This Pumpkin Chili is a cozy and hearty twist on a classic, made with ground beef, beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and my secret ingredient: Pumpkin!
It’s an easy one-pot meal that is satisfying, comforting, and perfect for busy weeknights or game day spreads.
The Secret Ingredient for the Best Chili!
Are you wondering why you should add pumpkin to your ground beef chili?
I was, too, until I tried it, and I have to say, I’m very, very pleased with this recipe.
First of all, it doesn’t taste like pumpkin! Nope, the flavors of the beef, tomatoes, and spices shine through, while the pumpkin puree adds a warm, earthy flavor and enhances the texture of the broth.
Instead of a watery chili, this chili with pumpkin is thick and rich with a velvety, silky texture.
Plus, you’re adding a sneaky hidden veggie that nobody will even know about unless you tell them. The pumpkin adds extra nutrients and fiber to a recipe your family already loves.
It’s a win-win! Make this chili for the game this weekend, or as a cozy weeknight dinner. Serve it with cornbread, topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and jalapeño to create the best meal ever.
Ingredient Notes
Open up your pantry to find most of these ingredients waiting for you!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground Beef: Ideally, you’ll use lean ground beef (at least 90/10) for this recipe. When you cook it down, you will have less, or even no, extra grease to drain away, which saves time and fuss in the kitchen.
- Tomatoes: Tomato paste adds the perfect amount of tangy, rich flavor, while fire roasted diced tomatoes are juicy and smoky. If you don’t have fire roasted, canned diced tomatoes will work too.
- Aromatics: The base layer of any good chili is freshly diced onion, green bell pepper, and garlic.
- Pumpkin: We’re using a whole can of pumpkin to thicken up this easy chili recipe. Be sure to buy pure canned pumpkin, not canned pumpkin pie filling. They’re often right next to each other on the shelf at the store.
- Spices: My perfect chili spice blend is made up of mild chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. This chili isn’t super spicy as written, so feel free to add extra chili powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like.
- Beans: Use two cans of beans, drained and rinsed well. I like kidney beans and pinto beans for some variety, but all of one type can work in a pinch. Sometimes I use black beans instead of pinto beans, it just depends on what I have!
- Chicken Stock: I think using chicken stock lets the flavors of the veggies and beef really shine, but beef stock or beef broth can also be used for a meatier flavor.
Tip!
For a lighter version of this pumpkin chili recipe, replace the ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken.
More Savory Pumpkin Recipes
Halloween Pumpkin Soup with Grilled Cheese
Easy Pumpkin Curry
Pumpkin Hummus
Instant Pot Stuffed Pumpkin
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Pumpkin Chili
Recipe Video
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy pot
- wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Can Opener
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 pound (450 g) ground beef 90/10 or leaner
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder mild
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 6-ounce can (170 g) tomato paste
- 1 15-ounce can (425 g) fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 15-ounce can (425 g) kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can (425 g) pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can (425 g) pumpkin puree
- 2½ cups (590 ml) chicken stock
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, pumpkin puree, and chicken stock. Stir well to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes (can go longer if desired), stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavorful.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Recipe Tips
- Thicker Chili can be made by just simmering it longer with the lid off to reduce the liquid! Cook until the chili is the consistency you like. If you prefer a soupier chili, simmer for less time. At any point, you can always add a splash of broth to thin the sauce out too.
- Want it Spicier? Add a small can of diced chilies to the mix. I usually serve this with hot sauce on the side too, so everyone can have there bowl as spicy as they like it.
- Make Ahead: The flavors of this dish only get better with time! Next day leftover chili is my favorite. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months for easy meals in the future.
- Vegetarian Option: Replace the ground beef in this chili recipe with an extra can of beans or 1½ cups of lentils. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth. You might also want to try replacing the meat with vegan meat crumbles.
- Other Hidden Vegetables: Instead of making homemade chili with pumpkin puree, try this recipe with butternut squash puree or sweet potato puree.
- The best toppings for pumpkin chili are the same ones you’d add to any Tex-Mex dish! Try sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced jalapeno. For even more flair, garnish your chili with chopped cilantro or toasted pepitas.
Diane says
none of these work for me but kots of your recipes look great ..I have a book of them..will have the late fall and winter to try them all. im kind of a simple eater..thank you I am always excited to see what you have next…Diane
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Hi Diane, I’m so glad you’ve found many recipes here that you enjoy! I try to share many different types of things, so it’s okay if this one isn’t for you.