Farmers Market Fall Chili

adapted from a recipe at A Life From Scratch

basket of winter squashes with signIngredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 hot chile pepper of choice, chopped
  • 1 lb. pasture-raised grass-fed lean ground meat
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 2 lbs. peeled diced fresh tomatoes
  • 1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups winter squash or pumpkin, chopped*
  • 1 cup fresh sweet corn kernels (about 2 ears)
  • 1 cup water or chicken stock, if needed
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil
  • Hot sauce (optional)
  • Directions:
    1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onion, bell pepper, and serrano chile; cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
    2. Add meat and garlic; cook, stirring often to crumble, until meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, coriander, and oregano. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    3. Stir in tomatoes, pinto beans, squash, and corn, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. If chili seems too thick, stir in water or stock, 1/4 cup at a time.
    4. Stir in cilantro and basil and, if using, hot sauce; serve immediately.

    *Winter squashes include butternut, acorn, carnival, hubbard, and delicata. See last week’s “Meals” post here, for easy ways to cook winter squash for use in recipes like this. When you pre-cook the squash, just add it about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

    Of course you could use any ground meat – beef, pork, sausage, chicken, bison, etc. Peppers can be as mild or as hot as you please. 

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