Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chili

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chili with Kale is an easy one-pot meal packed with nutrients. This easy vegan chili recipe may just become a staple in your home!

During the cold months of the year, I put chili on repeat, no shame about it!

This vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chili is quite the flavor and nutrient infusion. We have a load of complex carbohydrates, fiber, Vitamins and minerals.

Plus, this nutrient-packed one-pot meal is quite the comforting, filling experience!

The way I see it, recipes like this are excellent for meal prepping for work lunches or dinners throughout the week. Simply make a big batch (you can double it, too!) ahead of time, for easy, healthy eating.

Ingredients for Butternut Squash Chickpea Chili:

At a minimum, we need onion, celery, butternut squash, chickpeas, chili powder, ground cinnamon, kale, and vegetable broth. 

You can add additional ground cumin and turmeric if you’d like but these ingredients are not mandatory.

While this chili recipe is vegan, you can easily turn it into a meat lovers affair by adding ground beef, turkey, or bison. Bacon? Yes, please!

The recipe also includes cinnamon, which may seem odd, but trust me, it works!

And, of course, the chickpea is the star of this chili.

If you’d like to add rice to this pot (because: carbs), you just go right ahead!

Also try my Crock Pot Vegan Pumpkin Chili, Sweet Potato Black Bean and Quinoa Chili, and my Fall Harvest Vegetarian Chili.

Get your chickpea chili on!

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Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chili

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A really great go-to vegan chili recipe, this fall-inspired Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chili is amazing to put on repeat during the fall and winter months.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cups chopped peeled butternut squash, 1 small butternut squash
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, optional
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth*
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups kale leaves, optional

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, add the oil, onion, celery, and butternut squash and heat to medium.
2. Sauté, stirring frequently, until veggies are softened and fragrant, about 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, salt, and spices and sauté another 2 minutes.
4. Add the chicken broth and diced tomatoes and bring chili to a full boil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, until vegetables are cooked all the way through. If adding kale, do so 5 minutes before chili is finished cooking to allow leaves to wilt.
6. Add the chickpeas and cook an additional 2 minutes.
7. Serve with your favorite chili toppings

Notes

*You can also use chicken broth

Nutrition Information

Serving Size 1 of 4
Amount Per Serving Calories 381Total Fat 11gUnsaturated Fat 0gCarbohydrates 66gFiber 18gSugar 17gProtein 14g