Butternut Squash Chili with Beef and Beans

Rating: 3.5/5
Serving: 6 servings
Preparation: 1 hr

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pasta
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb butternut squash (1 whole, small one), cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1/2 can (.5 oz) corn, rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz) tomatoes (Cento San Marzano brand)
• 2 cups of water
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste (At least 1/2 tsp)

Directions: 

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain the ground beef of any fat. 
2. To the same pan, add cubed butternut squash, chopped green bell pepper, minced garlic, kidney beans, corn, and canned tomatoes. use a spoon to break up all tomatoes into small bites. 
3. Add 2 cups of water. Season with 2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp sugar, and salt to taste. Mix everything well and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Cook on a low simmer for about 20 minutes, until squash is tender. 
4. Boil the pasta until barely al dente. Drain and add to the chili for about 5 minutes. 
5. Remove from heat and serve with extra toppings, like grated cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, or greek yoghurt. 

My review:

This was such a simple, yet delicious one pot meal. Chili only gets better as it sits so it tastes even better as leftovers the next few days. I added more butternut squash in my recipe because 1) I love butternut squash and 2) I didn't know what to do with the other half of the squash. The original recipe calls for 2 cups of butternut squash. It's good to mix the pasta with the heated chili because the pasta will soak up more of the flavor.

Happy cooking and eating!

Adapted from:
https://juliasalbum.com/butternut-squash-and-bean-chili-recipe/