It’s the ultimate vegan chili! You’re going to love this soup. It’s smoky, sweet, spicy, and filled with seasonal vegetables for the perfect autumnal vegan and gluten-free family meal. Made in 30 minutes!
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This post was sponsored by iHerb. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.
When the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, little else is more comforting than a warm bowl of vegan chili. And this chili recipe is the one you want.
It is spicy. It is sweet. And it’s full of smoky delicious flavor.
Featuring one of my favorite fall vegetables – butternut squash – this delicious chili combines the flavors of fall with smokey chipotle, hearty kidney beans, and a delicate spice blend that will have you begging for more.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Beyond being delightfully flavorful, this soup is super easy to make! Many of the ingredients for this chili are from iHerb which means it’s made with ingredients that were shipped right to my front door!
Here is everything you need.
What Is iHerb?
iHerb is an online store filled with over 30,000 natural and organic products ranging from home, beauty, food, pets, supplements, personal care, and more.
iHerb carries top-quality brands – ones that you probably recognize – and ships from climate-controlled distribution centers to ensure quality products to over 180 countries around the world!
Not only do they have everything I want, but also their shipping is fast and their prices are great. iHerb is convenient, affordable, and I am certain to get top-quality ingredients. The items were fresh, top quality, and took this flatbread recipe to the next level.
How iHerb Works
Picking out items at iHerb is super easy. Because they only carry the best brands, you don’t have to look through a lot of products to find the good ones. Simply type in what you’re looking for in the search bar and review your selections.
Once you fill up your cart, review it, select shipping and payment methods, and you’re good to go. iHerb offers customer service 24 hours a day/7 days a week in 10 different languages, making it an easy and convenient online shopping experience.
Ingredients from iHerb
For this recipe I found the following ingredients at iHerb.
- Eden Food Organic Kidney Beans
- Edward & Sons Garden Veggie Bouillon Cubes
- Frontier Natural Products Whole Chipotle Chili Peppers
- La Tourangelle 100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Now Foods Organic Maple Syrup
- Simply Organic Ancho Chili Powder
- Frontier Natural Products Organic Ground Cumin Seed
These ingredients are top quality, full of flavor, natural, and what takes this chili to the next level.
Mini Grocery Haul
One of the best features of iHerb is the Vegan Grocery Section which is filled with over 1000 vegan groceries. I love to shop for many of my non-perishable foods here. By shopping in the vegan grocery section of iHerb, I can grab my favorite snacks and staples without having to spend time reading all the ingredients. And from the comfort of my own home. It’s a win-win!
This past mini grocery haul included some of my favorite items such as:
- Eden Foods Organic Black Beans
- Now Foods Double Chocolate Soft Baked Cookies
- Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
- Now Foods Raw Pine Nuts
I highly recommend trying iHerb for yourself. New AND returning customers will get a discount off their first iHerb order with no minimum purchase.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Prepare the Squash
Begin by preparing the squash. To do this, first cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes and cut off the ends.
Stand the squash up on a flat end. With a sharp knife, remove the skin by carefully cutting it away, trying to keep the knife as close to the flesh as possible. Once all the peel is removed, cut the squash into 1/2″ cubes.
Pro Tip: Make sure to cut the squash as evenly as possible so that it cooks evenly.
Step Two – Sauté the Vegetables
In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add the garlic, chipotle peppers, bell peppers, and butternut squash, stirring to combine.
Mix the spices together and then add to the vegetables, stirring until they are well coated.
Step Three – Add the Remaining Ingredients
Once your vegetables are well coated, add the vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, and maple syrup. Add the ingredients to the soup pot and stir together.
Bring to boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the squash is tender and the liquid has reduced by about 50%, your chili is ready. Taste and adjust spices.
Pro Tip: If your chili still has a lot of liquid after 20 minutes, remove the lid and let the liquid boil out for an additional 5-10 minutes. Keep a careful eye on the squash so that it doesn’t get too soft.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Serve this chili immediately. Top with fresh cilantro, lime, and avocado.
Storing – Let leftover chili cool down to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for 4 months. To thaw, place it in the refrigerator the night before.
Reheating – To reheat, you can either place the soup in the microwave for a few minutes or pour it into a pot and reheat over medium-low heat until the soup has warmed through.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to cut the squash into uniform cubes about 1/2″ big to ensure that they cook evenly.
- If your chili still has a lot of liquid after 20 minutes, remove the lid and let the liquid boil out for an additional 5-10 minutes. Keep a careful eye on the squash so that it doesn’t get too soft.
- Feel free to adjust the spices. The way this recipe is written, this chili is both smoky and spicy. Omit the chipotle pepper and paprika for a more classic flavor.
- The recipe allows for variations. If you don’t have butternut squash, try this chili with acorn squash or pumpkin. In addition, feel free to use pinto or black beans in place of the kidney beans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is naturally gluten-free.
This chili has medium spice. If you want to reduce the spice, feel free to omit the chipotle chili.
Yes, you can make this soup in advance for an easy lunch or to bring to a get together the next day. If you are making it for a lunch, I recommend placing it in individual containers for easy grab options in the morning.
More Vegan Recipes Featuring iHerb
- Grilled Flatbread w/ Figs & Caramelized Onions
- Kung Poa Tofu
- Stuffed Acorn Squash
- One-Pot White Truffle Pasta
Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2-3 Whole Chipotle Chili Peppers finely chopped
- 4 heaping cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1/2" pieces
- 1 tbsp. Ancho Chili Powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 cups Garden Veggie Bouillon Broth
- 1 cup Eden Foods Kidney Beans, cooked according to packaged instructions
- 1 (15) ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- salt and pepper, to taste
- a few fresh springs of cilantro
- 1 small avocado, cubed
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the squash. To do this, first cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes and cut the ends off. Stand the squash up on a flat end. With a sharp knife, remove the skin by carefully cutting it away. Once all the peel is removed, cut the squash into 1/2″ cubes.
- In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add garlic, chipotle peppers, bell peppers, and butternut squash, stirring to combine. Mix the spices together and then add to the vegetables, stirring until they are well coated.
- Once your vegetables are well coated, add the vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, and maple syrup. Add the ingredients to the soup pot and stir together.
- Bring to boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust spices and seasonings. When the squash is tender your chili is done. Serve with cilantro and avocado.
Notes
- Make sure to cut the squash into uniform cubes about 1/2″ big to ensure that they cook evenly.
- Feel free to adjust the spices. The way this recipe is written, this chili is both smoky and spicy. Omit the jalapeño and paprika for a more neutral, kid-friendly flavor.
- The recipe allows for variations. If you don’t have butternut squash, try this chili with acorn squash or pumpkin. In addition, feel free to use pinto or black beans in place of the kidney beans.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Susan Wright says
I was a single parent for many years from 1989-2001 and I can tell you that there are many heartbreaks I had now I have grandchildren and great grandchildren and a good man so I am much better now
Kristy says
This chili came out great. Nice and smoky spicy. I used a white onion, an Anaheim pepper and 1/2 a pablano pepper because I didn’t have a red pepper. I also added some smoked paprika for 1/2 of what the recipe called for and used regular Patrick for the other 1/2. I used some canned chipotle peppers and I was worried it was going to come out too spicy hot, but it mellowed as it simmered. Leftovers tomorrow! Thanks for the recipe!