This past Sunday we went for a 75 and sunny bike ride along the beach and for some reason, I decided that we needed to have the most fall-inspired, warming chili for dinner. So here’s to introducing the most delicious, hearty, vegan black bean chili that is stuffed chock-full of butternut squash, kale, tomatoes and spices. My taste testers declared that this stew could cure any ailment and it really is the ultimate Sunday detox. Little did they know that I accidentally threw in a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar at the beginning of this recipe, thinking the bottle was olive oil. Maybe that was the secret ingredient to why it tasted so damn good?!
This chili would take about 5 minutes to throw together if you use pre-cubed butternut squash (which I generally do). However, we purchased a beautiful whole butternut from the farmer’s market which I preceded to become veeeery close with that afternoon. This baby wanted to play hard to get. Oh sure, you look so innocent all snuggled up against that gorgeous bunch of kale.
I turned up my Pandora workout station and broke a sweat. Butternut conquered, and so worth it.
Once you have peeled and cubed your squash, this chili could not be easier to throw together. Cook down some onions and garlic in olive oil (and, uh, balsamic vinegar, if you’re me), and toss everything else in the pot to simmer for really however long you please. This is a great dish to prepare on a Sunday and eat throughout the week, as the flavors get better as the days go by. We gobbled this down in one evening, with only one or two servings left over to nibble on over the next couple of days.
Feel free to top this chili with avocado, shredded cheese, green onions, toasted pumpkin seeds, or even a spoonful of greek yogurt to tame the spice. We kept ours plain and simple. We may have had to turn on our AC later in the evening, but hey, at least our kitchen is attending to the changing season accordingly!
- Medium butternut squash, cubed
- Large bunch of curly kale, chopped
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 1 can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (I used the Trader Joe's brand)
- 1 box of vegetable broth
- 2 cans of black beans
- 2½ tbsp chili powder
- Dash (or a few) of cayenne pepper
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- In a large pot, sautee the olive oil, onion and garlic over medium heat
- Add in the vegetable broth and canned tomatoes and bring to a boil
- Bring down to a simmer and add in beans, butternut squash, chili pepper and cayenne
- Allow chili to cook for a half hour or so before adding in the kale. The kale will cook down considerably, so don't be afraid to fill your pot to the brim with freshly chopped kale
- Let chili simmer for a minimum or one hour, or on the lowest heat for up to three hours
- Spoon and serve!
Thanks for stopping by! 
