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As the crisp autumn air rolls in and leaves begin to don their vibrant hues, there’s no better way to celebrate the pumpkin season than with a steaming bowl of pumpkin chili. This comforting and flavorful dish combines the sweetness of pumpkin with a medley of spices and ingredients regularly found in chili to create a hearty dish that captures the essence of fall.
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients for Pumpkin Chili:
- Tips & FAQs
- Recipe:
- Check out these other great recipes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Pumpkin chili is the perfect way to embrace the flavors of autumn. It features the beloved pumpkin, a quintessential fall ingredient, which infuses the dish with a warm, sweet, and comforting taste that’s synonymous with the season. This recipe can be adapted to various dietary preferences. It can easily be made vegan without the ground turkey, and you can adjust the level of spiciness to suit your taste. Add in more beans or a plant-based protein instead! Pumpkin is not only delicious but also nutritious. It’s rich in vitamins and fiber, making it a wholesome addition to your meal. The inclusion of vegetables, turkey, and beans adds even more nutritional value to the dish. Whether you’re cooking for your family, hosting a fall gathering, or preparing a comforting meal just for yourself, pumpkin chili is a dish that’s sure to be loved by all.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Chili:
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: It’s very important to read the can! There is pumpkin pie filling, and then there’s pumpkin puree. You want to make sure you pick up the can of puree! If you aren’t sure, then give the ingredient label a quick read. If it says anything other than pumpkin, don’t get it.
- Pinto & Dark Red Kidney Beans: For the texture and heartiness. I feel these beans go better with the sweetness in the chili to cut through it.
- Ground Turkey: Turkey is a leaner option than beef. On the plus side, turkey pairs better with pumpkin than beef. Think of it as Thanksgiving! Pumpkin pie and turkey. Need I say more?
- Yellow Onion & Garlic: Flavor boosters!
- Canned Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes: When tomatoes are fire roasted, it brings out their sweetness which pairs beautifully with this chili. You can opt in for regular diced tomatoes if you wish.
- Vegetable Broth/Stock: Adds a bit more liquid to the chili without thinning it out. As it simmers, it cooks down with the tomato sauce, which thickens it up.
- Can Tomato Sauce: This gives the chili the tomatoey red base that you always eat!
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: The peppers offer a bit of spice to the chili that pairs well with the pumpkin, as well as the adobo sauce that’s smoky and pairs with the sweet. It’s a flavor combination that’s just brings you back for more.
- Green Bell Pepper: Its bitterness cuts through the sweetness of the pumpkin and fire-roasted tomatoes, which brings an overall balance in flavors.
- Chili Powder, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, Salt, Pepper: The spices that go into the chili. The nutmeg goes well with the pumpkin, but a little goes a long way! Too much, and it’ll overpower your chili.
Tips & FAQs
- Storage: Allow it to cool down completely and transfer to an airtight container. This will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze this! Allow it to cool down completely and transfer to a freezer safe container or ziploc bag.
- Variations:
- You can make this vegan by omitting the ground turkey and adding in more beans or a plant-based meat of your choice.
- Serve with tortilla chips, red onions, green onions, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, or sour cream.
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Recipe:
Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion (1 small yellow onion), diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper, diced (about 1 small, 6 oz)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 2 lb ground turkey
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce +1 tbsp sauce
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 15 oz reduced sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz reduced sodium dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 15 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1-1 ½ cup veggie broth
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook together the onions & bell pepper for 5 minutes or until the bell peppers are softened, stirring to avoid charring. Add in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add in the ground turkey and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, breaking it up as it cooks until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle peppers & sauce, and nutmeg. Stir in and cook until very fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add beans, pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes, and 1 cup broth. Let it simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, then covered for 15 minutes, until chili thickens, stirring often to keep from burning on the bottom.
- If it is too thick, add 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with desired toppings such as green onions, sour cream, cheddar cheese, avocado, red onion, and tortilla chips.
Notes
Storage: Allow it to cool down completely and transfer to an airtight container. This will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze this! Allow it to cool down completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container or ziploc bag.
Variations:
- You can make this vegan by omitting the ground turkey and adding in more beans or plant-based meat of your choice.
- Serve with tortilla chips, red onions, green onions, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, or sour cream.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
291.49Fat (grams)
8.04 gSat. Fat (grams)
1.62 gCarbs (grams)
26.39 gFiber (grams)
5.49 gSugar (grams)
6.68 gProtein (grams)
30.42 gSodium (milligrams)
575.62 mgCholesterol (grams)
66.63 mgThe nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and the brands of ingredients used. This does not include any extra salt added.
Miss Raven's Kitchen 
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