Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Quinoa Chili
Hearty, healthy and simple, this creamy slow cooker butternut squash and quinoa chili is sure to be a family favorite! Let your crockpot do all the work for this easy meal, then serve with your favorite toppings. Dairy free, gluten free and vegan.
Crock-pot chili with quinoa … take two.
I know, I know, I only posted the green chicken chili like two weeks ago. But. With winter upon us, I couldn’t sit on this slow cooker butternut squash chili any longer.
So let’s talk today’s recipe.
Which is essentially the butternut squash / quinoa version of my crock-pot vegetarian chili with farro (totally still a huge favorite at our house).
The quinoa gives the chili this sort of awesome creaminess and it just makes me exceedingly happy that butternut squash is involved.
Tips & Tricks For This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chili
- It freezes beauuuuutifully. Always a win.
- The recipe makes quite a bit – so see number one right above. Make the full amount and save it for another time.
- Toppings. I highly encourage you to go to town on the toppings. Like avocado. Cornbread. Cilantro. Green onions. You get my drift.
Tools I Love & Use To Make This Recipe (contains affiliate links):
Cuisinart 6 ½ Quart Slow Cooker – I’ve had this slow cooker for years now (and had the smaller 4 quart size before that!) and love it. It’s fairly basic, simple to use and no fuss, but still has things like a timer (so you can program a cook time!).
Additional Chili Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Vegetarian Pumpkin Lentil Chili
- White Bean Salsa Verde Chili
- Crockpot Vegetarian Chili with Farro
- Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
- Sausage and Beef Chili
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Quinoa Chili
Hearty, healthy and simple, this creamy slow cooker butternut squash and quinoa chili is sure to be a family favorite! Let your crockpot do all the work for this easy meal, then serve with your favorite toppings. Dairy free, gluten free and vegan.
Ingredients
For the chili:
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 medium green pepper, diced
- 4 cups cubed (¾ inch) butternut squash (from about 1 (2 lb.) butternut squash)
- 2 (14 ounce) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced*
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Topping ideas:
- sliced green onions
- sliced avocado
- chopped cilantro
- shredded regular or dairy free cheese
- plain greek yogurt or dairy free plain yogurt
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients for the chili to a large crock-pot. Give it a good stir then cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. The chili should have thickened up by the time it is done and the veggies should be tender.
- Give the chili another good stir before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste if needed (I typically add about ½ teaspoon more salt). Top as desired.
Notes
*If you are gluten free - be sure to check the ingredients on your chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Some brands contain wheat.
Adjust the amount of chipotle pepper to your taste. If you go with 1, the chili will be quite mild in spice. If you go with the full 3, it gives it a good kick.
The chili will thicken up even more as leftovers. If needed, add a splash of veggie broth when reheating to loosen it up.
Prep time will be significantly less if you use pre-cut butternut squash.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 622mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 9gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
Wow, this was delicious! Perfect amount of spice and a little sweetness from the squash. This might be the best chili I have ever made!! Will definitely be in the rotation, and I’ve already saved it for future use. Thank you for the recipe!
Oh my gosh this made my day. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Made this tonight, love love love it! I followed the recipe without any changes and had at least three of the Chipotle peppers so it was good and spicy! Thank you for sharing I’ll definitely make it again. So hearty and healthy and satisfying.
Yes!! We love the chipotle peppers in here 🙂 So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
I am making this for a potluck this afternoon. Everything went into the crock pot at 10am on high. Anyone know how long it might take or if I should turn it onto low after a while? I also pre-cooked my butternut squash a bit.
Hey Sarah! My guess would be about 4 to 6 hours on high … but I’ve only tested it myself on the low for the 8 hours!
This chili is so full of spicy goodness that even those who don’t usually eat vegetarian chili, will never miss the meat! I am a big fan of butternut squash too!
I don’t think I’ve ever made quinoa chili – sounds and looks great! Bookmarking so I can try it.
And I love that you have a ‘game day’ category on the blog. Such a fabulous idea!
Thanks Nicole!! 🙂
Ashley, you can never post too many chili recipes too soon – I happen to love your unique combos – they are so healthy and delightfully deeelicious – lik this one! Loving the combo of butternut squash and quinoa in this – and the hint of cinnamon!
Thanks Shashi! I love the hint of cinnamon in this!!
I don’t care what time of year it is I love soups and stews and this one looks amazing and right up my street. I love butternut squash!
I am in love with this chili. Perfect for winters and all of those flavors sound so good. Now I wish I had a bowl for lunch. Mmmm.
This chilli looks sooooo incredible Ashley! So many amazing flavours! I love that you used butternut squash and quinoa to make it. I definitely have to try this! Pinned!
Slow cooker recipes are awesome. Love how hearty and cozy this bowl looks. Such a genius recipe.
I love slow cooker and veggie chilis are my favorite meal to have!!
Girlfriend, one can NEVER EVER have too many chili recipes in their arsenal! LOVE this one, so I’m glad you are sharing! I can’t get enough butternut squash or quinoa up in my belleh, so this chili is totally my jam! Perfect for super bowl, if I don’t devour it all first. I never have been one who likes sharing, especially something THIS delicious! Cheers, doll!
haha I agree completely! Thanks lady!
This looks awesome! I looove this recipe ♥
I have all these butternut squash that have to get used! Thanks for inspiring me with a recipe that can use them up before they go bad!
I don’t need any convincing here….I”m all about chilis during this cold (and busy) season! Butternut squash is one of my favorites too, and I love that the quinoa bumps up the protein here!
It would have been a sin not to share this sooner! I’m a HUGE fan of chipotle peppers in chili and they pair so well with butternut squash. You can serve this to me all year long and I’ll be a happy camper! 🙂
Gah me too! They are so good with the smokiness!! Thanks Sarah!!
Haha I am one of those weirdos that can have soup and chili all year long so this sounds perfect! Love the butternut squash and quinoa in here! It looks so cozy and delicious!
Yessss haha I’m glad I’m not alone!!
This chili sounds like perfection! I’m loving the butternut squash and quinoa combo and am totally up for making a huge batch and freezing part of it to enjoy later. I’m always up for soup all year long, too, and this looks so healthy and fabulous! Bring on allllll the chili toppings!
I totally need to add more chili to my life. I’m really envious of your avocados, it’s next to impossible to find a ripe avo here in Feb.! I tried to grab yours out of the screen but it didn’t work 🙁
hahaha oh this made me laugh!! But I hear you – it can definitely be hard to find good ones right now!!
This recipe looks fabulous!!
I am a huge fan of making a big pot of chili, especially for the leftovers, it just keeps getting better!
I’ve been making soup and chili so much and that’s been all I want to post! I’d be fine if that’s all you posted. haha This looks so right up my alley and I love quinoa in my chili!
Um yeah, I think I have two more soups coming in the next few weeks! lol I’m all about them right now too!!
I love crockpot meals, I can never get enough of them in my collection! A hearty chili that’s healthy at the same time – that’s a real winner!
This looks amazing and all your topping ideas have me drooling!
Oh, I love that this freezes well! And the fact that it has butternut squash in it!
Must be quinoa day. I just made a black bean/corn quinoa salad and I’m loving your chili. I made a vegetarian chili once with quinoa…I remember it was so filling and made plenty for leftovers in the freezer. I like that you added butternut squash to it. There’s no way not to be satisfied eating this, which is a very happy thing to me. : )
Ha! I like it! It really does make the chili so nice and hearty! Thanks Monica!!
This is my kind of chili…healthy, packed full of goodness and flavour!
I need this chili! It looks so perfect for this time of the year. And yes to all the toppings! Extra cornbread for me. 🙂
Chili in the winter months is a staple in my house, and I can only imagine how the butternut squash sweetens this meal just a tad to bring out the smokiness of the other ingredients. Pinned!
I made your vegetarian chili on Saturday and love it. I like the idea of adding the butternut squash to the chili. Now I am going to have to make that too! Thanks for sharing Ashley!
Yay I’m so glad!! I hope you enjoy this one too! We eat a slightly ridiculous amount of chili and soup this time of the year so I support this! haha
This is just the perfect time of year for chili, don’t you think? I love it!
Mmmmm! Quinoa chilis are the best!! Quinoa just gives the perfect texture. And the butternut squash fits in oh-so well here too. A game day recipe for sure!
My goodness, this chili. It looks fabulous and so healthy and filling. Perfect for lunch, when I tend to feel unsatisfied.
Thanks so much Kim! Hope all has been well!!
HA! How is it…that you’ve been blogging consistently, I just started back blogging, and we are STILL posting the same kind of recipe on the same day?! This is too funny! Your photos are so beautiful that I can just taste this chili right now!
Great minds think alike right?? 🙂 Thanks so much Jessica!!
Anything that freezes really well is always a winner with me and this sound like just my kind of meal, especially with my newly discovered love of butternut squash.
Agreed!! Thanks Dannii!!
This is such a hearty and tasty looking chili! I love the squash and quinoa in there!
Chili is definitely an essential meal for the winter and game days, so I’m loving this quinoa kind! Sounds so warm and comforting. I know this would gone in no time, too!