Butternut Squash and Black Bean Turkey Chili
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Turkey Chili recipe. A ground turkey butternut squash chili made with black beans and kidney beans, and seasoned with paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, and cumin. It is an easy Fall comfort food chili.
Anyone else as excited about chili season as I am?!
This butternut squash and black bean chili is cozy comfort food in a bowl and a delicious way to incorporate butternut squash into your diet.
Butternut squash is a great source of vitamins A and C. It also brings a seasonal element of Fall to the chili. Give me all of this delicious and nutritious chili!
I like to eat fruits and veggies when they are in season. So when Fall hits, I try to add butternut squash to my recipes.
I love it in salads, soups, and chili.
This healthy butternut squash chili is one of my go-to recipes when it is butternut squash season.
Ingredients needed to make Butternut Squash and Black Bean Turkey Chili:
- onion– fresh onion or shallots both work here.
- garlic– adds great flavor to the meat in this recipe.
- olive oil-extra virgin olive oil works or avocado oil as well.
- red pepper flakes– use this if you want extra heat in your recipe.
- bell pepper– you can use red, orange or yellow bell peppers here.
- ground turkey– I like using regular ground turkey but feel free to use lean ground turkey if you prefer.
- salt– Himalayan salt or sea salt works great in cooking
- pepper– ground black pepper adds heat.
- paprika– ground paprika adds a warmth to the recipe.
- chili powder– another spice that adds heat. Use more or less based on your taste.
- oregano– fresh or dried.
- cinnamon– this adds more of a Fall feel to the recipe.
- cumin– a classic chili recipe spice.
- tomato paste– adds a concentrated tomato taste.
- strained tomatoes and chopped tomatoes- adds the tomato base needed for this chili.
- water
- butternut squash ( either whole, or pre-cut )
- I like buying bags of pre-cut butternut squash because it is easier and faster, but feel free to cut and cube a butternut squash yourself if you want to.
- black beans and kidney beans– I like using a variety of beans in my chili for texture and flavor.
How to make it:
- Sauté the garlic, onion, and red pepper in a large pot.
- Add the ground turkey to the pan, along with the tomato paste, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, oregano, cinnamon and some of the chili powder.
- Add the strained and chopped tomatoes, water, beans, cubed butternut squash, and more chili powder.
- Simmer for 25- 30 minutes. Basically until the squash is tender but not mushy.
Tip: Keep an eye on your butternut squash by stabbing it with a knife while it cooks to see if it has reached your preferred texture.
FAQs:
Yes! You can use ground beef, ground bison, or ground chicken. Really any sort of ground meat of your choice.
Yes you can. Just skip the step where you sauté them in a pan and add the onion powder and garlic powder to the ground turkey in the pan.
Yup. It is naturally Gluten-free and Dairy-free.
No. Beans aren’t Paleo, and this recipe is made using canned beans. However you could omit them to keep this recipe Paleo. I would just add sweet potatoes or something to add more heartiness to the recipe.
Yes! Follow this recipe exactly up until the ground turkey is browned. Then put the turkey, along with all the rest of the ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 7 hours.
How to serve it:
(1) Add toppings!
You can add LOTs of toppings to your chili…for example…
- avocado
- plantain chips
- cheddar or vegan cheese
- diced apples
- hot sauce
- sour cream
(2) Use the chili as a topping.
You can also serve your chili on top of other foods. This butternut squash and black bean chili is great to add on top of…
- baked potatoes
- scrambled eggs
- nachos
- rice
I like adding it to rice, along with peppers to give it a stuffed peppers vibe.
The possibilities here are really endless!
How to store:
- To store: put in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- To freeze: put in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: reheat in the microwave or stovetop. If reheating from frozen, let the chili thaw in the fridge overnight first.
Other yummy chili recipes you may enjoy:
This Apple Sage Turkey Chili (Gluten-Free) is a Fall favorite of mine, with fresh apples and turkey.
If I’m in the mood for chicken, I love this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Vegetable Chili. It cooks itself and is delish!
I love this Instant Pot Beef and Sweet Potato Chili. Its a quick and easy chili recipe.
This Pumpkin Chili by One Lovely Life has great chili flavor with a hint of pumpkin!
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1/2 of an onion diced (or 1 tsp dried onion powder)
- 4 cloves garlic diced (or 1 tsp dried garlic powder)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 3 teaspoons chili powder divided
- 3/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cups strained tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 cups diced butternut squash cut into ¾ inch cubes
- 2 14 ounce cans of black beans
- 1 14 ounce can of kidney beans
Instructions
- Add diced garlic and onion to a large pot with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium heat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the red pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes. [Note if you are using onion powder and garlic powder, add the powders to the ground turkey meat in the next step].
- Then add the ground turkey to the pan, along with the tomato paste, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, oregano, cinnamon and 1 tsp chili powder. Break up the meat into smaller pieces using a spatula and cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the strained and chopped tomatoes to the pan, along with the water, beans, butternut squash, and 2 tsp of chili powder. Mix and bring the chili to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer over low-medium heat for 25-30 minutes, or until the squash is tender but not too mushy. ( It will depend on how large you cut them)
Nutrition
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