Three Sisters Butternut Squash Chili

A Cozy, Veggie-Packed Chili Recipe Inspired by Native American Tradition

There’s something about a pot of chili simmering on the stove that instantly makes a house feel cozy. And once the cool Connecticut air starts creeping in and the farm stands are overflowing with squash, corn, and peppers, this Three Sisters Chili goes right into my fall dinner rotation.

I’ve been making versions of this chili for years – usually after a farm stand run with Lou, coffee in hand, talking ourselves into “just one more squash.” The combination of sweet butternut squash, hearty beans, smoky tomatoes, and poblano peppers creates a chili that’s deeply comforting without needing any meat at all. Even the meat lovers in this house happily go back for seconds.

And the name? “Three Sisters” comes from an Indigenous agricultural tradition where corn, beans, and squash were planted together because each supported the others. Corn provided structure for the beans to climb, beans helped nourish the soil, and squash shaded the ground to retain moisture. Honestly, I love that this recipe carries a little bit of history and meaning along with all the cozy flavor.

This chili is colorful, hearty, nutritious, and incredibly forgiving – the kind of recipe you can tweak based on what’s in season or hanging around in your pantry.

Why You’ll Love This Three Sisters Chili

• Hearty and filling without meat
• Loaded with cozy fall vegetables
• Great for meal prep and freezing
• Easy to customize with different beans and veggies
• Packed with flavor from smoky tomatoes, poblanos, and warm spices
• Perfect for chilly nights, football weekends, or lazy Sundays

Tips Before You Start

• Cut the squash into small, even cubes so it cooks evenly.
• Poblano peppers add mild warmth without too much heat.
• Fire-roasted tomatoes give this chili a smoky depth that’s so good.
• Don’t skip the toppings. A swirl of sour cream and crunchy tortilla chips absolutely make the bowl.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
• 5–6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 whole butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into ½-inch cubes
• 2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles (mild or medium)
• 10 ounces corn off the cob (or frozen corn)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, avocado slices, shredded cheese, smoked paprika

Directions

1. Prep the veggies. Cut the butternut squash in half, peel with a vegetable peeler, scoop out the seeds, and dice into ½-inch cubes. Chop onions, peppers, and garlic.

2. Sauté. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven (7-8 quart) over medium heat. Add onions, poblanos, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.

3. Simmer. Add squash, beans, tomatoes, broth, green chiles (with their juices), corn, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir well.

4. Cook. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and simmer another 10 minutes to thicken. Squash should be fork-tender.

5. Finish. Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Three Sisters Butternut Squash Chili

A cozy, veggie-packed vegetarian chili made with butternut squash, beans, corn, poblano peppers, and smoky fire-roasted tomatoes – inspired by the traditional “Three Sisters” pairing of squash, beans, and corn. Perfect for cool fall nights and even better the next day.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion chopped
• 2 poblano peppers seeded and chopped
• 5 –6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 whole butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 28-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 13.5-ounce can chopped green chiles
• 10 ounces corn kernels fresh or frozen
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional Toppings

• Sour cream
• Tortilla chips
• Fresh cilantro
• Avocado slices
• Shredded cheese
• Smoked paprika

Instructions

 

Prep the vegetables.

• Peel and seed the butternut squash, then cut into ½-inch cubes. Chop the onion and poblano peppers and mince the garlic.

Sauté the aromatics.

• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, poblanos, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and fragrant.

Build the chili.

• Add butternut squash, kidney beans, tomatoes, vegetable broth, green chiles, corn, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and about 1 teaspoon salt. Stir well.

Simmer.

• Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and continue simmering for another 10 minutes until slightly thickened and the squash is fork-tender.

Finish and serve.

• Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and add your favorite toppings.

Notes

Variations & Swaps

This is one of those “clean out the fridge” recipes that somehow always works.

 

Change Up the Beans

• Black beans work beautifully here.
• Cannellini beans make it extra creamy.
• Pinto beans add a more traditional chili feel.

 

Add More Heat

• Toss in diced jalapeños.
• Add chipotle powder or smoked paprika.
• Use hot green chiles instead of mild.

 

Make It Even Heartier

• Stir in quinoa.
• Add extra beans.
• Serve over rice.

 

Vegetable Ideas

• Green bell peppers
• Sweet potatoes
• Zucchini
• Fresh tomatoes from the garden

 

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Serving Suggestions

I love serving this chili in oversized bowls with a pile of tortilla chips nearby for scooping and crunching directly into the chili. A little sour cream swirled on top cools the spice perfectly, and avocado slices make it feel extra cozy and satisfying.

And honestly? This chili might taste even better the next day.

Final Thoughts

This Three Sisters Chili is one of those recipes that feels like fall in a bowl. It’s warm, colorful, nourishing, and full of simple ingredients that come together into something really special. Between the sweet squash, smoky tomatoes, tender beans, and little bit of history behind the name, it’s the kind of meal that feels comforting on every level.

Whether you’re making it after a chilly farm stand run, meal prepping for the week, or just craving something cozy on a rainy night, I hope this recipe becomes part of your fall tradition too. Heck, make it anytime! I promise you will love it!

🍂🥣