Crockpot Mexican Butternut Squash Chili

This smoky, veggie-packed crockpot Mexican butternut squash chili proves that comfort food can be both easy to make and incredibly satisfying.

Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Crockpot Mexican Butternut Squash Chili

Total Time8 hours hrs

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: vegetarian

Servings: 8

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup red onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno minced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 4 cups butternut squash peeled, seeded
• 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 14-ounce canned pinto beans
• 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• salt and pepper
• Toppings: tortilla strips, avocado, shredded Mexican cheese, cilantro, scallions

Instructions

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped red onion, green and red bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic. Saute until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables into a crockpot along with the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and slow cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 hours. Adjust seasoning as needed.
• Portion soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, sliced avocado, shredded cheddar, chopped cilantro, and scallions.

Video

Notes

If you don't have a crockpot, you can prepare this soup on the stovetop. Saute the vegetables and add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve with toppings.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Saute vegetables

What's great about this crockpot Mexican butternut squash chili is that it's versatile. The original recipe is vegetarian, but you can add ground beef, turkey, or even soy chorizo, and it'll all work.

I really wanted the soup to reflect the weather, so butternut squash is a big player, but if it's not in season, swap it with sweet potatoes or even just potatoes.

I used my Instant Pot for this recipe, but if you have an actual crockpot, you will need to saute the vegetables on the stovetop before adding them to the crockpot.

If you're using an Instant Pot, choose the "saute" setting and saute the vegetables right in the pot.

If you are adding meat, saute the meat before the vegetables. Once the red onion, green and red bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic have softened, add the remaining ingredients.

Step 2: Cook

Stir to combine, and turn on the crockpot to cook on low for 8 hours or on high for about 6 hours, or until the squash is tender.

It's literally just as easy as that. You can even prepare this soup the night before and let the flavors develop even further overnight.

Now, if you don't have a crockpot, you can still prepare this soup on the stovetop. Follow the same directions, but prepare the soup in a pot on the stove instead. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and continue to simmer until the butternut squash is tender, about 30 minutes. And that's it, folks!

Once the soup is ready, taste for final seasoning adjustments. Prepare the toppings, including tortilla strips, avocado, shredded Mexican cheese, cilantro, and scallions.

If you're feeling extra wild today, add a few more options like sliced radish, fresh chopped tomatoes, sour cream, or even chopped onion tossed in lime juice.

I made a huge batch of this crockpot Mexican chili and enjoyed it every night for a week. Did I get sick of it? Absolutely not. It was delicious every time, even better the next day!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can sauté the vegetables and prep all ingredients the night before. Store the sautéed vegetables and other ingredients separately in the refrigerator, then combine them in the crockpot in the morning.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More vegetarian soup recipes

Looking for more vegetarian soup ideas? Try these: