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    Home » Recipes » Butternut Squash Chili

    Butternut Squash Chili

    Published: Oct 19, 2021 · Modified: Mar 23, 2023 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

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    closeup of butternut squash chili in a big ladle

    This easy Butternut Squash Chili recipe is made with squash, ground turkey, and veggies in a creamy broth that’s ready and on your table in 30 minutes!

    I make a ton of chili, soups, and stews this time of year, including classic chili recipe and this white chicken chili recipe. Having lots of different recipe options means I can keep my family so happy with cold weather hits!

    closeup of a ladle full of butternut squash chili with turkey over a dutch oven of chili

    Table of contents

    • Hearty Fall Chili
    • Why we love this recipe
    • Ingredients/shopping list
    • How to Make this Chili Recipe
    • Variations/ Substitutions
    • Tips
    • FAQ’s
      • Other Recipes

    Hearty Fall Chili

    This butternut squash chili is a delicious twist on a classic chili with the same warm and cozy vibes you’d expect during a chilly season. Or should I say chili season? We love them all….beef chili, turkey chili, or chicken chili. Variety is the spice of life after all!

    This easy chili is so flavorful using simple wholesome ingredients. Chunks of tender-sweet butternut squash, ground turkey, loads of herbs, and spices for a robust flavor all simmered in a creamy broth. It is a hearty meal that comes together quickly!

    white bowl full of butternut squash chili with ground turkey and kale

    Why we love this recipe

    • So much flavor in this chili and a different way to use up your butternut squash.
    • Versatile. It has a thinner creamy broth which can be enjoyed as chili, soup, or stew!
    • Quick and easy, ready to enjoy in 30 minutes. Great for easy weeknight dinners!
    • Cost-effective way to make a big pot of chili using humble ingredients.
    • Kid-friendly. Your kids will love it just as much as you do, and it’s a delicious way to get all those added veggies in.

    Ingredients/shopping list

    several bowls of ingredients for butternut squash chili - diced butternut squash, onions, cream, carrots, garlic, butter and chicken broth.
    • Olive oil – For sautéing the veggies, which is the foundation of all of the wonderful flavors that get built on top.
    • Veggies – Carrot, celery, onions, diced butternut squash, chopped fresh kale.
    • Seasoning – Garlic and thyme.
    • Beans – I like to use Great northern beans because they hold up nicely but are still soft and buttery when you bite them.
    • Turkey – Lean ground turkey adds meat and protein to this veggie-loaded soup. Gives it the heartiness of traditional chili.
    • Chicken broth & heavy cream – Using both chicken broth and heavy cream gives the base of a soup creamy rich consistency, but not overly thick.

    How to Make this Chili Recipe

    This chili comes together so easily you’ll want to keep it in mind for potlucks and game day parties too!

    Step 1: Brown the ground meat in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drain into a colander to remove excess oil and set meat aside.

    diced carrots, celery and onions in a black dutch pot

    Step 2: In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add olive oil and mirepoix (carrot, onion, and celery) and sauté over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until the veggies soften.

    Step 3: Add the garlic and thyme and sauté for another minute. Follow that with the butternut squash, beans, turkey, and chicken broth.

    diced butternut squash and chicken broth in a dutch oven

    Step 4: Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low for a 15-minute simmer.

    Step 5: Towards the end, add the cream and chopped kale and stir to combine. Simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes.

    chicken broth in a dutch oven

    Step 6: Serve garnished with your favorite toppings.

    I love diced avocados, cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt.

    Variations/ Substitutions

    1. Substitute bulk turkey sausage or ground beef instead of ground turkey. Either will give it a little more flavor, so you may find you need to adjust the seasoning.
    2. Substitute different types of beans of black beans, red kidney beans or pinto beans if preferred.
    3. Substitute fresh rosemary for the thyme, if desired. You could even use a combination of both.
    4. Use diced sweet potato as an alternative if you’d like. Similar texture and flavor profile.
    5. Make it a vegetarian chili by leaving out the meat, and a vegan chili by using a non-dairy milk and vegetable broth.
    6. Substitute spinach for the kale if desired. A slightly more bitter option, but just as nutrient-dense would be swiss chard or collard greens.
    7. Add chipotle peppers or red bell peppers if you’d like.
    closeup of a white bowl full of butternut squash chili

    Tips

    • Massage the kale first. It’s a fibrous leafy green that can be quite tough. Although it will wilt in the heat, it makes for an easier bite if it’s tenderized.
    • For quicker prepping, use a store-bought mirepoix mixture of .
    • Along the same lines you could use pre-diced butternut squash.
    • For lower calories, use whole milk or other non-dairy milk of choice.
    • Serve with a side of crusty bread and a simple salad when serving a hungrier crowd. Teenagers anyone?

    FAQ’s

    Can I make chili in the slow cooker?

    Yes! Brown the meat first and drain excess oil. Then place it and all the other ingredients (except cream and kale) in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Then stir in cream and kale in and cook until kale has wilted.

    Can I substitute another type of squash?

    This flexible soup recipe is great because you can work in another type of winter squash or root vegetable in place of the butternut squash. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, or acorn squash would be great.

    Do you peel butternut squash before using it?

    When adding it to the chili, you want it to be peeled first. It’s inedible, unlike a potato skin, or like the skin of summer squash like zucchini. Carefully use a sharp knife, or vegetable peeler and peel the skin before dicing it.

    How to Store?

    This soup can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container.

    How to Reheat?

    If you’re reheating a large amount, simmer on the stovetop in a pot over medium heat until warmed through. Use the microwave for a single serving and enjoy it all over again!

    Other Recipes

    Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup

    Cincinnati Chili Recipe

    Black Bean Soup

    White Bean Chicken Chili

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram!

    dutch oven full of butternut squash chili

    Butternut Squash Chili

    This easy butternut squash chili recipe is made with squash, ground turkey, and veggies in a creamy broth that's ready and on your table in 30 minutes!
    4.93 from 51 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Chili, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 306kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 large carrot diced
    • 1 stalk celery diced
    • 1 small onion diced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon thyme minced
    • 2 cups butternut squash diced
    • 14 pounce great northern beans drained and rinsed
    • 10 ounces ground turkey browned and crumbled
    • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • 2 cups fresh kale chopped and massaged

    Instructions

    • Add the turkey meat to a saute pan and cook over medium high heat until cook completely and browned.
    • Drain into a colander to drain any excess oil and set aside.
    • In a dutch oven or stock pot, add the olive oil, carrot, onion, and celery.
    • Saute over medium heat for approximately 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables become soft.
    • Add the garlic and thyme and saute for an another minute.
    • Add the butternut squash, beans, turkey meat, and chicken both.
    • Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
    • Add the cream and chopped kale and stir to combine well.
    • Simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes until the kale is wilted.
    • Serve the topped with your favorite garnishes like avocado, cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, etc.

    Notes

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days
    Substitute turkey sausage or ground beef instead of ground turkey .
    Substitute black beans or pinto beans if preferred.
    For quicker prepping, use a store bought mirepoix mixture.
    Substitute fresh rosemary for the thyme, if desired.
    Use diced sweet potato if you’d like.
    Make it vegetarian or vegan by leaving out the meat, and using non-diary milk and vegetable broth.
    For lower calories, use whole milk or other milk of choice.
    Substitute spinach for the kale if desired.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 892mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 13860IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @ToSimplyInspire or tag #ToSimplyInspire!

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    Filed Under: Recipes, Soups and Stews

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dena

      February 03, 2023 at 2:54 am

      I love this recipe! I added coconut cream as well as half and half. When I don’t have squash, I’ve substituted sweet potatoes! Still really tasty!

      Reply
      • Sherri

        February 03, 2023 at 5:43 pm

        I’m so happy to hear you enjoy it too! Love those swaps!

        Reply
    2. Debbie

      January 30, 2023 at 4:46 pm

      I’ve made this several times I’ve used kale as well as spinach. I use 2 big sweet potatoes cut up in big chunks. I use half and half probably a cup. I use 2 cans of white navy beans drained and rinsed. It’s easy and so delicious to make healthy as well.

      Reply
    3. Tiffany

      November 08, 2022 at 10:26 pm

      2 stars
      Meh, definitely needs some salt & spices!

      Reply
    4. Debbie

      October 22, 2022 at 11:53 am

      This looks and sounds soooo good. Can you freeze it?

      Reply
      • Kt

        October 24, 2022 at 6:49 pm

        4 stars
        This was delicious! I cut the cream in half and added a heavy shake of red pepper flakes. Served with crusty French bread. Perfect for a chilly fall night!

        Reply
      • Jeanny

        October 24, 2022 at 8:43 pm

        This looks like a great soup, but as a chili, it seems to lack one essential ingredient: chiles. I’ll try it anyway, but I might just have to add some chili powder.

        Reply
        • Cat Hall

          November 27, 2022 at 6:30 pm

          5 stars
          Recipes, for me, are simply guides. I almost always adapt them for my taste. This recipe has a good base. The original recipe doesn’t call for much in the way of spices. At a minimum, you will need to add salt and pepper, and other spices to taste. I used two cups of cream because I made a huge pot, added salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and freshly grated parmesan. I topped it with goat cheese crumbles. It is a good recipe to start with!

      • Karen

        November 10, 2022 at 6:06 pm

        I am a great soup maker from scratch! What is very deceiving in the recipe is, that you are calling for 14 Oz oz. Great Northern beans. What you aren’t specifically saying is 14 Oz CAN or14 Oz pkg., a very big difference.Where I figured it out was the 30 mins cooking time.It would take almost 1 1/2 or more if beans were raw! The CAN should be mentioned. It looks good and healthy,I definitely will make it .

        Reply

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    Hi there! I’m Sherri I love creating a variety of easy recipes that anyone can make and enjoy! From healthy to comforting, I hope you find something that inspires you!.

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