A hearty and warming recipe for vegetarian chili with cornbread topping served with pineapple salsa. Packed full of butternut squash and black beans this chili is a filling and delicious veggie meal that’s perfect at any time of year.
This veggie black bean and butternut squash chilli is a brilliant way to increase your veg intake for the day.
Serve it with the pineapple salsa and you get a portion of fruit too.
How many portions of veg do you eat every day?
Did you hear the recent news story that we should all be eating ten portions of fruit and veg every day? I know that a lot of people will find this really difficult and some members of my own family are no exception!
With R we are lucky to get two or three portions into him. If you’re wondering about veggies for kids this post about how much they should be eating might help.
This butternut squash black bean chili has six different vegetables in it
If you’re looking for a recipe that helps you go a long way to meeting that target in one meal then look no further.
This vegetarian chilli recipe contains:
- onion
- squash
- pepper
- carrot
- beans, and
- tomatoes.
Plus, if you serve it with the pineapple salsa that’s seven different fruit and veg in one meal.
A versatile vegetarian chili recipe
If you’re in a hurry you can make this meat free chilli without the cornbread topping to speed it up.
However, I do think that adding a cornbread crust makes it even more delicious. It’s not hard to make.
The chili on its own freezes beautifully. This a great recipe to double up so you have a portion stashed away in the freezer for one of those days.
Pineapple salsa
The same goes for the pineapple salsa. It’s by no means essential but it does add a lovely sweetness to the meal.
This can help if your child is reluctant to try the chili.
What else could you serve this butternut squash chili with?
If you’re not making the cornbread crust it’s delicious served with rice or over a baked potato. A baked sweet potato would be a great choice too.
Guacamole is delicious on the side.
Sour cream or grated cheese are both good additions as well.
Pin vegetarian chili with cornbread topping
How to make vegetarian chili with cornbread topping
Vegetarian chili with cornbread topping
Ingredients
For the chilli
- Olive oil
- Half a small butternut squash peeled and diced (around 400g)
- 1 large onion peeled and diced
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder optional
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 400 g tinned black beans drained and rinsed
- 400 g tinned kidney beans drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper optional, to taste
For the cornbread crust
- 110 g coarse cornmeal or polenta
- 35 g strong white bread flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 225 g natural yoghurt
- 1 medium egg
For the pineapple salsa
- 200 g fresh pineapple diced
- 1/2 small red onion diced
- 1 red chilli chopped (optional)
- Juice of one lime
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- Salt (optional, to taste)
Instructions
To make the butternut and black bean chili
-
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6. Place the diced butternut squash (half a squash) in a roasting dish, drizzle with olive oil and roast for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove from the oven when cooked.
-
Heat a little olive oil in a large ovenproof saucepan (if you don't have one you can transfer to an ovenproof dish later). Add 1 chopped onion, stir well, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and sweat for 10-15 minutes until soft. Remove the lid then add 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp mild chilli powder (if using) 1 tsp ground cumin and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Cook for one more minute, then add the 1 diced red pepper and 1 diced carrot. Cover with the lid again and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until the carrot is beginning to soften.
-
Add the tinned kidney beans and black beans and two tins of chopped tomatoes. Stir in the butternut squash once cooked. You may need to add a dash of water as well if it looks dry.
-
Cook over a low heat for an extra 10 minutes - or as long as you like. This dish improves in flavour the longer you leave it. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To make the cornbread crust
-
While the chili is bubbling away make the cornbread crust.
-
Place 110g polenta, 35g strong white flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl and whisk to remove any lumps. In a separate bowl beat 1 egg and then beat in 225g yoghurt. When you are ready to bake, mix the two together and pour over the top of the chilli.
-
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted in the crust comes out clean. NB: if you transfer the chili to a shallow dish you may need to make extra crust to cover the whole of the top.
To make the pineapple salsa
-
While the crust is baking make the pineapple salsa. Mix together 200g diced pineapple, 1/2 small red onion, chopped, a chopped red chilli (if using), the juice of a lime, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander and 1 pinch of salt to taste.
See my other main meals.
NB: The cornbread crust recipe is adapted from a cornbread recipe from Dan Lepard’s Short and Sweet book.
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
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This recipe is perfect for my Baja kitchen. I pinned it in Vegetarian Mexcan recipes.
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks so much Tracey!
Angela Entwistle
This sounds so good Mandy, I love the sound of all that tumminess hiding beneath the cornbread crust! And that salsa – ooh yes please! Gorgeous!Angela x
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Angela – it all went so well together as a meal!
Hijacked by Twins
I love chilli and the topping sounds so good!! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks so much Kirsty – the topping makes a nice variation to a meal we eat a lot x
The Peachicks Bakery
YUM! I love the idea of putting the cornbread crust on – would be easy to adapt for the Peachicks definitey going to save this for later! x
Mandy Mazliah
Hope they enjoy it and would love to hear how you adapt it! I’ve made a vegan version before with silken tofu x
Corina
I’ve never had a cornbread crust before. It sounds delicious and the chilli would be a great way to eat more vegetables, although I’d struggle to get my daughter to eat it. I love the sound of the pineapple salsa too! x
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Corina – I keep persisting with serving this meal up to my kids and my daughter actually asked for chilli the other day! So I must be doing something right.
Monika Dabrowski
This chilli looks fantastic, and I love the idea of hiding it under a crust! Makes any side dish, such as rice etc, not needed. The salsa is a great idea too, spicy and refreshing with all this wonderful veggie goodness:)
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks so much Monika – I eat far too much rice so it’s really nice to have a change sometimes – and also helps to have it all in the same dish!
Sarah James
Your chilli looks delicious Mandy, I love the cornbread topping. I like how you’ve managed to get so many veggies in there, my kind of comfort food x
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Sarah – me too. I love knowing I’ve had loads of different veggies in one meal
jenny paulin
this looks and sounds very tasty Mandy – I like the idea of a cornbread crust for your chilli. the pineapple salsa must have complemented it well too. x
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Jenny – it’s such a good meal!