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You need this pumpkin chili recipe in your life

Give this favorite fall dish a pumpkin twist with this amazing chili recipe

Lindsay Parrill
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When we think of pumpkin as an ingredient, our minds tend to settle on all of the wonderful fall sweet treats and desserts it can provide — pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, any number of warm, fresh-from-the-oven autumn breads and cookies. This time of year, there’s no shortage of pumpkin in all of its autumnal dessert glory, and we obviously love it. But because pumpkin is such a star of the sweet world, we can tend to forget that it shines just as magnificently as a savory ingredient. Pumpkin offers a smooth, gentle richness when prepared in savory applications. Its velvety texture and earthy notes can give dishes like soups and chilis a total fall glow-up. And this pumpkin chili recipe is a perfect example.

We all love a good chili in the fall. Dish us up a big bowl, put some football on TV, and we’re set for the day. But with the addition of pumpkin to this fall favorite, you get something truly special. The wholesome and healthy, decadently delicious addition of pumpkin elevates your chili from standard to spectacular.

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Pumpkin chili recipe

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Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 red bell peppers, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 15-ounce can reduced sodium pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in their juices
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • Sliced jalapeno, avocado, chopped cilantro, red onion, and/or non-dairy plain yogurt, for serving (optional)

Method:

  1. Over medium heat, heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, sweet potato, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft.
  2. Add turkey, salt, and pepper, and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring to break up the meat.
  3. Add chili powders, cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir and cook about 30 seconds.
  4. Add beans, pumpkin, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and 1 cup chicken broth.
  5. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until the chili thickens. If the chili becomes too thick, add additional broth to reach your desired consistency.

This chili can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days, meaning you’ve got a delicious, hearty meal at the ready for those lazy nights after a long day at work. Just put your leftovers in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat on the stovetop until it’s warm (or if you’re really feeling lazy, opt for the microwave). And if you’ve really made too much, it will keep in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to three months. Just let it thaw out in the refrigerator overnight before reheating, and you’ve got the perfect meal for tomorrow night’s dinner.

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Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
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