Butternut Squash Chili with Quinoa
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 15, 2019
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (9 cups)2 onions, cut into ½-inch pieces6 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt and pepper 5 cups water, plus extra as needed¾ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced3 garlic cloves, minced2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¾ teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk 1 cup prewashed white quinoa ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Before You Begin
If you buy unwashed quinoa (or if you are unsure whether it's washed), be sure to rinse it before cooking to remove its bitter protective coating (called saponin). For more spice, include the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño. Serve with hot sauce.
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss squash, onions, ¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Spread vegetables out in even layer over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating and switching sheets halfway through roasting.
- In food processor, process ½ cup roasted vegetables, 2 cups water, and ¼ cup peanuts until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until peppers start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, and ¾ teaspoon pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in remaining 3 cups water, tomatoes and their juice, coconut milk, and quinoa and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in pureed vegetable mixture and remaining roasted vegetables and let heat through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with additional hot water as needed. Sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and remaining ½ cup peanuts and serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 6Ingredients
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (9 cups)
2 onions, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
5 cups water, plus extra as needed
¾ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup prewashed white quinoa
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Ingredients
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (9 cups)
2 onions, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
5 cups water, plus extra as needed
¾ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup prewashed white quinoa
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Ingredients
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (9 cups)
2 onions, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
5 cups water, plus extra as needed
¾ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup prewashed white quinoa
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Why This Recipe Works
Our chili gets its silky body from a combination of blended peanuts and squash, which we roasted with chopped onions until both the squash and the onions started to char around the edges, giving the soup an incredible backbone of flavor. We pureed a portion of the roasted vegetables with the dry-roasted peanuts for a rich, smooth base to our soup. We sautéed sweet bell pepper and spicy jalapeño and briefly bloomed the warm spices before adding in the liquid. A combination of diced tomatoes and coconut milk made a creamy but bright broth, and nutty quinoa added heartiness and a subtle pop of texture.
Before You Begin
If you buy unwashed quinoa (or if you are unsure whether it's washed), be sure to rinse it before cooking to remove its bitter protective coating (called saponin). For more spice, include the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño. Serve with hot sauce.
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss squash, onions, ¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Spread vegetables out in even layer over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating and switching sheets halfway through roasting.
- In food processor, process ½ cup roasted vegetables, 2 cups water, and ¼ cup peanuts until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until peppers start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, and ¾ teaspoon pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in remaining 3 cups water, tomatoes and their juice, coconut milk, and quinoa and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in pureed vegetable mixture and remaining roasted vegetables and let heat through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with additional hot water as needed. Sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and remaining ½ cup peanuts and serve.
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