Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash

One of the year’s biggest eating weeks in our house doesn’t even take place during the month of December. Or over Thanksgiving. It’s (usually) the third week in February, during which we celebrate both Valentine’s Day and my husbands birthday over the span of a few days. For Valentines I made this Seared Duck Breast over these Peanut Sesame Noodles. A couple nights later (for his birthday) I made the most outrageous Beef Wellington. Then over the weekend I threw a birthday brunch party complete with this mushroom-bacon frittata, baked french toast, and topped it all off with a nice and light German Chocolate Cake. So you could say, it’s time for some detox (I suppose).

Which brings us to the black bean and butternut squash chili, just the ticket after a week of heavy eating. Dried black beans are simmered to tenderness in a smokey-spicy chipotle laced broth with fire-roasted tomatoes. Add cooked butternut squash cubes and your favorite chili garnishes and you have a cleanse in a bowl, no cayenne-cabbage juice-soup concoctions needed. And you’ll get a weeks worth of cleanse-lunches too, because this makes a huge pot of chili.

Now if only it weren’t were for all the leftover German Chocolate Cake bites I’ve been sneaking, I might actually feel proud of myself.

Buon Appetito!

black bean chili with butternut squash

• 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 small/medium red onions, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 Tbs chili powder
• 1 Tbs ground coriander
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans fire-roasted tomatoes (such as Muir Glen)
• 1 lb dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 2-3 chipotle chiles from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
• 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• kosher salt
• 2 1/2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• Cooked brown rice, sour cream, chopped chiles, shredded cheese, diced avocado and/or diced red onion (for serving/garnish)

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and pinch of salt and cook, stirring often,  until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, stir and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle chili powder and coriander over; stir and cook 1 minute.

2. Stir in tomatoes with juice, black beans, chipotles, and oregano. Add 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently partially covered until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375. Spread squash in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil, toss, and roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350 and roast another 10-15 minutes until squash is nearly fork tender. Add into chili during the last 30-45 minutes of simmering.

4. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in cilantro. Serve over cooked brown rice topped with garnishes of your choosing.

Serves 8

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit