Meatless Monday: Slow Cooker Butternut Squash, Kale, and Quinoa Chili

January 12, 2015

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash, Kale, and Quinoa Chili | Sarcastic Cooking

Remember last week when I warned you that this was the month of soup and chili? I was not lying! This week holds both a chili and a soup recipe. Also, SPOILER ALERT, next week is looking to be kind of the same.

You’ll thank me when that cold weather hits and all you have to do is pull a frozen Tupperware brick out of your freezer and plop it into a pot.

Yep. Plop and brick in the same sentence. Class act all the way!

Did you know that I only have one chili recipe on the site? What the what? And, sadly, it is from my first year of blogging. I apologize for the photos. I don’t know how that happened, because during winter months we eat chili at least once a week.

It is just an easy dish because you can throw anything into it, bring it to a simmer, and then serve it with sooooo many toppings.

Oh, the toppings!

Slow cooker vegetarian chili packed with butternut squash, kale, quinoa, beans, and spices!

I mean that is the real reason we make and eat chili. I am a big fan of fresh cilantro, more cheese (duh), hot sauce, tomatoes, red onion, sour cream, and oh so much more!

What is your favorite topping?

Today, I have a healthy veggie and grain filled chili for you. I mean why add all the complicated toppings when you can just put them all in the chili? Oh! And slow cooker for the win with this recipe!

Right?

This is the way I get Mike to eat, and enjoy, kale. I think that any time I mention kale he remembers back to the kale chip craze.

Don’t ever try and pass dehydrated, crispy kale off as a potato chip substitute. Trust me.

Just sneak it into chili.

 

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash, Kale, and Quinoa Chili

The healthiest, veggie-packed, and zesty twist on classic chili all done up in the convenience of your slow cooker!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1, 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1, 15 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
  • 16 Ounces Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
  • 1, 15 Ounce Can Garbanzo Beans drained and rinsed
  • 1, 15 Ounce Can Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
  • ½ Cup Quinoa
  • 3 Cups Tuscan Kale stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 3 Cups Cubed Butternut Squash
  • 1 Carrot peeled and diced
  • 1 Celery Stalk diced
  • 1/3 Cup Diced Red Onion
  • 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 3-5 Dashes of Tabasco Sauce/Favorite Hot Sauce
  • ¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • ½ Teaspoon Cumin
  • ½ Teaspoon Oregano
  • Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Mix to combine and carefully make sure all the vegetables are at least halfway submerged in liquid.
  2. Set the slow cooker on high and cook for three hours or on low for six hours.
  3. Serve in big bowls with many toppings.

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  • Shannah
    December 19, 2016 at 6:53 pm

    How many does this serve?

    • Stefanie
      December 19, 2016 at 7:31 pm

      I would say 4-6.

  • Sarah
    September 28, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    Made this last year and loved it, and tonight is the first time I am making it this year! Cannot wait for these cozy fall flavors for dinner tonight. Great recipe!!

    • Stefanie
      September 29, 2016 at 3:41 pm

      Yay! Thanks Sarah. I am soooo happy it is finally soup/chili weather.

  • Courtney Saxton
    October 4, 2015 at 12:35 pm

    does the recipe call for 1/2 cup quinoa dry or cooked?

    • Stefanie
      October 4, 2015 at 1:08 pm

      Sorry I didn’t specify. It’s dry uncooked. You can add in cooked at the end if you happen to have some on hand though.

  • Jennie @themessybakerblog
    January 13, 2015 at 8:22 am

    I’m all for soup and chili, so bring it! It’s damn cold here. This chili is stunning. Pinned.

  • Miss Messy
    January 12, 2015 at 4:07 pm

    That picture of it in the slow cooker is stunning! This looks so delicious! I’m living off soup at the moment!

  • francesca
    January 12, 2015 at 8:33 am

    ahhh – all da veggies. Love this kinda of stuff in the cold winter months (so here in Holland, October through May?).

    Cheers, lady!