This delicious recipe for butternut squash black bean chili has a cornbread topping and is served with pineapple salsa. It makes a hearty and filling vegetarian meal that is perfect at any time of year.
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.
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 and if you serve it with the pineapple salsa that’s seven different fruit and veg in one meal. Of course, you would need to eat exactly 80g of each (that’s for an adult) for it to count towards your ten a day target but let’s not dwell on that!
You can easily make this meat free chilli without the cornbread topping to speed it up – it’s delicious served with rice or over a baked potato (perhaps a baked sweet potato to help you get to ten a day!). However, I do think that adding a cornbread crust makes it even more delicious and it’s not that hard to make. The chilli on its own freezes beautifully and is easy to double up so you have a portion stashed away in the freezer for one of those days. And the same goes for the pineapple salsa, it’s by no means essential but it does add a lovely sweetness to the meal, which can help if your child is reluctant to try the chilli. It’s also delicious with guacamole on the side.
Here’s how to make butternut squash black bean chili with cornbread topping and pineapple salsa
Butternut squash black bean chili
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
- 2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 1 400g tin of black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 400g tin of 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
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Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6. Place the diced butternut 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.
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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 the 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 the garlic, herbs and spices. Cook for one more minute, then add the pepper and carrot. Cover with the lid again and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until the carrot is beginning to soften.
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Add the beans and the chopped tomatoes and stir in the butternut squash once cooked. You may need to add a little water as well if it looks dry.
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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.
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While it's bubbling away make the cornbread crust. Place the polenta, flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl and whisk to remove any lumps. In a separate bowl beat the egg and beat in the 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 chilli to a shallow dish you may need to make extra crust to cover the whole of the top.
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While the crust is baking make the pineapple salsa. It really is as simple as mixing everything together in a bowl. Red chilli looks lovely with it, but I usually leave this off so the kids can eat some.
See my other main meals.
NB: The cornbread crust recipe is adapted from a cornbread recipe from Dan Lepard’s Short and Sweet book.
Pin butternut squash black bean chili with a cornbread crust and pineapple salsa for later:
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
Thanks Jenny – it’s such a good meal!
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
Thanks Sarah – me too. I love knowing I’ve had loads of different veggies in one meal
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:)
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!
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
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.
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
Hope they enjoy it and would love to hear how you adapt it! I’ve made a vegan version before with silken tofu x
I love chilli and the topping sounds so good!! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Thanks so much Kirsty – the topping makes a nice variation to a meal we eat a lot x
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
Thanks Angela – it all went so well together as a meal!
This recipe is perfect for my Baja kitchen. I pinned it in Vegetarian Mexcan recipes.
Thanks so much Tracey!