Butternut squash and black beans are a perfect combo in this chili! The ancho chili powder and cumin make this such a warm dish, which is perfect for winter. Ancho chili powder isn’t super spicy, so it’s perfect for almost everyones spice tolerance. This recipe makes several servings and freezes well, so it’s a great way to stock your freezer.

Most chili recipes include meat and have a pepper/tomato base, which are not ingredients used when cooking for a vegan/macrobiotic diet, so it was very difficult for me to find a recipe that would work for my job. But this chili is perfect – full of veggies and plenty of protein from the black beans.

If you would like to see how to chop a butternut squash – check out my post Seasonal Ingredient: Butternut Squash.

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Chili

Makes 3 quarts, freezes well

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1, 3 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and 1/2 inch diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
6 cups veggie broth
2, 15oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

How to:

1. Prep butternut squash, onion, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and beans.

2. In a large soup pot, sauté onion and butternut squash until the onion is translucent, or about 8 minutes.

3. Add garlic, ancho, cumin, salt, and pepper, saute for about a minute.

4. Add veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the squash is tender.

5. Add black beans and lime juice, cook for about 5 more minutes.

6. Serve right away with a sprinkle of cilantro.

7. If you would like to freeze this chili, for a fresher flavor, wait until after you’ve reheated the soup to add the cilantro.

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If you have any questions, comments, or recipe requests, please feel free to leave a comment or contact me. Also, if you make this recipe, please let me know what you think!