It’s chili season, and I’m excited to share this recipe that includes a blend of flavors I’ve been going over in my head for quite a while. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to look at a bowl of meat and call it paleo chili. To me, chili includes a great combination of both flavors AND textures. Since beans are a no-no, I immediately went to one of my favorite go-to replacement foods: squash. It works well as a bean replacement in this dish. The combination of steak, sausage, and ground beef along with the vegetable combination, created exactly the texture I was looking for. Feel free to substitute the meat of your choice. I made a big batch, because that’s the way I do chili. Feel free to scale this recipe up or down to suit your needs. But keep in mind that it freezes well, and the leftovers are great for lunch or dinner throughout the week. I recommend going all out and making the whole batch!
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Paleo Chili
I've included a crock pot option for this recipe. It's perfect for those times when you have a little time to prep but a long time to cook. If possible, use precut squash from the produce section to save more time.
Ingredients:
- grassfed sirloin steak - 1 pound, cut into bite-sized pieces
- grassfed ground beef - 1 pound
- bulk Italian sausage - 1 pound
- butternut squash - 1 small or 1 package pre-cut, but into 1/2-inch dice
- onions - 2, chopped
- sweet red pepper - 2, chopped
- extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil - 1 Tbsp
- crushed tomatoes - one 28 ounce can (I use Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted.)
- diced tomatoes - two 14.5 ounce cans (I use Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted.)
- Spices
- bay leaves - 2
- chili powder - 2 Tbsp
- paprika - 1 Tbsp
- dried oregano - 1 tsp
- ground cumin - 1 tsp
- crushed red pepper - 1/2 tsp
- sea salt - 1/2 - 1 tsp
- Garnish (optional)
- avocados - 2 ripe, mashed and seasoned with a little salt and pepper
- black olives - sliced
- onions - chopped
- jalapeno pepper - chopped
- paleo sour cream -
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Peel and cube squash, transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until it just begins to soften. Remove from oven and set aside.
- While squash bakes, cook sausage and ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer meat to a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add steak to the drippings in the skillet and brown on all sides, stirring occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the pot.
- At the same time, in a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 Tbsp oil. Add chopped onion and peppers and cook until onion starts to become translucent, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and spices to meat mixture. Stir and simmer over medium heat for 30-60 minutes or until all of the flavors are married.
- Top with mashed avocado, chopped onion, chopped jalapeno, and chopped black olive, if desired.
Crock Pot Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage and ground beef. Use a slotted spoon to transfer meat to the crock pot. Add steak to the drippings in the skillet and brown on all sides, stirring occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the crock pot.
- While the meat is cooking, place onions, peppers, tomatoes, and spices in the crock pot. Stir all ingredients but squash and cook on low for 6-8 hours to allow the flavors to married. Four hours prior to completion, add the squash and stir to combine.
- Top with mashed avocado, chopped onion, chopped jalapeno, chopped black olive, and sour cream if desired.
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One of my good friends is doing a Paleo diet so when I had a few people over for dinner I decided to look for a yummy recipe that she could enjoy, but that everyone else would love as well. This was a HUGE success. There were only 5 of us eating, but the whole batch was gone at the end of the night! Everyone had seconds and a few of us had thirds
I added double the chili powder and crushed red pepper because I like my chili a little spicier. I also used ground turkey instead of ground beef. I would recommend this recipe to everyone, regardless of whether or not they are on a Paleo diet!
Thanks so much for the nice note, Chelsey—and for the recommendation! I agree that this chili is a great meal to offer to both paleo and non-paleo friends. No one even notices the lack of beans. I’ve been in the same situation where I make a big batch, thinking I’ll have leftovers, and then it quickly disappears. You must have done a great job with your adaptations! I appreciate your feedback.
Paleo Chili – Great recipe. I had to substitute the butternut squash with butternut pumpkin and beetroot, but the end result was still fantastic.
Thanks, JMK! Chili is one of those foods that really takes well to substitutions–and yours sound delicious. I’m glad you enjoyed the chili. Thanks for letting me know!