On a chilly day, nothing is better than a cozy bowl of chili. This healthy chili with ground beef recipe gets a flavor boost from kidney beans and butternut squash.

>>Scroll down for my step by step video<<

sauté pan of chili with butternut squash

what can you add to chili to make it amazing?

Butternut squash! The fall veggie tastes nutty and a little sweet. Kinda like a sweet potato, but a bit more creamy in texture.

A recent menu request from one of my personal chef clients was for a stick-to-your-ribs chili but, with a healthy and tasty twist. I suggested my traditional ground beef chili with beans and a fall inspired addition. I made a big batch of Spicy Chili with Butternut Squash and now it is a new favorite of my client's family.

ground beef, red peppers, kidney beans, spices

gather the ingredients

extra virgin olive oil
red onion
red bell pepper
garlic
chili powder
cumin
smoked paprika
kosher salt
ground beef
butternut squash
canned crushed tomatoes
kidney beans
sour cream, cheddar cheese, avocado, hot sauce, cilantro

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This recipe makes about 2 quarts of smoky and slightly spicy chili with butternut squash. The cubed squash adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the one pot recipe.

For my personal chef clients, I like to prepare and package some toppings and mix~ins with the chili for my clients. Cool sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, creamy avocado cubes, hot sauce and fresh cilantro are some favorites. That way each family member can enjoy their chili just how they like it.

FAQS for making a healthy chili with beef recipe from scratch

I like a large sauté pan with straight sides for this chili recipe. The wide bottom and straight sides of the pan are an efficient and mess free way to sauté and simmer all the ingredients.
Don't skip sautéing the spices for 30 seconds. This short cooking time helps the spices release their oils and intensifies their spicy, smoky, peppery, and slightly sweet flavors.
Break up the ground beef as it is cooking so it browns and cooks evenly.
The peel of the butternut squash is edible. But I peel the squash before cubing it as I feel the texture is more appealing. Just my preference. Other squashes can be substituted in the recipe including delicata, acorn, dumpling and pumpkin.
Check and stir the simmering chili a few times while it is cooking. The butternut squash should retain its shape when cooked but, be tender and not mushy.
The chili stays fresh in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days when packaged in a covered container. It can also be frozen for 4 to 6 months. For most of my clients, I use these glass storage containers for packaging meals for the refrigerator and freezer.

If you make this healthy beef chili with butternut squash recipe, I’d love hearing from you. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.

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