Pumpkin Chili

A fall twist on classic chili, this pumpkin chili combines tender ground beef, beans, and spices with velvety pumpkin purée for a rich, cozy flavor you’ll crave all season.

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Easy Pumpkin Chili

I recently made a batch of my chili seasoning recipe for my favorite homemade chili, but this time I decided to give it a pumpkin twist. My family loved this easy pumpkin chili, it’s hearty, cozy, and perfect for fall nights.

If you’re a fan of chili, be sure to try other variations like my Wendy’s chili, healthy turkey chili or easy 3-ingredient chili. Each one brings its own flavor and twist, so you’ll never get bored of making chili at home.

Why This is the Best Pumpkin Chili

• Easy one pot meal. Pumpkin chili simmers in one pot, meaning less dishes and an easy cleanup! I love to make it for Halloween with warm homemade cornbread.
• Thick, hearty and comforting. The pumpkin flavor doesn’t overpower the chili but adds another depth of flavor, nutrients, color and silkiness to the texture.

Pumpkin Chili Recipe Ingredients

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Pumpkin: Chili with pumpkin may sound a bit strange, but trust me on this one. I like to use canned pumpkin or my own homemade pumpkin puree.
• Protein: I love to use good quality ground beef. You could even swap for ground turkey (or do half and half). Vegan or vegetarian, skip meat and add more beans!
• Beans: I prefer to use a combo of kidney and black beans, but you could also use pinto or white beans, if preferred.
• Vegetables: I usually add in onion, bell peppers and tomatoes. You could use a variation of bell peppers here in any color.
• Seasoning: You can use my homemade chili seasoning and homemade pumpkin pie spice to boost the flavors. You don’t need a lot of the pumpkin spice or cinnamon, start with just a pinch and go from there.
• Brown sugar: Technically you could omit this, but I find it really helps bring the chili pumpkin recipe together.

How to Make Pumpkin Chili

1. Brown the meat. Cook the beef, onion and peppers in a large saucepan over medium heat until the meat is browned and the onions are translucent. Drain any excess grease.
2. Season. Add the seasonings and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Stir. Mix in the tomatoes, beans, pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Give it a taste and add any additional seasonings as desired (cinnamon, salt, pepper, etc.). Then pour in 1/2 cup hot water to thin down the consistency and mix well.
4. Simmer. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 30 to 60 minutes. The longer it simmers, the more flavor it will have.

Recipe Tips

• Slow cooker simmer. Sometimes I’ll make this in the afternoon and then transfer to the slow cooker and cook on low for a couple hours. You may need to add in a little extra water. Cooking low and slow creates a bolder taste.
• Go light on the fall spices. A little goes a long way with the cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Start by adding a pinch to the harvest chili, then taste and add more if preferred.
• Consistency. This is a hearty chili with pumpkin, so the texture will be thicker. If you prefer a thinner consistency, feel free to add in a dash of water or chicken broth.
• Spicier: Sprinkle in some red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, paprika, chopped jalapeno or add a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
• Pumpkin chili toppings: Sour cream, cheese, cilantro and homemade tortilla strips. Sometimes I will serve cornbread croutons or crushed tortilla chips.

Variations

• Ground turkey: Feel free to use ground turkey or do a mix of half beef and half turkey.
• Beans and veggies: A mix of bell peppers will also work, as well as different type of beans such as pinto or white beans.
• Vegetarian: If you would like to skip the meat all together, add another can of beans.