drained)
- 1¾ cups vegetable broth (from scratch*** or store bought)(or sub chicken broth)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional, but recommend for extra depth of flavor)
Garnishing
- a dollop (vegan) yogurt/ sour cream
- ½ avocado (cubed)
- 1 cup grated (vegan) cheese
- lime wedges (serve on the side)
Instructions
- Heat up the avocado oil in a large stock pot and add the ground turkey or chicken. If you are keeping it vegan, immediately add the onion and garlic. Break up the ground turkey or chicken and stir to brown. Once brown add the onion and garlic.The recipe is the same for both meat and vegan from here on.
- Add the condiments; bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika, chipotle, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Now add the tomatoes, butternut squash, red beans, chickpeas, maple syrup and broth to the pot. Bring the chili to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the butternut squash is tender. Taste the chili and adjust if necessary with salt, pepper, other condiments or even a bit more maple syrup.
- For picky eater: blend the chili until smooth.
- Serve the chili with brown rice (or not.. whatever you prefer) and garnish with (vegan) yogurt/ sour cream, avocado cubes and/or grated (vegan) cheese. And some lime wedges on the side.
Notes
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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