We our big chili eaters in our house. We love butternut squash turkey chili, red lentil chili, Instant Pot Chili, and this Butternut Beef Chili recipe.
I first discovered this recipe in a Cooking Light special magazine–maybe a freeze ahead special issue that came out around the holidays several years ago. It is now a staple of our winter recipes and can almost always be found in the freezer for those nights we just need to pull something out in a hurry with little prep. This makes a large batch. I think the original recipe calls for fresh tomatoes, but I think canned is easier and in the winter is a much better quality than what we find in our grocery store. Also, I add both crushed and diced tomatoes because I like some tomato chunks, but also like my chili somewhat saucy.
Butternut Beef Chili
1-2 lb. ground beef (I used 90% lean)
1 chopped onion
1 green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 chopped jalapeno
1 large butternut squash
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
2-3 c. water
1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans
1 15 oz. can light red kidney beans
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 tsp salt
Brown the ground beef with the onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and garlic. Drain off the liquids. Add all the remaining ingredients. Use less water if you like a thicker chili, more if you like it a little more liquidy (also make sure there is enough to cover the squash). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes (check the squash with a fork to make sure it is thoroughly cooked).
Hearty Goodness!
