This vegetarian, gluten free instant pot butternut squash chili recipe is a perfect weeknight meal! Ingredients include squash, zucchini, onion, black beans, tomatoes, spices and orange zest. The chili tastes amazing topped with your choice of cilantro, sour cream, cheese, tortilla strips, or avocado.
I’ve been making the sweet potato chili recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie with years and have slowly adapted it over time by cooking it in my Instant Pot, substituting butternut squash for sweet potato, and increasing slightly the amount of seasoning and orange zest. The orange zest is the star ingredient in my opinion as it adds a unique sweet zestiness that keeps you wanting more. I hope you love this recipe as much as we do, it makes a large pot and the leftovers are even better the next day!
Ingredients for Instant Pot Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili Recipe
Onions add a flavor base to the chili and are loaded with antioxidants and also have inflammatory compounds
Butternut squash adds potassium and vitamin A to the chili, as well as classic nutty flavor.
Zucchini is rich in many nutrients, antioxidant and contributes to healthy digestion.
Black beans are nutritional powerhouses and help make this chili filling and satisfying.
Diced tomatoes in their juices are a great source of lycopene as well as vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K.
Chili powder is the main spice in this chili so be sure to use a good brand that you love!
Cumin adds a warm earthy flavor to the chili.
Vegetable broth is used to add flavor and helps make this chili the right consistency.
Orange zest adds an amazing sweet and zesty flavor to this chili! It is what makes this chili so delicious!
Beyond the ingredients you will need an instant pot for this recipe and your toppings of choice. Cilantro, cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, and shredded cheese are all great topping options.
How to Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili
The process for making this chili is really so simple! Once you’ve chopped and prepped all the ingredients, simply place in your instant pot and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Let naturally release for about ten minutes. Enjoy the chili with toppings of choice and save whatever you don’t use as leftovers to store in the fridge. It tastes even better the next day!
Instant Pot Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili
This vegetarian, gluten free instant pot vegetarian butternut squash chili recipe is a perfect weeknight meal! Ingredients include squash, zucchini, onion, black beans, tomatoes, spices and orange zest. The chili tastes amazing topped with your choice of cilantro, sour cream, cheese, tortilla strips, or avocado. This recipe is adapted from the Chocolate Covered Katie's sweet potato chili recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 1/2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 1 small zucchini chopped
- 2 cans cooked black beans rinsed and drained
- 28 oz diced tomatoes and their juices
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Toppings
- cilantro
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- tortilla chips
- avocado
Instructions
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Add all prepared ingredients to your Instant Pot.
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Mix ingredients until combined evenly.
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Put lid securely on Instant Pot and be sure it is on the sealed setting. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
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After the cooking time is over, let instant pot naturally release for about ten minutes. Turn knob to "vent" after that, and once all pressure is released and it is safe to open lid, do so and give the chili a stir.
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Enjoy instant pot with desired toppings of choice!
You Might Also Enjoy These Recipes:
Ina Garten Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe
Vegetarian Black Bean Pumpkin Chili Recipe
Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth Recipe
A week of simple vegetarian recipes from The Forest Feast
10 Winter Squash Soups you Need to Try
If you make this instant pot vegetarian butternut squash chili recipe please share on instagram using hashtag #rainbowdelicious & and tag me at @rainbowdelicious , I’d love to see what you are up to in your kitchen!
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What a great idea to add orange zest to chili, this sounds so delicious. Perfect for the colder weather we’re having now.
It’s such a cozy food in the cold weather! Thanks Stine
Excellent dish. I actually eat this like 3 days a week. And probably 2 or 3 times a day haha. Call me lazy but wow this has helped me to eat again. Thank you kindly
I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe, Christian.
A great winter recipe – I like all the flavours, the colour and the nice kick given by the chilli. I will make this actually tonight as a side to my veal stake
Enjoy Ramona!
Butternut squash chili sounds awesome. I don’t use butternut squash nearly enough so definitely need to try this.
Thanks Erika, I hope you like it!
I love vegetarian chilis. This one is packed with wholesome ingredients. Love it!
Thanks Haley!
Oh wow. This is so good. I loved all the vegetables and the seasoning is on point!
Thanks Krissy!
This is just so good and super easy. Only 15 minutes in IP and boom, delicious meal. 🙂
You really can’t go wrong! Thanks Anita!
What a gorgeous recipe! This is one chili I will crave on the regular. So easy too! Thanks for sharing another winner! 🙂
Thanks Traci, enjoy!
I love what the Instant Pot can do for recipes like this! Makes comfort food like this so much easier!
Yes, it is so nice how quickly a dish likes this comes together!
Great idea to put butternut squash in chili, this is a must try for something different.
I hope you enjoy it Jere!
What a beautiful fall dish! I love squash dishes this time of year. I’m going to add this to our meal plan this week.
Enjoy Alexis!
Gorgeous photos! I still have butternut squash from the garden, this will make a perfect week night meal!
Thanks Jacqui! How cool that you have squash from your garden for this!
This is perfect for using my squash harvest on! Everyone will love this hearty and tasty meal (and nice and easy for a rushed week night)
Lucky you have a squash harvest! Enjoy!
I love that this has orange zest in this!!
Also, I am OBSESSED with using my Instant Pot. This looks perfect for the colder weather 🙂
The orange zest adds an amazing flavor- and I’m with you, Instant Pots are so helpful for weeknights!
I just love how the sweet and spicy play together in this chili, and using the Instant Pot makes it so convenient. Definitely will make this again. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you liked it Amanda!
Yum! I love a hot and hearty pot of chili and this one looks fantastic. The butternut squash is perfectly sweet and I love that this can all be made in the Instant Pot.
Thanks Jenni! The instant pot is so helpful for weeknight recipes!
I love Instant Pot meals – they’re so quick and convenient! This squash chilli looks like the perfect fall comfort food meal!
Thanks Stephanie! I hope you enjoy this chili!
This looks perfect for the cooler weather we are having and I love all the flavors and textures you have going on. The bonus is I can cook it in my IP and I really love my Instapot! Thanks for another wonderful recipe to try.
The Instant Pot is so helpful for every day meals! Enjoy Heidy!
I have made this twice – so delicious! The addition of orange zest really lifts the flavors! I made it for my parents (they are pretty die hard meat and potato people) and my mom asked me for the recipe. Will definitely be in my regular Instant Pot rotation, and the recipe is made even easier when purchasing pre-cubed butternut squash.
Karen, this makes me so happy to hear! I’m delighted that you and your parents enjoyed this recipe, thank you for sharing.