Warm up with a bowl of this hearty veggie chili. Packed with nutritional all-star lentils and fiber high butternut squash. This chunky and belly warming bowl of comfort food is perfect to enjoy throughout the week. It freezes well too!
There is nothing more I love on a crisp fall day than a bowl of hot hearty chili. We love chili in any shape or form.
We have a classic Lentil Chili, White Chicken Chili Rice Bowl and if you’re feeling a little adventurous: White Chicken Chili with Apples. These are just a few of our favorites.
Can you blame me, though? A simmering pot of chili warms up any occasion.
Reasons to Love This Chili:
This butternut squash chili with lentils is high in fiber and low in fat. It’s hearty, chunky, and creamy. Made with a combination of fresh and canned ingredients, as well as spices and some pantry staple items.
Such as butternut squash, bell pepper, lentils, spices, canned tomatoes, stock, and beans. I love this recipe because it’s so versatile. You can add your favorite chili add-ins for even more flavor.
Plus it stores in the fridge up to a week and freezes up to 3 months. So you can make a pot and enjoy it all week long.
What Are Lentils and How Do You Cook Them?
Before we get to the recipe. Let’s talk about lentils. Because they’re truly a nutritional all-star.
Lentils are edible legume. So they’re in the same family as beans, peas, and chickpeas. Rich in fiber and high in plant-based protein. They’re affordable and cook very easily.
They come in a variety of colors, such as brown, green, yellow, red or black. I like to stick to green and brown varieties of color. It’s the most basic type of lentils and is easy to find at the grocery store.
Some recipes require you to soak lentils prior to cooking but for this butternut squash lentil chili, there is no need to soak them. They cook in about 20-30 minutes until tender.
And if you overcook them, not a problem. They might be a little mushy and to be honest, I personally prefer them that way in a chili recipe.
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Lentil Chili
What I love about this butternut squash and lentils chili is that it’s made with a combination of easy-to-find fresh ingredients, canned ingredients, and pantry items.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Yellow bell pepper
- Lentils – brown or green
- Spices – chili powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaf
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Chicken stock 0r veggie stock
- Butternut squash
- Beans – red kidney, black beans, or pinto beans
- Pantry staples – olive oil, salt, pepper
Chili Add-Ins:
You can add more flavor to your chili with these flavor-boosting add-ins.
- diced green chiles
- corn
- fire-roasted tomatoes
- fresh jalapeño
- fresh lime juice
- something smoky – smoked paprika or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- chopped fresh cilantro
- pinch of red chili flakes
How to Make Butternut Squash Chili Recipe
It’s helpful to have all the ingredients measured, chopped, and rinsed before starting.
Also purchasing pre-chopped butternut squash will save time on prep, however, buying a whole squash and cutting it yourself is going to be fresher. See how I easily cut my butternut squash in this post.
To make the chili, you’ll want to start off by cooking the onions and bell pepper until soft. Stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant. Add spices and lentils. Cook for a minute or so or until the flavors blend.
Add tomatoes, bay leaf, and broth. Simmer on low heat until lentils are soft around the edges but firm to bite.
Add butternut squash and continue to simmer for an additional 15 minutes or until the squash is knife tender. Stir in beans and cook just until heated through. Serve with toppings of choice.
Optional Toppings for Serving
I love just about anything spicy so I’m always adding something spicy to give my chili a kick. You can serve the chili as is or with any of the following toppings. TIP: create a toppings bar so everyone can add whatever they like.
- Fresh cilantro
- Green onions
- Tortilla chips
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Shredded cheese
- Red onions
- Something spicy – red chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or thinly sliced jalapeño
More Soup Recipes to Try:
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- Black Bean and Veggie Chili with Quinoa
- Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili
- Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup
Lentil and Butternut Squash Chili
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: American
Description
Warm up with a bowl of this hearty veggie chili. Packed with nutritional all-star lentils and fiber high butternut squash. It’s so cozy and belly warming good.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups dry lentils, rinsed
- 3 tsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. oregano
- 2 (14.5 oz.) cans no-salt diced tomatoes
- 1 dry bay leaf
- 7 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 2 (15 oz.) cans red kidney beans, rinsed
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
Optional for Serving:
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Red onions
- Sour Cream
- Something spicy
Instructions
- In a 6-quart heavy duty stockpot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes or just until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add lentils, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook for about 1 minutes, stirring nonstop.
- Add tomatoes, bay leaf and stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are soft around the edges but firm to bite. Liquid will also slightly reduce.
- Add butternut squash and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. You might also want to taste for salt here and add more, if needed.
- Stir in beans and cook just until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Check squash for doneness. It should be knife tender. Discard the bay leaf and serve with toppings of choice.
Notes
- Lentils: I like to use brown or green varieties of lentils. They’re the most basic type of lentils and easy to find at the store.
- Tomatoes: I prefer to use no-salt diced tomatoes as I like to control the amount of salt I add to the chili. You can certaintly use salted tomatoes. Just watch how much salt you add.
- Beans: Swap out red kidney beans for pinto or black beans.
- Extra Add-Ins: This chili is very versatile and you can add more flavor with any of these add-ins: diced green chiles, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, fresh jalapeño, and something smoky such as smoked paprika or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- Leftovers: Leftover chili can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Instructions: Transfer cooled chili to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Originally published October 2015
Keywords: winter, tailgate, comfort food
Keith says
This was absolutely delicious! Thank you
★★★★★
Lori says
Delicious!!! We ate it for days!!! Is a serving one cup or 2? Trying to count macros
★★★★★
Katya says
Hi Lori: It’s close to 2 cups. I would about 1 3/4 ? Thank you!
Karen says
My vegetarian boyfriend and I (hopeless carnivore trying to dial back my consumption) agree that this is an excellent chili! We’ve had it every couple weeks since discovering the recipe. Thank you!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Karen for your feedback!
Laura says
Great recipe! I made it tonight, following the recipe pretty closely, though I increased the cumin and the chile. Delicious, freshly made. But as they say, “if you like yesterday’s soup, come back tomorrow…” I think it will be even better tomorrow! Thanks!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you! So glad to hear you enjoyed the chili.
Ingrid says
Just finished the delicious chili. I used a squash from our garden. I added corn and a can of diced Chili’s. Delicious,
★★★★★
Katya says
Sounds delicious! Thank you.
Nikkole says
Can you make this in an instant pot?
Katya says
I’m pretty sure there’s a way to tweak it for the instant pot, however, I haven’t tried it so I can’t really answer with certainty.
Ashwaq says
Katya … I love the recipe and difenitly will try to make it … i can get the aroma wail going through the steps
Katya says
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it!
Kathykathy says
Have made this twice now and the family love it. Not a complicated recipe but the result seems more than the sum of its parts. Just delicious.
Had no oregano or bay. Used some celery salt. Red Kidney beans. Red lentils. Red pepper. (It was a very orange dish! )Veg stock. Doubled the chilli. Served with naan.
I don’t use cups (UK) but one large butternut squash yielded just the right amount.
Thank you for this recipe
Katya says
Thank you Kathy! I so appreciate your feedback and so glad you are loving the chili!
Stephanie says
This was delicious! I only used 1 tsp chili powder to keep the spiciness down for my 7 year old. We all added sour cream and shredded cheese on top and it was a bit hit even with my meat loving husband. Next time I will add more butternut squash and make sure it’s cubed small because the bigger pieces didn’t get as cooked. Overall super yummy!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Stephanie! So glad you and your family enjoyed it!
Maureen Sinclair says
Was looking for a nutritional breakdown. Calories, etc. it was delicious.
Katya says
Thanks Maureen!
Brian says
My adaptation includes rotel tomatoes, pablano peppers and jalapeños to spice it up. Great recipe
Katya says
That sounds great! Thanks Brian.
Ken Jones says
Made this tonight and it was amazingly good! Used a can of rotel for one of the cans of tomatoes and had one can pinto and one can kidney for the beans. Used pink lentils. The complexity of the flavor profile is what makes this a winner!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thanks so much Ken! So glad you enjoyed it.
April says
I made it today and it was truly fantastic! It’s filling, meaty without the meat, and full of flavor. I’m so glad I ran across this recipe!!!
Katya says
Thank you April! So happy you enjoyed it.
Angela Severtson says
How long will this keep in the fridge after making? Also, has anyone frozen it? If so how long will it keep?
Katya says
I would say at least good 3 days if not more. I have not tried to freeze this specific recipe but I know other chilies do well up to 3 months.
Sue says
Just made this chilli and wow its good!! I used 4 fresh tomatoes maybe needs 6 next time also put some crushed chillies in it as well!! Made a ton!! Dinner for all and lunch tomorrow!!!
Katya says
That’s so awesome Sue! So glad you loved it. Thanks for your feedback!
Azzman4u says
Solid recipe, I’m definitely adding this to my fall/winter meal rotation.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you! Hope you enjoy.
Katherine says
Hi! Not a huge fan of bell peppers. Any suggestions on something I could substitute this for?
★★★★★
Katya says
Hi Katherine: I think a leafy green would be great here such as kale or spinach.
Robyn Warren says
Hi! Looking forward to trying this recipe soon. Did you cook the squash at all before cubing, or did you just add it to the pot raw? Thanks!
Katya says
Hi Robyn: you want to add raw squash. It will cook with the rest of the ingredients. I hope you enjoy the chili. Thanks!
deirdre harbison says
How do I know what weights to use instead of cups ( eg three cups of squash – I haven’t an idea of what that weight might be ). I live in metric land but can cope with imperial weights also. Thank you.
Katya says
Hi Deirdre: unfortunately, I do not have metric weights for my recipes at this time, however, a quick google search indicates that 1 cup equals 450 grams. Hope that helps!
Bee says
OMG I just made this chili and it is AMAZING. I thought it might be kind of bland (I’m a firm believer in A LOT of seasoning), but holy wow it was not. I didn’t even need to top it with anything, AND now I have chili for the rest of the week. Thank you so much!
note–I made it in the slow cooker and had it cooking on low for about 9-10 hours, and I used red lentils instead of green because green lentils don’t agree with me. For anyone who was wondering.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thanks so much for the feedback Bee! Glad you loved the chili and thank you for the slow cooker note (I think other readers will appreciate that). Have a great weekend!
Kaia says
About how many servings does this recipe make?
Katya says
About 8-10 servings!
Al says
Once this is finished, can I let it sit on the hot stove for another hour? Or does it needed to be served immediately? Thanks!
Katya says
You should be totally fine with letting it sit. It actually tastes even better the next day (super thick and hearty).
Dee says
I made this tonight and it was absolutely one of the best recipes I have tried in a very long time !!! I follow weight watchers and it fit into my food plan perfectly. I have tons of leftovers and I know that this will freeze beautifully. What an incredible recipe, thank you so much for sharing it with us 🙂
Katya says
Thank you so much Dee for your kind feedback! So happy to hear you enjoyed the chili.
Stefanie says
Just made this yesterday- what an awesome meal to enjoy in fall! Easy and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Katya says
So glad you loved it Stefanie! Thanks so much for your positive review.
Liz says
I added a couple of hot peppers and my tomatoes were a little sharper than I hoped so I tempered both with just a smidge of honey. I also used ancho chili powder because I love it with sweet potatoes and squash and it added a nice depth. I’ve been trying to work more veggies and beans into my diet so this recipe was perfect, thank you!
Katya says
Sounds absolutely delicious! So glad that you enjoyed the chili!
Kate says
Wow. I made this tonight and it was delish! I added some mushrooms I had in the fridge and a 2 table spoons of dijon mustard to give it a zing. It made so much, I have lunch and dinner for the next little while!
★★★★★
Katya says
So glad you enjoyed the chili Kate and love that you added mushrooms! It sounds so good!!!!
Joy says
I made this in the crock pot. Everything in raw. High for 5 hours – delicious!!
Katya says
Thanks for letting us know Joy! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Julie says
This chili is nothing beyond AMAZING. I saved some for my parents and my mom asked me for the recipe when I brought it over ! It’s a must try, love it. I definitely recommend it.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thanks so much for such a sweet feedback Julie! So happy you enjoyed it with your parents.
Emily says
Cooked this tonight and it was a winner, even with my meat eating caveman boyfriend and dad!! Beautiful flavours!!
★★★★★
Katya says
Yeay! So happy Emily! Glad your family enjoyed it 🙂
Katya says
That sounds great! I hope you enjoy it.
Valya of valyastasteofhome.com says
Love all the bright colors in this chili. Perfect for the season. ♡♡♡
★★★★★
Katya says
Me too! Thanks Valya.
Tania @ COOKTORIA says
Wow! I must have this chili NOW. It looks so hearty and yummy! Your step-by-step pictures are very helpful. Great recipe, Katya!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thanks Tania. Its super hearty and filling chili!