close

Want more recipes?

Download our recipe app and get hundreds of whole-food, plant-based recipes at your fingertips.

4.7
description
Download the app
How about more time, money and energy this year? TRY FORKS MEAL PLANNER FREE FOR 14 DAYS START YOUR FREE TRIAL
no credit card required
  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 16 cups
  • print/save recipe

This butternut squash and bulgur vegan chili is rich, complex, and oh-so-satisfying. A combination of poblano chiles, jalapeños, cocoa powder, and warming spices give this hearty stew a mole-inspired flavor profile that warms you up from the inside out. Grains of bulgur wheat soak up all the delectable seasonings to create a meaty texture that’s made even more substantial with the addition of nutrient-dense pinto beans. Top each bowl with a crunchy garnish of roasted pepitas, cilantro, and scallions for the ultimate bowl of comfort food.

By Nancy Macklin, RDN,

Ingredients

  • 4 lb. roma tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped onions
  • 4 fresh poblano peppers, halved, stemmed, and seeded
  • 1 fresh jalapeño chile, halved, stemmed, and seeded
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 4 cups cubed butternut squash (½-inch cubes)
  • 2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups)
  • ¾ cup uncooked bulgur
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup roasted pepitas
  • Sliced scallions
  • Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two large shallow baking pans with parchment paper or foil. Spread tomatoes, onions, poblano halves, jalapeño halves, and garlic on prepared pans. Sprinkle with vinegar. Roast, uncovered, 30 minutes or until poblanos and onions are slightly charred. Cool slightly.
  2. Meanwhile, in a 6-quart pot combine the next eight ingredients (through cumin). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until squash is tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Transfer roasted vegetables, in batches, to a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Transfer to pot. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve chili topped with pepitas, scallions, and cilantro.
tags:
(4)
12 Comments

Comments (12)

(5 from 4 votes)
Your Rating has been added Your Comment has been added
Add a Comment and/or Rating
Leave a Reply
Recipe Rating
Please provide a rating
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
You need to provide a comment or rating to submit
Emarie4 days ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

What type bulgur – medium, coarse, whole grain?

Rachael Sharrocks35 mins ago
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Do we have no. Of calories per serving please?

Paula Markham4 days ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

What might be a good gluten free substitute for the bulgur? Buckwheat? Quinoa?

Liz Gould-Leger4 days ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

I can’t find the number of cups or servings recipe yields. Thanks for providing this!
Recipe sounds great, and I will try it!

c4 days ago
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

16 cups
(right before the introduction paragraph, next to the print/save icons)

Heather1 month ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

This is really delicious just as written.

JLimdin3 months ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Unbelievable complex and delicious.

Allyson4 months ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Yummmm!!!! This is going into the fall rotation for sure! So many great flavors!! I left the veggies and tomatoes a little more chunky, and it was a great bite!! Definitely add pepitas on top!

Nick Denbow11 months ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Sorry guys, no metric conversion really alienates me.

Mary Hill3 days ago
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Not too hard to find out. Same as I do if a recipe is written in metrics. Those are usually recipes coming from Europe. I don’t begrudge the writer. Just look for a conversion chart on line. Easy peasy.

Lori Boren3 days ago
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

There are conversion tools all over the internet.

Maudie Reed4 days ago
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

I like the chili recipe

Healthy eatingshouldn't be a hassle

With weekly meal plans, Forks Meal Planner takes the hard work out of making nutritious meals the whole family will enjoy.

Get meal planner

Discover finger-lickin’good food with our app

Get inspired! Our chefs add delicious new plant-based recipes every week to keep mealtime exciting and satisfying.

Get the recipe app
Headshot of Nancy Macklin
about the author

Nancy Macklin, RDN

Nancy Macklin has a bachelor of science in dietetics from Iowa State University and a Master of Science in health services administration from the University of Saint Francis. Macklin worked as a hospital-based clinical dietitian, providing counseling for diabetes, heart disease, and weight loss and as a food service director in health care dining sites. She now serves as a test kitchen dietitian, developing 500+ recipes per year. She is a member of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and International Association of Culinary Professionals. Find her on LinkedIn.

see more from this author
Forks Meal Planner Free Plan
Free download

Free 5-Day Meal Plan!

Get a taste for healthy, fuss-free meal planning with this free five-day meal plan from Forks Meal Planner!

More from Forks Over Knives

Join our mailing list

Get free recipes and the latest info on living a happy, healthy plant-based lifestyle.

Copy link
CopyCopied
Powered by Social Snap