Description
A hearty and flavorful Pumpkin Chili recipe featuring a blend of spicy Italian sausage, lean ground beef, sweet potatoes, beans, and smoky spices, simmered to perfection and enriched with pumpkin puree for a seasonal twist. Perfect for a comforting fall meal served with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage
- 1 pound lean ground beef
Vegetables
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chiles
Spices
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Canned Ingredients
- 2 15 oz. cans fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
- 2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can 100% pure pumpkin puree
- 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
Liquids & Broth
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon granulated beef bouillon, bouillon base or crushed cubes
Other
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
For Serving (Optional)
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Roasted pumpkin seeds
- Avocados
- Tortilla chips or Fritos
Instructions
- Brown the Meats: In a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the hot Italian sausage and lean ground beef. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same Dutch oven, add the chopped onion, peeled and cubed sweet potato, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. While cooking, measure out the spices but do not add them yet.
- Add Spices and Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, salt, and ground ginger. Cook for 1 minute to release the spices’ aroma while stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Combine Remaining Ingredients: Return the browned meat to the pot. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes (with juice), kidney beans, black beans, pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, diced green chiles, low-sodium beef broth, granulated beef bouillon, and bay leaves. Stir everything thoroughly; the chili will be very thick initially but will thin as it simmers.
- Simmer the Chili: Cover and bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid, until the flavors meld and the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Season and Adjust Consistency: Taste the chili and adjust with additional salt and chipotle chili powder to enhance heat and flavor. If the chili is too thick, thin it by stirring in more beef broth until desired consistency is reached.
- Serve: Serve the pumpkin chili hot with your choice of toppings such as shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, roasted pumpkin seeds, avocado slices, and tortilla chips or Fritos.
Notes
- Crockpot Instructions: After step 2, transfer the browned meat and sautéed vegetables with spices into a slow cooker. Add all remaining chili ingredients and stir. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Season with salt and chipotle chili powder before serving.
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili: Substitute ground turkey for beef and sausage. Increase beef bouillon to 1 1/2 tablespoons and adjust salt to taste. Add more heat to compensate for the milder turkey.
- Vegetarian Option: Replace meat with extra beans, vegetarian meat crumbles, tofu, cooked lentils, or tempeh. Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth and omit beef bouillon. Increase heat and salt to taste.
- Halve the Recipe: This recipe yields a large batch (8 to 10 servings). Halve the ingredients if smaller portions or less leftovers are desired.
- Thinning the Chili: Wait until after cooking to thin the chili. It will be quite thick initially but will naturally thin as the vegetables release moisture during cooking.
- Seasoning Tips: If the chili seems bland, try adding more salt, chipotle powder, or cayenne pepper to brighten the flavors.
- Make Ahead: Chili tastes even better refrigerated overnight, allowing the flavors to meld fully. Reheat before serving.
- Leftovers and Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
