Pumpkin isn't just for sweets - this Savory Pumpkin Chili is the best one-pot dinner when the temperature drops! Filled with fiber from beans, protein from lean beef, and packed with flavor, this dish gets better as time goes on.
Chili is one of those staple meals for Fall and Winter - and adding pure pumpkin puree creates a delicious depth of flavor that will keep everyone coming back for seconds. It's also a great way to pump up the veggies, and naturally thicken your chili without any weird taste. This goes great with a slice of jalapeño skillet cornbread!
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $1.60
- Total Cost (8 servings): $12.83
- Those Other Guys: $14.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Lean Ground Beef - I love using 93/7 beef in this recipe, but you could also substitute for ground turkey, or a half/half blend of beef and Italian sausage!
- Pumpkin Puree - Make sure you get pure pumpkin puree - not the pumpkin pie filling which has sugars and other spices.
- Beans - I love my chili with beans for extra fiber and protein. Here, we're using dark red kidney beans and chili beans (which are usually just seasoned pinto beans.)
- Tomatoes - We use a mix of crushed peeled tomatoes and fire-roasted diced tomatoes. The crushed tomatoes provide extra liquid, and the fire-roasted tomatoes give texture and spice.
- Sweet Onion - Chop up a sweet or yellow onion; we sauté with the ground beef for extra flavor and texture.
- Chili Seasoning Mix - Grab your favorite brand of chili seasoning. I also add some cayenne for spice, extra chili powder for smokiness, cumin for depth, and salt to taste.
Variations and Substitutions
Pumpkin Turkey Chili: Sub out the ground beef for 85% lean ground turkey. The flavor will still be there, promise!
Pumpkin Chili Cheese Fries: Add some homemade oven-baked fries to a parchment-lined sheet pan, layer the pumpkin chili on top, then sprinkle mild cheddar cheese on top. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melty, and top with dollops of sour cream, fresh parsley, and pickled jalapeños.
Pumpkin Chili Baked Potatoes: Split a baked potato to expose the fluffy insides, then top with pumpkin chili, shredded pepper jack cheese, and chopped green onions.
How to Make Chili using Pumpkin Puree
Hear me out! Pumpkin chili is so incredibly good. And no one will know you used pumpkin if you don't say anything - it simply adds a bit more umami and a subtle sweetness to balance out all the acidity of the tomatoes.
Step 1: To begin, heat some avocado oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.
Add your ground beef and season with a couple tablespoons of the chili seasoning packet. Sear the beef, and crumble it with a spatula as it cooks.
Add in your chopped onions and pumpkin puree, and sear for a couple more minutes until everything gets fragrant.
Step 2: Next, pour in both cans of beans, the Worcestershire sauce, and the remainder of your seasoning mixes (besides the salt.)
Step 3: Pour in both cans of tomatoes. Fill one of the tomato cans with water, and pour that in as well.
Stir everything together, let it get to a gentle boil, then cover and turn the heat to low.
Step 4: Let your chili simmer for 35-40 minutes.
Stir once more and taste. If you find it needs a bit more salt, stir it in at this stage.
Recipe Pro Tips
- Don't be fooled by a can of pumpkin pie filling! Now that will mess up the flavor of your chili. For pumpkin chili, you want to get pure pumpkin puree - it won't have any other ingredients besides pumpkin.
- Get personal with seasonings. I love chili, because you can easily personalize how you and our family like it to taste. Love spice? Add some chopped, fresh dried chiles for a kick. Going easy on the salt? Use salt-free seasonings to still pack on the flavor without the sodium. There's no wrong way to make YOUR bowl of chili!
- Smaller household? Save some for later. Make it easier on future-you, and freeze any leftovers. I left freezing instructions in the recipe FAQs as well as the recipe notes below!
Recipe FAQs
Not like a piece of pie, that's for sure! Adding pumpkin puree to chili gives a subtle boost to the flavor that really makes it so addictive. Pumpkin has a slight natural sweetness that pairs well with the smoky chili powder and the spicy cayenne pepper. It's a really tasty addition that will have people begging for the recipe.
With this recipe, you can use your favorite brand of chili seasoning packets. Just make sure that you hold off on adding any additional salt until the end; certain brands of seasoning have more sodium than others, and you don't want the chili to be too salty! (But if it is - add a peeled potato to the pot and simmer. The potato will absorb a lot of the extra salt.)
Definitely! For vegetarian pumpkin chili, just leave out the ground beef and add an extra can of beans for protein, or your favorite vegan ground meat substitute. For a paleo chili, nix the beans - lots of people prefer bean-less chili anyway!
Yes, of course! I go into more detail in the recipe card below, but can also briefly explain here.
Like pretty much all chili recipes, this freezes extremely well. I like to store my chili in storage bags, laying them flat, to make more room in the freezer. You can also use soup savors, which are like big ice cube trays.
Topping & Pairing Ideas
- Shredded Cheeses - A good cheddar or spicy pepper jack cheese goes great with pumpkin chili.
- Dairy - I love topping my chili with sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt for better macronutrients.
- Fresh Herbs - Chopped parsley, green onion, or chives work well with this recipe.
- Pairings - Try my jalapeño cornbread, saltine crackers, tortilla chips, or put it in a bread bowl!
Other Cold-Weather Dinners You'll Love!
If you tried this Savory Pumpkin Chili Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Pumpkin Chili
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Chef's Knife
- Can Opener
- Silicone Spatula
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 pound ground beef I recommend 93/7 lean
- 1 count onion chopped
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling!
- 1 can dark red kidney beans do not drain - about 15.5 ounces
- 1 can mild chili beans do not drain - about 15.5 ounces
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes 14.5 ounce can
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 ounce can
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 packet chili seasoning about 1.5 ounces
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt optional - to taste
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or soup pot to medium heat, and pour in the avocado oil.
- Add the ground beef, season with about 2 tablespoons of the chili seasoning, and sear until the beef is browned.
- Begin crumbling the beef with a spatula or spoon. Add the chopped onions and pumpkin puree to the pot, and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in both cans of beans, both cans of tomatoes, the Worcestershire sauce, and all of your seasonings besides the salt. Fill one tomato can with water, and add that to the pot. Stir well.
- Let the chili come to a gentle boil. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 35 minutes.
- Finally, remove the lid, stir the pot, and taste. If the chili needs any additional salt, add it at this step.Depending on the sodium levels of your brand of chili seasoning, the additional salt may not be necessary.
- Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and your favorite chili pairings like jalapeño cornbread. This chili also holds very well in the fridge, and actually tastes even better the next day. Enjoy!
Kelsey says
I ran across this recipe on Pinterest and HAD to give it a try… we are always looking for ways to add more vegetables to our meals, and pumpkin is very nutritious.
It was a great addition to our chili. I made a double batch and froze half of it with souper cubes. Thank you!!
Shani W. says
Thank you for trying and commenting Kelsey! I'm on a mission to start using souper cubes as well!