Butternut Squash Chili Recipe

While the weather is still chili (it snowed where I live Friday night), I wanted to share my favorite chile recipe. I've been making this chili for 18 years and everybody loves it! The recipe makes enough for leftovers, which I put in the freezer for another dinner.

Butternut Squash Chili

From Parade Magazine, January 24, 1993

Yield 8 servings

Category Main Course

Cuisine Healthy, Vegan

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves, crushed garlic

2 red peppers, 1/2 inch diced

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp cumin

1/4 tsp allspice

1 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano (3 - 4 Tbsp fresh)

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 (28 oz) cans diced plum tomatoes

1/2 C dry red wine

1 lrg butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

Salt and pepper to taste

2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large pot on medium. Add onions, garlic and red peppers. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are cooked.

2. Add the chili powder, cumin, allspice, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat vegetables witih spices.

3. Add tomatoes with their juices, red wine, diced butternut squash and orange zest. Bring all the ingredients to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. 

4. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings.

5. Add kidney beans and fold in gently. Cook 10 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in chopped cilantro and parsley.

You'll love the sweet flavor the butternut squash gives to this delicious chili. Nothing prevents adding some ground beef or turkey to this recipe, which I did on one occasion for our meat-loving friends.

Enjoy!