Happy Friday! It has been A LONG week and I am so glad the weekend is here.
Even though it is 50 here in Chicago today-winter is in full swing which means hearty, comforting soups. In our house we especially like soup on Sundays. Sunday afternoons and evenings in our house consist of watching the Packers game. Well actually, my husband watches the game and I catch glimpses as I try to get my weekend “chores” done before the start of the next week.
I like making chili on the weekends because it is easy to throw together and let simmer while you go about your day and it also makes enough to have leftovers for lunch or dinner during the week. Lately I have been exploring new chili recipes and came across this Three Bean Butternut Squash Chili in my Cooking Light Magazine and thought it sounded interesting.
I love butternut squash soup but haven’t ventured into adding it into other soups. The spice of chili and the sweetness of butternut squash sounded tasty. Also, in the New Year we have been trying to eat less meat and this is a great way to get that meaty texture in the chili using the butternut squash.
My husband, who enjoys his chili with meat, loved this recipe and agreed that the butternut squash added a nice hearty texture. I hope you love it as much as we did.
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 Serrano pepper, seeds removed, chopped (optional)
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cups (1/2 inch) peeled and cubed butternut squash
- 1-28 ounce can no salt added diced tomatoes, un-drained
- 1 small can of green chilies
- 1-15 ounce can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1-15 ounce can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1-15 ounce can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup thinly sliced onion for garnish
- Heat a skillet or dutch oven, add olive oil and coat pan. Add onion and cook about 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in cumin, red pepper, paprika and garlic and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add green pepper, green chilies, the Serrano pepper, butternut squash, and tomatoes (with juice), vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
- Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add beans and simmer for 30 minutes or until slightly thick (stir occasionally throughout the simmering).
- Garnish with green onion and cheese or whatever you fancy.
Adapted from Cooking Light.
Chili is customizable. If you prefer a different type of bean add that in or take one of the others out, add more vegetables and spice it up as much as you want. We added one Serrano pepper to this recipe but you can take that out for less heat or throw a jalapeño in for more.
What is your favorite weekend meal? Do you have a go-to recipe you make for your family? Leave your reply in the comments below–I would love to see recipes & hear what others enjoy making on the weekends.
Have a great weekend!
Julia
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I haven’t made chili in ages. It’s really hot and sticky at the moment so we went out for lunch to a riverside cafe and I had a chicken fajita wrap with handcut fries. I might have enjoyed your chili more but it’s too hot for me to cook it.
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You will have to wait until the weather gets cooler! It has actually been a lot warmer this winter than usual in Chicago–I will take it!
The beans and butternut squash combo always works wonders. This looks wonderful!
Thanks! I agree–I love the combination and it is very filling!
I agree–it is a great combination! The butternut squash makes it feel hearty without the meat!