30-Minute Beef & Butternut Paleo Chili (+ Vegetarian Option)
Packed with goodness and done in under 30-minutes, Beef & Butternut Paleo Chili is sure to become a weeknight staple!
This chili, you guys!
Is is so darn good. Plus it’s paleo. And Whole30 compliant. And done in under 30 minutes. Plus there’s a vegetarian adaptation.
It’s pretty much what dreams are made of.
Since chili is a weeknight staple around our house, I’m always looking for ways to up the nutritional profile while still keeping it “normal” enough for my family to eat.
This beef and butternut combo fits the bill, and offers a paleo-friendly twist by skipping the beans in favor of vibrant butternut squash.
Mushrooms also make an appearance in this hearty dish because they are so packed with goodness.
Seriously, guys, mushrooms are where it’s at.
Don’t worry, though, I give you an option to chop the mushrooms together with onions in the food processor, making the mushrooms disappear into the chili.
Perfect for people who may otherwise turn their nose up as mushrooms in chili.
Check out the adaptations, below, for some ideas of converting this one into a vegetarian-friendly one-pot meal.
One more tip: smash the cooked butternut squash with the back of a spoon if you’re feeding someone who would rather not eat the squash chunky (ahem: my 5 year-old).
Once it’s smashed it stirs together well with the other ingredients.
Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese (or a giant handful of cheese: again my 5 year-old) and you’re good to go.
I like mine with a generous helping of sliced avocado or scoop of guac, a squeeze of lime juice, and a dusting of chopped cilantro and green onion.
So good!
I hope you’ll make this one soon. It happens to freeze well, too, so make a double batch and eat well all week long.
Now, let’s make some 30-Minute Beef & Butternut Paleo Chili!
RECIPE & KID-FRIENDLY ADAPTATIONS
1 | Use a food processor to chop the onions and mushroom into very fine pieces for resistant eaters who may night like the texture of mushrooms.
2 | Triple the mushrooms and omit the beef for a vegetarian option.
3 | If you don’t have or don’t want to use mushrooms use 2 pounds of ground beef instead.
4 | Once cooked, mash the butternut squash into the chili, then stir together for resistant eaters. They probably won’t even know it’s there.
more ground beef recipes
Easy Ground Beef & Mushroom Ragu Sauce
Instant Pot Minestrone (No Beans)
Southwest Beef & Sweet Potato Skillet
30-Minute Beef & Butternut Paleo Chili (+ Vegetarian Option)
Slow Cooker Easy Beef and Bean Chili
This Recipe Is
Naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Grain-Free, Nut-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegetarian (with adaptation), Paleo and Whole30 Friendly
30-Minute Beef & Butternut Paleo Chili (+ Vegetarian Option)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms*
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound ground beef, preferably grass-fed
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups 1-inch cubed butternut squash
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 cup water
- Chopped scallions, cilantro, and sliced avocado for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, mushrooms, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and mushrooms soften, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add the beef, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until browned.
- Add the cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the butternut squash, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, tomato sauce, and water, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on medium-low for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender.
- Taste and add additional salt if desired. Serve warm with scallion, cilantro, and avocado if desired.
Super tasty–I needed to cook a bit longer at the end to get the butternut squash soft enough to eat. I can’t wait to make this again!
So glad you enjoyed this one, Adrienne, and made the adjustments on cook time. You can try cutting it into smaller pieces, too, to cut down on cook time. 🙂
Love this!! Another family favorite.
Yay, Lori, so glad you enjoyed!
Made this last night and the whole family devoured it! It is on my weekly "must make" list now. Thank you!
Candace, yay, LOVE it when that happens. So happy your crew enjoyed!
My husband and 2 year old LOVE this recipe! I accidentally got tomato paste instead of sauce, so I used an additional cup of water and it turned out great!
Rachel, yay, so glad you enjoyed and thanks for sharing the tomato paste tip!
This recipe was super delicious! I did add a little more spice. The butternut squash gave it a nice sweetness and with the fresh cilantro, yummy! 🤤
Shelly, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one! I like a little extra spice, too. 🙂
Really love this quick, easy recipe. The butternut squash and mushrooms add such a great flavor. We will definitely be making this one again!
Oops! I liked it so much I reviewed it twice. 😂 We really do like it though.
Shelly, love it! 🙂
Shelly, yay, so happy you enjoyed this one!
We tried this recipe out yesterday and loved it! I’ve really been wanting to incorporate seasonal squash into our meals and this recipe fit the bill. In our household, I am the 5 year old when it comes to squash, but I am trying to act like a grown up and try out foods I haven’t always been crazy about. We added sour cream, shredded mozzarella cheese, and avocado as our toppings and it was oh so yummy. It even tasted great as a cold lunch today. As I work on creating a capsule meal plan, this will definitely have its place on chili day.
Ann, yay, so glad you enjoyed this one and you were able to add it to the capsule rotation. Love that. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!