Butternut Squash Chili

Butternut Squash Chili without beans is the perfect paleo chili recipe! This easy weeknight chili recipe is loaded with flavor and Whole30 compliant!

Butternut Squash Chili

Beef Chili is a rite of passage in our house. A predictable way to mark the beginning of Fall and really start to embrace it. You know I fight that transition and hang on to every last bit of summer for as long as possible, but there comes a time (hello reality) when I must accept that cooler weather is here to stay.

For me, chili is a “Fall” food and just reminds me of wearing sweatshirts, falling leaves, and crisp air. It is the perfect bowl of warm goodness to help brush off the slight chill that comes with this time of year.

Beef chili is my go-to and since we don’t eat very many beans these days, I had been looking for a bean replacement that would give my chili texture and bulk but not water it down like so many vegetables have a tendency to do. This paleo chili recipe was just what I was looking for!

It’s based on my Everyday Beef and Bean Chili with a lot of the same great flavors, just a new and fun twist added to it!

I love that the butternut squash balances out the heat, adds just the right amount of bulk and texture and doesn’t water down the chili at all.

Butternut Squash Chili Ingredients

Most of these ingredients will get combined together in just a few short steps. The moment you begin cooking you’ll see just how easy this recipe is!

• Extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
• Garlic
• Yellow Onion
• Celery
• Jalapeno
• Ground Beef
• Mexican Chili Powder
• Ground Cumin
• Oregano
• Kosher Salt
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Dried Bay Leaves
• Crushed Tomatoes
• Tomato Sauce
• Broth
• Green Bell Pepper
• Frozen Cubed Butternut Squash

How To Make Paleo Chili

• If you have a food processor, use it to save time. Place peeled garlic cloves and quartered onion in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Pulse until chopped. (Photo #1)
• Remove from processor bowl and add roughly chopped celery and jalapeno. Process until chopped. (Photo #2)
• Clean bell pepper and cut in half. Remove ribs and seeds and cut into 1/4″ pieces. (Photo #3)
• Measure and combine spices in a small bowl (chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes and bay leaves). (Photo #4)
• If not using frozen, cubed squash, peel squash and cube until you have 1 lb.

• Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil. Add in chopped garlic, onion, celery and jalapeno. Saute until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes. (Photo #5)
• Add in ground beef and use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up into pieces. Saute until meat is browned and cooked through (If you are using extremely fatty meat, you may want to drain the meat and veg mixture to remove some of the grease and return to pot).
• Next, add in spices and stir to coat meat.
• Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. (Photo #7)
• Once boiling, add chopped bell pepper and cubed squash. Partially cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes. If you are using fresh butternut squash, you may need to cook a touch longer until it’s tender. (Photo #6)
• Remove bay leaves and discard. Remove from heat and adjust salt if necessary. Serve warm with your favorite toppings and Enjoy! (Photo #8)

Butternut Squash Chili Tips

• When buying celery, it is usually priced per pound. You do not have to buy the whole cluster. You can just pull off two or three pieces and buy what you need for a recipe (as long as it is not pre-packaged). My mom hipped me to this – what a money saver!
• To save time, I used frozen, cubed, organic Butternut Squash.
• As for spiciness, if you want this Chili MILD, omit the jalapeno, only use 3 tablespoons of chili powder and 1/8 teaspoon of the crushed red pepper flakes. If you want it MEDIUM, keep the jalapeno but don’t use the ribs or seeds.  If you want it SPICY, use the whole jalapeno including seeds and ribs.
• If you think the ingredient amounts look large in my pictures, your eyes are not deceiving you. I was making a double batch (one for the freezer!) in these photos!

More Butternut Squash Recipes

Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash

Chicken Meatballs with Pesto Butternut Squash Noodles

Butternut Squash Hummus

Butternut Squash Fritters

Butternut Squash Pancakes

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

Butternut Squash Chili

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

 

Butternut Squash Chili without beans is the perfect paleo chili recipe! This easy weeknight chili recipe is loaded with flavor and Whole30 compliant!

Course: Lunch, Mains, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash chili, easy chili recipe, grain free chili, how to make bean free chili, paleo chili, whole30 chili recipe

Servings: 11 servings

Calories: 208 kcal

Author: Alyssa Brantley

5 from 9 votes

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Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
• 5 medium cloves garlic chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 2 medium celery stalks chopped
• 1 small jalapeno chopped
• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 3.5 Tablespoons Mexican chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 cup broth (beef, chicken or vegetable)
• 1 medium green bell pepper ribs removed, cut into 1/4" pieces
• 1 pound frozen cubed butternut squash

Instructions

PREP:

1. If you have a food processor, use it to save time. Place peeled garlic cloves and quartered onion in bowl of food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Pulse until chopped.
   

   Remove from processor bowl and add roughly chopped celery and jalapeno. Process until chopped.

2. Clean bell pepper and cut in half. Remove ribs and seeds and cut into 1/4" pieces.

3. Measure and combine spices in a small bowl (chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes and bay leaves).

   If not using frozen, cubed squash, peel squash and cube until you have 1 lb.

COOK:

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil. Add in chopped garlic, onion, celery and jalapeno. Saute until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add in ground beef and use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up into pieces. Saute until meat is browned and cooked through (If you are using extremely fatty meat, you may want to drain the meat and veg mixture to remove some of the grease and return to pot).

3. Next add in spices and stir to coat meat. Continue cooking for approximately one minute, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant.

4. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and broth. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil.

5. Once boiling, add chopped bell pepper and cubed squash. Partially cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes. If you are using fresh butternut squash, you may need to cook a touch longer until it's tender.

6. Remove bay leaves and discard. Remove from heat and adjust salt if necessary. Serve warm with your favorite toppings and Enjoy!

NOTES:

• Tip: When buying organic celery, it is usually priced per pound. You do not have to buy the whole cluster. You can just pull off two or three pieces and buy what you need for a recipe (as long as it is not pre-packaged). My mom hipped me to this - what a money saver!
• To save time, I used frozen, cubed, organic Butternut Squash.
• As for spiciness, if you want this Chili MILD, omit the jalapeno, only use 3 tablespoons of chili powder and 1/8 teaspoon of the crushed red pepper flakes. If you want it MEDIUM, keep the jalapeno but don’t use the ribs or seeds.  If you want it SPICY, use the whole jalapeno including seeds and ribs.
• If you think the ingredient amounts look large in  my pictures, your eyes are not deceiving you. I was making a double batch (one for the freezer!) in these photos!

Nutrition Facts

Butternut Squash Chili

Amount Per Serving (1 heaping cup)

Calories 208 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 44mg15%

Sodium 497mg22%

Potassium 434mg12%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 5297IU106%

Vitamin C 20mg24%

Calcium 59mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.

UPDATE NOTES: Butternut Squash Chili was originally published in October 2014 and was updated in August 2019 with step-by-step cooking instructions and photos and more helpful recipe information.