Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili with Avocado
Hearty vegetarian chili made with butternut squash and black beans. This chili satisfies carnivores, vegans and gluten-free eaters alike. Everyone loves it!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Fall is in the air, as they say. The green leaves are just beginning to acknowledge the change in seasons along their peripheries; my nose is following suit with incessant sneezes. It’s that wonderfully awkward transitional time when I’m never sure what to wear: shorts now, or a sweater for later? And what do I cook: the last of the tomatoes, or sweet potatoes? We’ll be bundled up in scarves, carving pumpkins and crafting Halloween costumes before we know it. I can’t wait.
Football season seems to be in full swing, too. My old friends are taunting me with photos of game day meals made in the college town I used to call home—let’s be honest, football is really all about the food and beer anyway. Forget standing in crowds at stadiums! Give me a comfortable seat, friends, good food and drinks. The fact that a game is on while I chit-chat is purely secondary.
This butternut squash and black bean chili is just right for fall weather and football games. It strikes that balance between spicy and sweet that I love in Mexican food, like a good mole sauce. Chipotle and chili powder provide ample spice to round off the sweet, seasonal flavor of butternut squash. Top with crispy tortilla strips and plenty of creamy diced avocado for a hearty meal that will satisfy vegans, carnivores and gluten-free eaters alike. Meals like that aren’t easy to come by, you know?
The chili happens to be super simple to make, too. Once you have your vegetables chopped, your work is almost done. Speaking of which, I’ve done my fair share of cursing at butternut for being difficult to peel and slice, but I didn’t have any trouble when I followed Simply Recipes’ method. I don’t know if it was her method or this butternut squash in particular, but it was a breeze. Try it!
Watch How to Make Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili
Le Creuset 5 1/2-Quart French Oven
Wusthof Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife
Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili with Avocado
Hearty, spicy and sweet vegetarian chili made with butternut squash and black beans. Top with creamy avocado for an easy meal that satisfies vegans, carnivores and gluten-free eaters alike. This recipe yields about 12 cups, enough for 4 to 6 bowls. This chili is very hearty, but feel free to add another can of tomatoes or more vegetable broth if you want to thin it out a bit. Double the recipe for a crowd.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 1 small butternut squash (1 ½ pounds or less), peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- Fine salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½+ tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper in adobo* (start with ½ tablespoon and add more to taste, I thought mine was just right with 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked black beans
- 1 small can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, including the liquid
- 2 cups vegetable broth or one 14-ounce can
- 2 ripe avocados, diced
- 3 corn tortillas for crispy tortilla strips, or a handful of crumbled tortilla chips
- Optional additional garnishes: Chopped fresh cilantro and/or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper and butternut squash, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are turning translucent.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic, chili powder, ½ tablespoon chopped chipotle peppers, cumin and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the bay leaf, black beans, tomatoes and their juices and broth. Stir to combine and cover for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Taste about halfway through cooking and add more chopped chipotle peppers if you’d like.
- You’ll know your chili is done when the butternut squash is nice and tender, and the liquid has reduced a bit, producing the hearty chili consistency we all know and love. Remove the bay leaf and add salt to taste.
- To make the crispy tortilla strips: stack the corn tortillas and slice them into thin little strips, about 2 inches long by ¼ inch wide. Warm a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat until shimmering. Toss in the tortilla slices, sprinkle with salt, and stir. Cook until the strips are crispy and turning golden, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 7 minutes. Remove tortilla strips from the skillet and drain on a plate covered with a paper towel.
- Serve the chili in bowls, topped with crispy tortilla strips and plenty of diced avocado. I added a little sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional). Cilantro would be nice as well. For spice lovers like me, you might want to serve this with some chipotle hot sauce (Tobasco makes one).
Notes
*Chipotle in adobo sauce is usually found in the Mexican section of the grocery store. I never need a whole can at once, so I use what I need and then transfer the rest to a small freezer bag, pressing it flat before freezing it. Then, I can pull off as much as I need later. As a substitute, use smoked paprika (start at 1 ½ teaspoons, and add more if desired).
On leftovers: This chili reheats great. Avocado and crispy tortilla chips should be added after reheating, just before serving. These tortilla strips tend to lose their crisp over time, so you can a) skip them altogether, b) make more just before serving or c) substitute a small handful of crumbled tortilla chips instead!
Want to make this in a crockpot/slow cooker? I haven’t tried, but commenters report that this chili turns out well after 4 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low.
Fun fact: If you’re looking for the butternut chili presented by a contestant on ABC’s The Chew, this is it!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
made this tonight.. didn’t make any changes other than i forgot to buy vegetable broth so i just used water and it was fantastic. loved it. my husband (who doesn’t love vegetarian dishes) went back for seconds. great recipe. will definitely make this again. thank you.
Thank you, Melissa! So glad you both enjoyed it!
Hi! My friend passed along this recipe because she knows I mostly cook vegetarian. I modified this slightly for a chili cook-off today at work & got 2nd place! I called it “Oh My Gourd!” and served it with crumbled Donkey chips, avocado, & goat cheese (which I think ended up being a great complement to the dish). It was the only vegetarian dish & people really liked it & have been asking for the recipe, so I’m passing it along. I added some pumpkin pie spice, left out the chipotle peppers (because I forgot to buy them!) so subbed in mild green chiles & smoked paprika. This is a fun recipe to play around with, thanks so much! I’ll be eating leftovers all week.
Oh My Gourd! Love that name! I’m so glad the chili went over well. Your version sounds so tasty!
This was delicious! I’ve been trying to find some vegetarian recipes to add to our meal rotation and I’m happy to say this has been added. Thanks for this tasty meal!
Awesome! Thank you, Nicole, for taking the time to let me know!
Oh my. This was RIDICULOUS in its deliciousness. My new fave veggie chili.
Would I be able to make this in a crockpot? I don’t own the proper dish but this looks amazing!
I made this today. I followed the recipe exactly. Absolutely delicious! Perfect for fall weather. The spices are distinct and flavorful. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks Penny! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Just wanted to say this was fantastic! I am not a vegetarian so was skeptical about how the chili would come out – it is super rich and hearty. I entertained a group of girl friends with this on Saturday and it was a hit. I actually found that it could easily feed 4-5 people provided that there was bread and an additional side (we had roasted brussels sprouts and grapes with it as well). Thanks Kate.
Thanks, Amanda! Glad you all enjoyed the chili!
Kate, this is the first of your recipes that I’ve made, though I’ve added many of your recipes to my ‘must make’ list! This chili is delicious, healthy and so cozy on a chilly winter day. I can tell you that my non-vegan, non-gluten free husband enjoyed this dish as much as I did. (I’m the gf vegan!). Thanks for the recipes and the inspiration! Please keep them coming :)
Thank you, Anita! So glad you both enjoyed the chili! Hope you find many more recipes to enjoy. :)
I got to this recipe through your “12 Healthy Soups” post. I had butternut squash in the freezer that I had already cubed and added some chopped portobello mushrooms to the sauted veggies. I had never cooked with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce but really like the warmth they added. I had a bowl right away for dinner tonight and froze the rest. I look forward to having the soup for lunch when I go back to work after the holiday break. Thanks for a fantastic recipe, Kate!
Hello Kate:
I made this recipe today for a dinner party as a vegan alternative to the beef in red wine that I also cooked for the meat eaters. Guess which one was almost totally gone and got the most requests for the recipe? Yours of course!
Love your recipes..Jane
Hooray! Thank you, Jane.
I really want to try this! Thank you for sharing!
This is also the first thing I’ve made off of your website, directed here by a friend. Wow. This was so delicious and might even replace my long-standing veggie chili recipe (which is saying something!) I don’t ever comment on recipes, but this was worthy of one.
I think the cool avocado is perfect on top. I did the onions first with the spices because I think it helps bring the flavor out in recipes. I did heaping amounts of the spices, added a couple more cloves of garlic, and added another can each of beans and tomatoes because my squash was a bit larger. Like you, I am also a fan of chipotle and spice, so I think 1 Tbsp is great, in fact I did 1.5. ;)
Yummmmmm! Thank you! I will definitely be back for more recipes.
Hey Erica, thank you for taking the time to comment! I’m glad you found my blog and enjoyed this chili so much. Your version sounds fantastic.
I found this on Buzzfeed today and made it this evening for our weekly Meat Free Monday. It was so easy and absolutely delicious! Even my meat-loving husband thought it was wonderful and said he could eat it every day! Thank you so much :)
Thank you, Tess! Glad you found my recipe! :)
I’m a couple of months late in trying this out but just made this today and it’s delicious. It’s perfectly flavorful and spicy!
I should also say, I used sweet potatoes instead of squash because it’s what I had on hand.
Thanks, Linda! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, we’ve made this twice now and it really is fantastic! Currently our favorite chili recipe. I’m considering substituting sweet potato for the butternut this time to save on prep time. Any thoughts on how that would turn out? Thanks again for the great recipe! :-)
Thanks, Naomi! I think it would turn out great, shouldn’t require any adjustments!
This is just ridiculously good. I now have my go-to veggie chili recipe dialled in, thanks to you!
Thanks, Alice! Happy to hear it!
Kept meaning to tell you I did try this chili and it was another huge hit with my family. Have already to make another batch!
Am trying the Roasted Cauliflower Freekeh dish tonight. So far you’ve got a perfect batting average. Great to find.
Happy to hear it, Anna! Hope you all enjoyed the freekeh dish, too. :D
Yep, made the freekeh dish (with ferro) to great acclaim, with a repeat performance already. Wow, Kate, really impressed, with your skills :)
Oh good, I’m glad! Thanks again, Anna. :)
Made it this week, it was great lunch/dinner very satisfying, tasty with earthy notes and filing. Avocado makes it super luxurious. I added a bit of vegan cheese on top and it was even better. Mind you i could not eat whole portion with cheese tortillas and all. Goes very well with a glass of rioja. Omni bf approved.
Thank you! Glad to hear it. :)
While waiting at a doctors office I watched The Chew. I finally found your recipe and was glad to know it was the same one I Saw on TV.
This is by far my favorite meal to make. It speaks to everyone. I have friends that are vegetarians and some that are meat lovers. This chili is so hearty that all enjoy it. I add some sour cream on top.
This is fantastic
Thank you, Mary Anne! I’m so glad you found it and enjoy it so much. :)
This is so delicious! I am so glad I had some that was made by someone else before I made it, I generally do not like cinnamon but she had used it and I think it really adds to the richness of the flavor. . Have you ever used chopped frozen butternut squash? There are some days I would make it but I don’t always have the time (or desire) to peel and dice the squash. Let me know if it has ever been attempted and if it works. Thank you!
Thanks, Erin! Glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried chopped, frozen butternut squash but I bet it would work great and save quite a bit of time. Good idea!!!
I used frozen butternut squash. Just added it towards the end since it is already partially cooked. Worked great!
Great idea! Thanks, Pam!
This is an absurdly good chili. I did something I rarely do; I made no adjustments. The recipe is just what it should be.
That’s quite a compliment! Thank you!
i made this a few nights ago for my boyfriend, and it was perfect! so easy. will definitely make it again. i normally don’t really like squash OR red peppers (why did i make this in the first place? because why not), but REALLY loved it. thanks!
Well, sounds like the odds were stacked against this one, but I’m so glad you loved it!
This is awesome chili. I didn’t have any chipotles and can’t take much heat. So I used a can of tomatoes with green chilis and added a teaspoon and a half of smoked paprika to give it the smoky flavor chipotle provides. We loved it! Definitely will make this again. To the person who asked if you could use California avocados. Of course you can. I always do.
Do you think I could make this in a crockpot?
Yes, I think so! Here’s what another commenter said when she tried it: The only issue was it took longer to cook than I expected – about 4 hours on high, and that was with cutting the squash fairly small, about 1 cm cubes. Oh, and my butternut squash was actually a pumpkin, so butternut might take even longer.
So delicious .. I’ve been trying to get around to making this for ages .. Sooo good. Devoured by myself, hubby, three year old and 10month old (kids without the chilli :)) I’m a big fan of all your recipes and it drives me crazy that I can’t get some if your ingredients here in Ireland but I try my best .. Keep up the great work
Thanks, Kerrie! Glad you all enjoyed it!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! It has become a standard in our kitchen for well over a year now. The flavors are rich and delicious. We are temporarily living in Mexico. I have not seen butternut squash in our local market but I found cubed sweet potatoes make a fine stand-in here.
Thank you, Andrea! I bet it’s great with sweet potato.
This was amazing! I used a pound of ground turkey so my husband would eat it and used Rotel instead of plain diced tomatoes. I never knew butternut squash could taste so good. The chipotle and cinnamon really take this chilli to the next level! It was so good my husband said he would eat it without the turkey even! Can’t wait to try more recipes. Thank you!
Thanks Joanna! So glad you both enjoyed it!
Butternut squash is one of my favorite things about fall. I have to try this out. I stumbled across this on Pinterest and hope you don’t mind we’ve shared this on Richmondmom – linking to you for the recipe of course!
Thanks, Sarah!
This chili is so delicious! Tried it for the first time at book club and we all asked for the recipe. I wound up making it for a chili cookoff at work and it tied for 1st place! Thanks so much!
Yay!!!!
We loved this variation for chili. It includes so many things we love, black beans, butternut squash, chipotle. Unfortunately, living in Munich those three ingredients are difficult to find but I finally persevered and got all the items in the house. I can only get butternut squash for a couple of months so we eat a lot of it when it is available and I am always looking for new recipes. I try to keep some down in the cellar so we can enjoy them through the winter. We will definitely make this again before they are all used up for the year. We can’t get chipotle here (unless I pay a fortune at a Mexican Mercado) so I buy a can or two whenever I am in the States. I count the peppers, puree with the sauce, then put into an ice cube tray dividing into as many cubes as there were peppers – usually 10-12. After they freeze I remove the cubes from the tray and put into a Ziploc bag – 1 pepper portions ready for any recipe.
Thank you, Michele! I’m so impressed that you hunted down all the ingredients. Happy to hear that you love the chili!
This looks amazing! Is there a way to modify it for the crock pot?
Hi Amanda! Here’s what worked for another commenter: I made this for a party in a crockpot. I used a vegetarian boullion cube instead of the vegetable broth, and added the tomatoes and a can of water when I got there so I didn’t have to worry about liquids spilling during transport. I didn’t bother with sauteeing anything, and didn’t miss it. The only issue was it took longer to cook than I expected – about 4 hours on high, and that was with cutting the squash fairly small, about 1 cm cubes. Oh, and my butternut squash was actually a pumpkin, so butternut might take even longer.
We were having good friends over for dinner last night. They are vegans; we are virtually omnivores. I am also more of a Julia Child/NY Times cookbook cook since my mom was, not a slow cooker type. I am so glad we came across your site and this recipe! What a winner, Kate! To prepare this dish and in this manner with accolades, and seconds without aaking (!), I couldnt ask for more! I will be sure to bookmark your page etc since Mrs Bill wants to eat more like this anyway.
Thanks! Two, I mean, EIGHT, thumbs up!
That’s “without aSking”! Definitely not aaking or acking! ;^D
Thanks, Bill! So glad this chili turned out well for you all!!!
Amazing! Made it for a chili cook off last night and won first place! (I gave you all the credit!)
Thank you – keep the wonderful recipes coming!
Hooray! Thank you, Shelley!
Delicious. Did not use cinnamon because my husband is not a fan. We loved the fresh corn tortilla strips. Will definitely make again.
Thanks, Francesca!
Any tips on making this in a slow cooker?
Hey Katie! I just added a note to the recipe—I haven’t tried, but another reader said that the chili turned out well after 4 hours on high in her slow cooker.
I made this today and it was amazing, even without the spicy sauce. I also added one can of pinto beans since I only had one can of black beans at home. Delicious! I had one quick question though, you mentioned above that the cans are BPA free, but I looked on their website and couldn’t find it anywhere. Is it on the can maybe?
Thanks!
Thanks, Sina! Great question. I’m not sure why Muir Glen doesn’t use their BPA-free cans as a selling point on their site, but I heard directly from a company representative a few years ago that all of their cans are BPA-free. I just checked my cans and they say BPA-free on the back!
Thanks so much for letting me know! I will definitely be buying this brand of canned tomatoes from now on! And thanks so much for sharing this information, I would’ve never known otherwise!!
You’re welcome! Their tomatoes are conveniently also the tastiest. :)
This was absolutely amazing!!! I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your recipes!!! Now I know that living off vegan meals is not only possible, but also delicious!!!
Thank you so much, Tanya!
I love this chili! Making it right now for the second time this month. The addition of butternut squash and chipotles in adobo is just perfect.
Hooray, thanks Taylor!
I’ve made this a few times now after a friend passed along the recipe to me and have fallen in love again every time I make it. Other than adding quite a bit more chipotles in adobe (I love spicy food) – I haven’t made a single change to the recipe.
My friend from work runs out annual chili cook off (all proceeds benefit the local food bank and Salvation Army) and she asked me to bring something to participate so I decided on this one.
It won 2nd place! Apparently the cook off has gone on for 8 years and I believe this is the first time a vegetarian chili has even placed.
Thank you so much for the great recipe!
Hip hip hooray! So glad this chili did well at your cook-off, Holly! Love that you add extra chipotle. I love spicy, but try to keep flavors in check for the blog. :)
made this exactly as written and my family devoured it! going in the recipe arsenal! thank you!!!
Thanks, Holly! Happy to hear it!
I’ve made this chili several times for friends get-togethers or my own get-togethers. I’ve made it several times for myself and my son. (This makes for bookoo leftovers! Freezes well and voila! Easy dinner for other fast paced nights!) I decided the other week to make this for a chili cook-off at work where not only am I definitely the only vegetarian, but also the only female among 40 carnivorous males. Wouldn’t you know it?! I got second place and passed on your blog and link to the recipe for many of them. I toned down the spice for the cook-off but I typically use a half a can of adobo! Those cauliflower lentil tacos the other night too! Oh man! Though I may have went a little overboard on the adobo peppers. My boyfriend was sweating the whole time!! Haha! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Sweet potato chili is up next.
Mikaela! Your comment made me smile. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner! High five for second place!!! Yes! The more peppers, the better, I say.
Just made this Chilli- absolutely Delicious! Thank you for the recipe- great comfort food to warm you up for those cold winter nights. Especially in Britain!
Thank you, Rabia! I’m glad this chili did the trick for you.
Just finished leftover lunch 1 of 3, so yummy! Perfect transition to Thanksgiving flavors. Will make this again for sure!
Awesome! Thanks, Margot!
Love so many of your recipes (just made one of your pastas tonight!) and would love to try your chills, but can’t eat bell peppers. Do you have a recommendation for a substitute? Or just do without? Sometimes skipping works just fine in recipes, other times it leaves a big whole in the flavor. Thought I’d seek your recommendation before I started experimenting! Thanks for the great recipes!
Hi Kathryn! I think you’d still enjoy the chili without the bell peppers. If you can eat other peppers, a seeded/chopped jalapeno might be a nice touch. Or poblanos!
This chili had great flavor. I cooked it in the slow cooker for 8 hours on low. The only thing was I used 2 cups broth and it definitely seemed like soup. I’m not sure why it didn’t get thick like yours. It was still good but we called it “Chili Soup”.
Hi Kelli, I’m glad it still turned out good. I bet that simmering the chili on the stove condenses it more than the slow cooker. If you make it again, you might try blending 1 1/2 cups of the cooked chili in your blender and then returning it to the pot—that should do the trick!
I used my immersion blender on some of the soup to thicken it. Just had to beware of the bay leaf. Turned out great!
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this Delicious recipe! i made it for my family and they ALL Loved it! it is one of the Extremely rare times that all members of my family have approved my cooking!
I was so amazed that i had to blog about it. btw i included a link back to your website so readers can check out your recipe :D
https://darkmoonbakery.wordpress.com/2015/12/01/family-approved-butter-nut-squash-chili/
Thank you, Dimora! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the chili. Loved your post about it!
One of THE best chili recipes EVER!!! We loved it!! We used 1 T chopped chipotle peppers as suggested and it was perfect! Topped with cilantro because the avocados at the grocery were less than perfect. Thank you!!!
Awesome! Thank you, Janice!
WOW was this delicious! I just happened to come across it while looking for a butternut squash soup recipe. SO happy I made this instead. I fed it to meat eaters and vegetarians alike during a football party. I served it with a dollop of plain yogurt on top. Literally everyone asked me for the recipe Thanks for sharing – this is going in my favorite recipes file!
Thank you, Ellis! Glad to hear it!
I made this chili tonight and fed it to 3 omni guys and myself. Everyone raved over it! We used Jalapeño tortilla chips crumbled on top that added a nice touch of extra heat. Thanks so much for sharing! My husband asked me to make sure I saved this one =)
Yay! Thanks, Dee!
Just noticed that you are in KC…me too! I live in OP, KS
Kate, this is the first recipe I have made from your blog, and I am SO impressed. Thank you for sharing this gem; I can’t wait to save it to my recipe collection and use it on a rainy day (it does that a lot here in Seattle!).
Thank you so much, Victoria! I’m glad you found my blog. Happy cooking!