Don’t forget about savory pumpkin recipes this fall! This easy pumpkin chili recipe is a 30 minute dinner. Serve with a side salad and rolls.
Fall is coming… which means cooler weather…which means soup! Maybe you are one that can eat soup all year round. Not everyone in our family is, so we tend to back off on soups during the heat of summer.
Now that the temperatures are dropping, we’re all about those best soup recipes!
We love traditional chili. Have you tried ours yet? It has a crazy amount of chili powder in it, which many of you balk at. But it is so good. It gets rave reviews when we make it for guests.
This chili is just a little bit non-traditional since it has pumpkin in it. Have you ever ended up with a partial can of pumpkin puree in your fridge? If you have, then this pumpkin soup is the perfect way to use it before it goes bad.
What does pumpkin chili taste like?
You may be a little unsure of adding pumpkin to chili. What does it taste like? It’s not so much the taste that it adds, but pumpkin does add a silky texture to your soup.
Pumpkin is packed full of nutrients, so adding it to your soup just adds a layer of goodness. And most people won’t even notice it is in there since it is so mild tasting.
How to Make Pumpkin Chili
- In a dutch oven or large saucepan, cook ground beef over medium high heat until browned and fully cooked. Drain off fat, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Using the same pan, add oil and cook bell peppers, onions and jalapeno until tender.
- Add minced garlic and cook for one minute.
- Return meat to pan and add chili powder, cumin, pumpkin puree, pinto beans, black beans, tomatoes and water.
- Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. You can add more water if needed.
How do I make chili more spicy?
This is a fairly mild soup. If you’d like to add spice, throw in more chili powder, cayenne pepper, or chopped jalapeno peppers.
Often times we serve soups with a side of hot sauce so people can add more spice if they’d like.
Can I make chili in the slow cooker?
Yes! We love letting chili simmer in the slow cooker. Instead of simmering the soup on the stove, you’ll put it in the slow cooker on low and allow it to simmer in there for 6 or 7 hours.
What to Serve with Chili
We serve chili with a side salad and dinner rolls. You can choose from one of our favorite roll recipes…or make our pumpkin rolls!
Other Soup Recipes
- Farmer’s Market Turkey Chili
- Frito Chili Pie
- White Chicken Chili
- Sweet Potato Chili
- Black Bean Chicken Chili
- Chili Mango Chicken
- Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup bell peppers (diced)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 small jalapeno (diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 3 teaspoons cumin
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree (plain)
- 15 ounces pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15 ounces black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 1/4 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- pumpkin seeds
- white cheddar cheese
- parsley
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or large sauce pan, cook ground beef over medium high heat until browned and fully cooked. Drain off fat, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Using the same pan, add oil and cook bell peppers, onions and jalapeno until tender.
- Add minced garlic and cook for one minute.
- Return meat to pan and add chili powder, cumin, pumpkin puree, pinto beans, black beans, tomatoes and water. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. You can add more water if needed.
Nutrition
Pumpkin sounds like a great idea, one I never would have thought of on my own! I make my quick chili very similarly to this recipe but use fire roasted tomatoes and use white corn instead of pinto beans. Can’t wait to try adding pumpkin, it will add even more nutrients to a healthy dish.