“Oops, I Thought We Had Tomatoes” Chili

Food

Dec 10

I know we need another Chili recipe like we need another pair of leggings, but promise me you’ll give this one a chance!

What I love about chili is you likely have everything you need in your pantry, so it is an easy throw-together meal. If you’re like me, my chili is different every time, but I do have a few recipes I keep coming back to. This rendition is that for me. It’s packed with veggies, warm spices, and is very filling!

I realized when I was grabbing all the ingredients I usually use for chili that we didn’t have any diced or canned tomatoes. I took it as an opportunity to use what we had to create something new! Thankfully it was extremely yummy!

I loved the addition of the butternut squash. It added just a bit more depth.

One of my favorite spices to use in soups is smoked paprika. It’s warm, smokey (duh), & really delicious.

I hope you enjoy this chili with loads of toppings on a cozy night in!

Ingredients:

2 T Avocado oil or ghee

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 oz pkg frozen cubed butternut squash

1 lb grass-fed beef

1 oz can organic black beans, drained & rinsed

1 oz can organic kidney beans, drained & rinsed

1 T tomato paste

64 oz Tomato Juice (I use the Trader Joe's version)

Spices:

1 1/2 T Chili Powder

1 T Cumin

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Cayenne Powder

1/4 - 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

TOPPINGS:

Avocado, Cilantro, Cornbread, Crumbled Crackers, Green Onions, Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Tortilla Chips

METHOD:

Heat the oil/ ghee over medium heat in a large stockpot or Le Creuset.
Add the onions and peppers. Sauté until onions are translucent and peppers are starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.
Next, add in the frozen butternut squash and sauté with the rest of the veggies until starting to soften.
Move the veggies to the edges of the pan. Add the ground beef and brown the meat. (This may take up to 10 minutes. I covered my pan, gave it time, came back, broke apart the meat, & repeated the process until it was completely browned.)
Combine all ingredients together once the meat is browned. Add in the spices and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add in the beans and stir.
Next, pour in the tomato juice. Stir.
Cover & let the soup simmer for at least 30 minutes to incorporate all flavors.
Scoop into bowls & serve with toppings galore! Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

xoxo,

Paulina