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Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili

Name: Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili
Prep time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: butternut squash — 907 g; olive oil — 41 g; salt — 5 g; yellow onion — 110 g; red bell pepper — 100 g; garlic — 12 g; tomato paste — 30 g; chili powder — 15 g; cumin — 10 g; chipotle chile — 200 g; tomatoes — 794 g; black beans — 851 g; vegetable broth — 473 g; lime juice — 15 g; cilantro — 15 g

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili reads sweetness 6.2, umami 5.1 and sourness 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 1 hr 5 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 5.5 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 6.9 / 10
Sour & Bright — 5.8 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 4.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.5 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 6.2 · Umami 5.1 · Sourness 4.5 · Citrus 4.2 · Richness 4.0 · Smoke 4.0 · Allium 3.9 · Heat 3.6 · Salinity 3.3 · Earthy 3.3 · Fruity 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Nutty 1.5 · Bitterness 1.4 · Floral 0.9

What's in it (15)

butternut squash — 907 g
olive oil — 41 g
salt — 5 g
yellow onion — 110 g
red bell pepper — 100 g
garlic — 12 g
tomato paste — 30 g
chili powder — 15 g
cumin — 10 g
chipotle chile — 200 g
tomatoes — 794 g
black beans — 851 g
vegetable broth — 473 g
lime juice — 15 g
cilantro — 15 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 5 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 122.2 kcal, 6.4 g protein, 0.9 g fat, 23.8 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

Heat the oven to 425F. Toss the squash cubes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until deeply caramelized at the edges and tender when pierced with a fork, 25-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
While the squash roasts, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to turn golden at the edges, 6-7 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly, 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the chipotle peppers with their adobo sauce, the crushed tomatoes, black beans, vegetable broth, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer briskly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, 20-25 minutes.
Once the squash is done roasting, fold two-thirds of it into the chili, reserving the rest for topping. Simmer 5 minutes more so the roasted flavor melds into the pot.
Take the chili off the heat and stir in the lime juice; taste and add more salt if it needs it.
Ladle the chili into bowls and top each with the reserved roasted squash and a scatter of cilantro.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

One-Pot Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potato — American
Spicy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos — Mexican
Skillet Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos — Tex-Mex
Smoky Chipotle Turkey Chili — American
Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili — American

Keep reading: what sweetness, umami, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.