Butternut Squash & Black Bean Chili

11/30/2021

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Chili

It's officially chili season! Now that we've fully embraced fall and are inching closer to winter, whipping up a big batch of chili just feels like the right thing to do. I'm all about this vegetarian Black Bean & Butternut Squash Chili, which is so satisfying, full of fall flavors, and can be made in either a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or on the stovetop! It's packed with butternut squash, warm spices, and extra bright flavor from Holland House® Organic Red Wine Vinegar, which is crafted from oak-barrel-aged wine and made with 100% non-GMO grapes. It's finished off with a bunch of fun toppings like avocado, fresh herbs, lime, and shredded cheddar... it's truly a big bowl of healthy, hearty fall comfort!  

 I love that you can make this recipe a variety of ways and it will turn out delicious no matter what. It's truly a no-fail recipe. I've been especially loving it in the slow cooker because I can set it in the morning, take Noah to his little preschool pod and run some errands, pick him up, and then it's ready for us for lunch and makes plenty of leftovers for dinner, too! If you prefer to have it ready in a snap, whipping it up in the pressure cooker or on the stovetop is also a great way to go. 

I have just a couple notes on the ingredients before we get into the recipe. For the beans, go with canned (drained & rinsed) or pre-cooked. For the butternut squash, you can buy a butternut squash and peel & chop it or use pre-chopped to save time. Sweet potatoes would also be delicious here. You could either go vegetable broth or try this recipe with chicken or beef bone broth for added protein. For the vinegar, I used Holland House Organic Red Wine Vinegar, which I love because it's organic, imported from Italy, and adds bright, bold flavor, a must in chili! Last, I used fire-roasted diced tomatoes to add some extra flavor and heat, but if you're sensitive to heat, regular diced tomatoes are great in this too! ​

 Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp chili powder
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp  Holland House Organic Red Wine Vinegar
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or regular diced tomatoes for more mild flavor)
Salt and pepper to taste
​Toppings: chopped chives, shredded grass-fed cheddar, avocado, & a squeeze of lime juice

Serves 4-5.

If cooking in the pressure cooker:

1. Set pressure cooker to sauté mode. Warm olive oil, then add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, garlic, and spices and sauté another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add vegetable broth, the full can of diced tomatoes, and Holland House Organic Red Wine Vinegar. Stir. 
3. Add drained black beans and butternut squash and stir. Season once more with salt and pepper.
4. Secure the lid and make sure the valve is turned towards "sealing". Set to "high pressure" or "manual" mode for 5 minutes. Once the timer beeps, allow to naturally release for 3 minutes, then flip valve towards "venting" and release the rest of the pressure manually. Open the lid and serve chili into bowls. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Top with fresh lime juice, shredded cheddar, chopped chives and avocado. Enjoy!

If cooking on the stove or in slow cooker:

1. Warm olive oil in a stockpot (if cooking full recipe on stovetop) or in a sauté pan (if cooking the rest of the recipe in the slow cooker) over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, garlic, and spices and sauté another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. If cooking in a slow cooker, transfer sautéed veggies to the slow cooker. If cooking on the stove, follow the same next steps but just add ingredients to the stockpot.
3. Add vegetable broth, the full can of diced tomatoes, and Holland House Organic Red Wine Vinegar. Stir. 
4. Add drained black beans and butternut squash and stir. Season once more with salt and pepper.
5. If cooking in the slow cooker, set for 3-4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. If cooking on the stove, bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 35-45 minutes or until squash is fork-tender.
6. Serve chili into bowls. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Top with fresh lime juice, shredded cheddar, chopped chives and avocado. Enjoy!

I'm so excited for you to cozy up with this delicious recipe this season! I know you'll love it as much as we do - it's definitely become a staple in our kitchen. Bonus is it makes a nice big batch and is even tastier the next day, so you'll love the leftovers! 

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Holland House Organic Cooking Vinegars, available nationwide at Walmart, Albertsons Safeway, Shop Rite, Hy-Vee, Food Lion and Hannaford. Follow Holland House on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. All content, opinions, and words are my own, and I only promote products that I truly love. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that support Weeknight Bite