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My easy Instant Pot butternut squash chili is a delicious and hearty meal that the whole family will love. You can use convenient frozen butternut squash and canned beans for a quick weeknight recipe. You’ll find both Instant Pot and stovetop options so that you can whip up this cozy chili in a flash.
Today, with this incredible butternut squash chili, we’re kicking canned soup to the curb and making home cooking cool again.
Well, I mean, the chili is hot. So I guess we’re making hot chili cool again? Whatever, let’s just make this recipe, m’kay.
Reader Review
“I made your wonderful Butternut Squash Chili twice over the last week and a half . . . because Mr. Picky Pants (my husband of 40 years) who hates almost everything, especially anything squash, requested it. I cannot even believe it. Of course, I had to use a bean other than kidney because . . . Mr. PP. But everything else was the same . . . a first! He really liked the addition of the BBQ sauce . . . said that the final dish was the best combination of chili and BBQ beans! And he ate all of his squash and did not request that I leave it out. This is a solid win and a definite repeater in our household.”
Terry
I’d be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to also make our air fryer cornbread to go alongside this chili. That cornbread recipe also has oven-baking instructions if you’re not yet on the air fryer bandwagon.
Sarah’s Cheat Codes
- Once the meat is about halfway cooked, I like to use a meat masher or pastry cutter to dice it up into really small pieces.
- If you’re serving this to pickier eaters, blend the butternut squash before adding it to the chili. I also recommend subbing in stewed tomatoes for the diced tomatoes.
Easy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Chili With Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground sausage {or ground beef, chicken, or turkey}
- 1.5 cups beef broth
- 2 1/4 cups butternut squash {~10 oz}
- 1 cup onion {diced}
- 4 cloves garlic {minced or pressed}
- 1 can tomato sauce {14 oz}
- 1 can diced tomatoes, including juices {14 oz}
- 1 tbsp chili powder {less for milder chili}
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp prepared BBQ sauce
- 1 can pinto beans {15 oz can, drained}
- 1 can kidney beans {15 oz can, drained}
- salt & pepper to taste
Optional Cornstarch Slurry
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup broth from the chili
Instructions
- Press "Saute" on the Instant Pot and allow it to get hot.
- Add the ground sausage and cook until browned {~5 minutes}. Drain any grease.1 lb ground sausage
- Add beef broth and use a wooden spoon to deglaze (scrape) any browned sausage off the bottom of the Instant Pot insert.1.5 cups beef broth
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir 1-2 times.1 cup onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 can tomato sauce , 1 can diced tomatoes, including juices, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tbsp prepared BBQ sauce, 1 can pinto beans, 1 can kidney beans, 2 1/4 cups butternut squash
- Lock the lid into place and set the steam release handle (valve on top) to “Sealing”. Press Manual>High Pressure>8 minutes.
- When the chili has finished cooking, the Instant Pot will beep and switch to ”keep warm". Allow it to sit with the lid on for 10 minutes and then do a manual release with the nozzle set to venting.
- {OPTIONAL} To thicken: combine 3 tbsp of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of broth from the Instant Pot in a small bowl (this creates a “slurry”). Whisk really well and stir into the chili. Press "saute" on the Instant Pot and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often.3 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 cup broth from the chili
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream, corn chips, or any of your favorite chili toppings.salt & pepper to taste
Notes
Stovetop Instructions
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In a heavy-bottomed pan (like a dutch oven), brown the meat.
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Use a slotted spoon and transfer it to a bowl. Drain all but 1 tbsp of any fat that remains.
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Add the diced onion in the pan and stirring often, cook them down until soft; about 5 minutes.
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Add the garlic, and cook for an additional minute.
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Add the rest of the ingredients, excluding the beans, and cook for 20 minutes. Mash up the butternut squash in the pot and let it thicken the chili. Some chunks remaining are totally fine!
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Add the beans, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
