Hearty, Healthy Chili with Butternut Squash, Grass-Fed Beef, & Chickpeas
The sweet creaminess of our chili with butternut squash perfectly balances the savory grass-fed beef. The ultimate healthy chili recipe for cold nights.
When winter’s chill sets in and all you want for dinner is something hearty and wholesome, reach for this healthy chili with butternut squash, chickpeas, and grass-fed beef.
You could say it’s the whole package, with a bit of everything to make it a complete meal: protein, fiber, and nutrient-dense vegetables — and has a delicate air of piney rosemary and spice. This grass-fed beef, chickpea, and butternut squash chili recipe will bring comforting warmth to even your chilliest of evenings this season.
I made this in an Our Place Essentials stock pot because I liked that you can get a good sear on the grass-fed beef, but you could definitely make this chili in a Dutch oven or slow cooker (this one from GreenPan has a sear function!).
Never miss a new recipe. Sign up for our newsletter for more sweets, sips, and eats ideas along with well-researched, non-toxic living guidance and smart wellness advice.
A Warm and Healthy Chili Recipe with Grass-Fed Beef, Chickpea, and Butternut Squash
This chili recipe was created to be a complete, nourishing meal in one bowl. The combination of ingredients not only delivers rich, complex flavor but also provides essential nutrients that keep you satisfied and energized through the cold months.
Ingredient Highlights
- Grass-Fed Beef: Choosing grass-fed beef over conventional beef means you are getting a higher concentration of beneficial nutrients, including more Omega-3 fatty acids and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA).1 As a high-quality protein source, it provides the essential amino acids needed for muscle repair and long-lasting satiety, ensuring this chili is truly hearty.
- Butternut Squash: The star vegetable of this dish, butternut squash adds a welcome sweetness and creamy texture that balances the rich spice. It is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, along with a good dose of fiber, which aids digestion and promotes gut health. It melts into the broth beautifully, thickening the chili naturally as it cooks.
- Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): These tiny legumes are fiber and protein powerhouses, boosting the overall nutritional completeness of the chili without adding a heavy starch. Chickpeas contribute essential minerals like iron and folate and provide a textural counterpoint to the beef and squash.
- Rosemary: More than just an aromatic herb, the punchy flavor of rosemary elevates this chili beyond the standard mix. It contains antioxidants and may have anti-inflammatory properties (which also makes rosemary good for your skin), adding a wonderfully subtle, fresh dimension that hints at the greenery of the holiday season.
Kitchen Tools I Used
Our Place Essentials Stock Pot
This non-toxic beauty comes in an 11-piece set that comes with nifty storage organizers. I had no trouble getting my meat nice and brown adding a richness of flavor.
Our Place Essentials 11-Piece Set
Price: $329 ($553) at time of publish
These are the perfect size for something hearty like this chili recipe.
Price for 4 bowls: $59 ($69) at time of publish
This bowl also comes in a 20-piece stacking set, you can get here for $275 ($379).
How to Make This Chili with Butternut Squash, Grass-Fed Beef, and Chickpeas
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium stockpot over medium. Add beef and cook until browned, stirring, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from stockpot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl; set aside.
Drain and add the remaining tablespoon oil; add onion and cook until softened and light golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, pumpkin spice, and salt; cook until just fragrant, stirring, about 1 minute.
Add butternut squash puree, tomatoes, chickpeas, water, and reserved beef to stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until mixture is thickened, about 30 minutes.
Stir in fresh parsley and serve warm.
Related on Organic Authority
Make this Vegetarian Chili Recipe in an Hour with a Pressure Cooker
Warm Up With a Seasonal Pumpkin Chili Recipe
Grass-Fed Bison Chili with Shiitake Mushrooms
Source:
1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1475-2891-9-10
