This deliciously different and surprisingly tasty Pumpkin Chili is made with ground beef, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, and pumpkin puree, all in a perfect blend of spices with a touch of cinnamon.
It is one of my favorite chili recipes and a must-try for the fall and winter seasons. It is a nice change from the traditional red chili, with a touch of sweetness and flavor from the pumpkin and sweet potato. I love to serve it with homemade corn muffins or Johnny cakes.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground beef: or ground turkey or pork. Choose ground meat with a bit of fat in it for more flavor.
- Bell pepper: Any color bell pepper works well in this dish, but red is my favorite because it is a little sweet.
- Sweet Potatoes: orange or white
- Pumpkin puree: canned or homemade
- Beans: Black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans.
How to make Pumpkin Chili
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
First, brown the ground beef over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch Oven. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and sweet potato when the beef is about halfway browned. Continue cooking until the beef is browned and the onions and bell pepper are soft.
Then, reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, and cinnamon. Stir while cooking for about 1 minute.
Add the pumpkin puree, fire-roasted tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, and about 3 cups of chicken broth. Simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili slightly thickens. Garnish the bowls with cilantro, but other options include green onions, sour cream, tortilla chips, and jalapenos.
Preparation Tips
- If the chili becomes too thick, add a bit of chicken broth.
- Peel the sweet potatoes because they have coarse, thick skins.
- Garnish with sour cream, chopped cilantro, green onions, homemade tortilla chips, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), minced red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, or minced jalapeno.
- Add fresh minced jalapeno or cayenne pepper for a little extra kick.
Why is my sweet potato white?
Okay, so it had been a while since I bought sweet potatoes—well if you want to call nine months a while. I love them, but I am a food blogger, and variety is the spice of life. So you can imagine my surprise when I peeled two medium-sized sweet potatoes, one of which was white. So I started doing some research, and it was not a fluke that I was holding in my hand.
There are honest-to-goodness white sweet potatoes. They are dryer, obviously white-fleshed, more starchy, milder, and less sweet than their orange cousins. I put one orange sweet potato and one white sweet potato in this pumpkin chili, and they were both equally delicious. Now, if only the store had them separated, I knew which was which, to begin with.
Store and Freeze
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Freeze in a freezer zipper bag or sturdy freezer container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More Chili Recipes
Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lbs. ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled and cubed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (16-ounce) can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 3-4 cups low-sodium chicken broth to desired consistency
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch Oven. When the beef is about halfway browned, add the onion, red bell pepper, and sweet potato. Continue cooking until the beef is browned and the onions and bell pepper are soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, and cinnamon. Stir while cooking for about 1 minute.
- Add the pumpkin puree, fire-roasted tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, and about 3 cups of chicken broth. Simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has slightly thickened. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
- If the chili becomes too thick, add a bit of chicken broth.
- Peel the sweet potatoes because they have coarse, thick skins.
- Garnish with sour cream, chopped cilantro, green onions, homemade tortilla chips, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), minced red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, or minced jalapeno.
- Add fresh minced jalapeno or cayenne pepper for a little extra kick.
Nutrition
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Archana S
Beth, I love your pumpkin chilli dish. We make something like this in our home, too. It’s both healthy and yummy : ) Next time, I’ll try your dish.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Archana! Enjoy!
Sonia
I love incorporating pumpkin puree and sweet potatoes for sweetness and flavour. It’s a unique twist on traditional chilli, and I can’t wait to try it during the fall and winter seasons. Serving it with homemade corn muffins or Johnny cakes sounds perfect. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sonia! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!