This Chili-Filled Meatballs with Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce recipe brings together the best of two classics - oven-baked meatballs and chili. With a velvety butternut squash sauce poured over the top. Made with a lean blend of chicken and turkey, this dish is both satisfying and wholesome, perfect for a cozy dinner or a show-stopping meal to impress guests.
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I love drawing inspiration from different sources and making recipes my own - just like I did with my Caprese Salad with Microgreens.This dish was inspired by Culinary Class Wars, a Korean cooking competition. One chef wrapped ground meat around an onion, deep-fried it, then hollowed it out and filled it with vegetables and seafood. It looked incredible! I put my own spin on it by baking the meatballs for a lighter option and swapping the seafood for a hearty chili filling. I wasn’t sure what sauce the chef used, but after seeing another contestant make a creamy butternut squash sauce, I knew it would be the perfect finishing touch for this.
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Reasons to love this recipe
- Hearty and Comforting: The chili filling inside the meatballs makes it a perfect comfort food dish.
- Flavorful Butternut Squash Sauce: The creamy butternut squash sauce is the perfect finishing touch, adding richness and a slight sweetness.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust the chili filling to your taste. Aadd more spice, swap out beans, or even go vegetarian with just the veggies!
- Showstopper Meal: Like this Chicken in Spaghetti Nests dish, it’s a fun and impressive dish to serve guests.
Ingredients
- Large Onions: Not pictured in recipe ingredients above, but we'll be using them to help us make the stuffable meatballs. Choose the largest onion varieties you can find in the grocery store. I used a jumbo yellow onion.
- Ground Meat: Like in this Mexican Style Meatloaf I use a lean combination of ground chicken and turkey. It's lighter alternative to beef or pork. Their mild taste allows the chili filling and butternut squash sauce to shine.
- Egg: Acts as a binder, helping the ground meat hold its shape while baking.
- Breadcrumbs: Provide structure and help absorb excess moisture, preventing the meatballs from falling apart.
- Beans: For the chili filling, I use a mix of kidney beans. I purchase one can of the mix, which includes kidney, black, pinto beans, and chickpeas.
- Butternut Squash: It's naturally sweet and velvety, creating a smooth, creamy sauce that balances the flavors of the chili.
- Marinara Sauce: Used in the chili filling instead of traditional crushed tomatoes. Like in this Shepherd's Pie with Quail Egg, it brings a rich, seasoned tomato base that enhances the overall depth of flavor.
- The seasonings: We'll be using some traditional chili seasonings, such as cumin, chili powder, and oregano to build a deep, savory flavor.
see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions and variations
- Ground Meat: Swap chicken and turkey for ground beef (like we use in this Slow Cooker Beef Mince Recipe), veal (like in this Meatball Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash), or lamb. A combination of pork and turkey works great as well.
- Beans: Use lentils, chickpeas, or skip them altogether if you prefer a bean-free chili.
- Marinara Sauce: Replace with canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste mixed with broth, or even salsa for a spicier twist.
- Butternut Squash: Try sweet potatoes, pumpkin (like in this Cauliflower and Pumpkin Soup) , or carrots for a similar creamy and slightly sweet sauce.
- Breadcrumbs: Use almond flour or ground oats for a gluten-free option.
- Give it a Spicy Kick: Add diced jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne to the chili.
- Make it Cheesy: Stir some shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese into the chili filling before stuffing the meatballs.
- Try Different Fillings: Instead of chili, try a sautéed vegetable medley or a seafood stuffing such as this Sautéed Seafood Medley
Preparation
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
STEP 2: Prepare the meatball mixture
In a large mixing bowl, combine room temperature ground meat (chicken, turkey), salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix until just combined.
STEP 3: Prepare the meatballs
With damp hands, take a whole peeled onion and coat it with a layer of the meat mixture, pressing firmly so it takes the shape of the onion. Completely encase the onion inside the meatball. Place the meat-covered onion on the baking sheet and bake for 40 - 45 minutes.
STEP 4: Prepare the chili
While the meatballs are cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add diced onion and garlic. Stir in ground meat and cook, breaking it up. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Cook for another minute. Stir in beans, marinara sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste.
STEP 5: Prepare the Sauce
While the chili simmers, boil the cut-up butternut squash in a pot until fork-tender. Reserve one cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the squash. Blend the squash with the reserved liquid, broth, salt, and pepper (preferably using an immersion blender) until smooth. Stir in the coconut milk and blend again for a silky consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.
STEP 6: Hollow out the meatball
Carefully slice off the top of the meat-covered onion and remove the onion inside, leaving behind a hollow meatball shell. I found that using a fork works best to gently pull the onion out of the cooked meatball.
STEP 7: Stuff the meatball
Fill the hollow meatball with the cooled chili mixture using a tablespoon, then seal the top with extra ground meat you sliced off.
Top Tips
- Use damp hands when shaping the meat around the onion to create and even coating.
- Make sure the meat is at room temperature before shaping it. It will be easier to work with and the meat will adhere better to the onion.
- When cooking the chili, make sure to cook off any excess liquid so the chili filling isn’t too watery.
- Instead of boiling the butternut squash, you can also roast it for a deeper, caramelized flavor.
- Drizzle the sauce generously over the meatball just before serving for the best presentation and taste!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! As you'll see when making this recipe, you can absolutely mix ground turkey and ground chicken together. They have similar textures and flavors, and combining them can create a well-balanced, juicy result. If you want a bit more richness, you could also mix in a small amount of dark meat turkey or chicken.
Though this recipe uses a leaner mix, you can use all beef or even a beef and pork combination for a richer flavor.
If you prefer a different sauce, try a classic tomato sauce, a creamy garlic sauce, or even a cheese sauce.
Serving suggestions
Serve the Chili-Filled Meatballs with Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce hot or warm with a side of roasted vegetables such as these Roasted Eggplant and Sweet Potatoes or these Healthy Turmeric Oven Roasted Vegetables. Or, serve with warm, crusty bread to scoop up the chili and creamy butternut squash sauce. For a cozy meal, pair with creamy mashed potatoes or a low-carb cauliflower mash. A sprinkle of shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Parmesan over the chili-stuffed meatballs adds an extra layer of richness!
Storage and reheating
Storage:
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the butternut squash sauce in a separate container.
- Freezer: You can freeze the cooked, hollow meatballs and chili filling separately for up to 3 months. The butternut squash sauce may not freeze well, but you can make it fresh when serving.
Reheating:
To reheat, warm the meatballs in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15-20 minutes, on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, covering them to prevent drying. Heat the butternut squash sauce separately and pour over just before serving.
Try these other ground meat recipes
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Recipe
Chili-Filled Meatballs with Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken (room temperature)
- 1 pound ground turkey (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 jumbo onions (peel the onions and slice off just the top to create a flat surface)
For the chili filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 pound ground turkey (or chicken)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup mixed beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
For the butternut squash sauce
- 2 cups butternut squash (cubed)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (room temperature)
Instructions
Make the meatballs
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, turkey, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix until just combined.1 pound ground chicken, 1 pound ground turkey, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1 large egg
- Take a whole peeled onion and coat it with a layer of the meat mixture, pressing firmly so it takes the shape of the onion. Completely encase the onion inside the meatball.2 jumbo onions
- Place the meat-covered onion on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until fully cooked.
Make the chili
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic, sautéing until softened. Stir in ground turkey (or chicken) and cook, breaking it up as it browns.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 pound ground turkey
- Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the mixed kidney beans and marinara sauce. Season with saslt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Adjust seasoning as needed.1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 cup mixed beans, 1 cup marinara sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Make the butternut squash
- While the chili simmers, boil the cut-up butternut squash in a pot until fork-tender. Reserve one cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the squash.2 cups butternut squash
- Blend the squash with the reserved liquid, broth, salt, and pepper (preferably using an immersion blender) until smooth.1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Stir in the coconut milk and blend again for a silky consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.1/2 cup coconut milk
Notes
- Use damp hands when shaping the meat around the onion to create and even coating.
- Make sure the meat is at room temperature before shaping it. It will be easier to work with and the meat will adhere better to the onion.
- When cooking the chili, make sure to cook off any excess liquid so the chili filling isn’t too watery.
- Instead of boiling the butternut squash, you can also roast it for a deeper, caramelized flavor.
- Drizzle the sauce generously over the meatball just before serving for the best presentation and taste!
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