America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Vegan Butternut Squash Chili with Quinoa and Peanuts

By Anne Wolf

Published on September 11, 2019

Time

2 hours

Yield

Serves 6

Vegan Butternut Squash Chili with Quinoa and Peanuts

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 minced2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 3 garlic cloves, minced¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¾ teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (14-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

  1. 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 in even layer over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through roasting.
  2. Process ½ cup roasted vegetables, 2 cups water, and ¼ cup peanuts in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
  3. 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 ginger, garlic, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, and ¾ teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, coconut milk, quinoa, and remaining 3 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
  5. 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. Serve, sprinkling individual bowls with cilantro and remaining ½ cup peanuts.
Vegan Butternut Squash Chili with Quinoa and Peanuts
Styling by Marie Piraino.

Vegan Butternut Squash Chili with Quinoa and Peanuts

Save

Time

2 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 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
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14-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
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14-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
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup prewashed white quinoa
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley

Why This Recipe Works

This 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 incredible 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

  1. 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 in even layer over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through roasting.
  2. Process ½ cup roasted vegetables, 2 cups water, and ¼ cup peanuts in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
  3. 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 ginger, garlic, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, and ¾ teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, coconut milk, quinoa, and remaining 3 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
  5. 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. Serve, sprinkling individual bowls with cilantro and remaining ½ cup peanuts.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.