Pumpkin Chili

This creamy, slightly spicy, and boldly-flavoured Pumpkin Chili might be the best chili you’ll ever taste! A delicious twist on the classic, the addition of pumpkin and warming spices gives this chili a rich, luscious texture with layers of complex flavors that will make you swoon. The ultimate cold-weather meal that is perfect for weeknights or for serving a crowd on game day.

This recipe makes a stellar batch of chili, if I do say so myself. It’s seasonal, healthy, tastes fabulous, and can be ready in under an hour.

The chili starts out with a fairly traditional and solid foundation using onions, peppers, garlic, chili powder, cumin, ground meat and beans. But two not-so-traditional ingredients take this chili from standard fare to wildly delicious: pumpkin puree and hard cider.

It may sound odd to put pumpkin in chili, but it works like a dream in both flavor and texture by adding a subtle sweetness and creaminess to the chili. The hard cider adds another layer of savory complexity to the pot that is both unique and delicious.

This is the perfect autumnal/winter dish to make for your family, a large crowd, or to meal prep for a week’s worth of dinners. If you love chili, this pumpkin chili will no doubt become a new favorite.

Key Recipe Ingredients And Notes

Like most chilis, this turkey pumpkin chili calls for quite a long list of ingredients. But do note, almost of them are common spices or pantry staples so there is very little shopping you will need to do.

• Ground Turkey: You can use white or dark ground turkey for this chili. Feel free to use ground beef, ground chicken, or ground pork, if you wish.
• Canned Pumpkin Puree: You will need 1(15-ounce) can of 100% pure pumpkin puree for this recipe. Make sure you don’t mistakingly buy canned pumpkin pie mix or filling which is a pre-sweetened and spiced mix.
• Onion and garlic: Essential aromatics to create a flavorful base for the chili.
• Green pepper and sweet bell pepper: This recipe calls for 1 green pepper and 1 sweet bell pepper. I find the mildly bitter green pepper ideal here for cutting through the richness and sweetness of this pumpkin chili. If you really dislike green peppers, you can use 2 seeded jalapeños, or 1 large poblano instead.
• Beans: This recipe calls for a combination of white beans and kidney beans. Feel free to use any beans you like such as black beans, pinto beans, or any mix.
• Canned Tomatoes: I like to use crushed tomatoes in my chilis. You can use diced tomatoes but they will take longer to break down. If you only have diced tomatoes, you can blend them up before adding to the chili.
• Tomato paste: For more intense tomato-y flavor without having to add a lot of liquid.
• Chipotle pepper in adobo: We are actually not huge fans of chipotle in this household but here I love how the smoky, spicy chipotle plays against the pumpkin’s sweetness. I find two tablespoons of minced chipotle peppers in adobo adds just the right amount of heat and smokiness to the chili. Alternatively, you can use 2 teaspoons (or to taste) of chipotle powder. Feel free to reduce or omit the amount if serving to kids or if you don’t like any heat at all.
• Hard Cider or Broth: Beer is a fairly common ingredient in many chili recipes. It adds a deep complex flavor and a little bitterness to balance the richness of the finished dish. Here, a hard cider adds a different flavor profile than regular beer and is fabulous in this fall-inspired chili. You will not taste any alcohol in this chili but if you’re avoiding alcohol, or prefer not to use hard cider, simply use 4 cups of chicken broth, instead. This article explains all you need to know about hard cider.
• Chili Powder: For this recipe we are using the more common chili powder that is a seasoning blend, not the chili powder that is made only with chilies and is typically very spicy.
• Ground Cumin: With its warm, earthy flavor, cumin is an essential flavoring for most chili’s.
• Ground Cinnamon and/or all-spice: Pumpkin and cinnamon make great partners and here we add just a pinch for a little more warmth. I sometimes add a pinch of all-spice as well but this is optional. Alternatively, you could sprinkle in a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice.
• Optional toppings: Use your favorite chili toppings such as fresh cilantro, scallions, sour cream, cheddar cheese, diced avocado, etc.

How To Make Pumpkin Chili

Filled with fall flavors, this is a slightly spicy chili that is ideal for warming you up during chilly evenings.

Here are some visual instructions for the recipe. For full instructions with exact measurements and ingredients scroll down to the printable recipe card below.

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey, salt and pepper, and cook until brown, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, spices, tomato paste and chopped chipotle peppers and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the pumpkin puree, tomatoes, hard cider and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

To serve, divide the chili into individual bowls and garnish with desired toppings.

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW SPICY IS THIS PUMPKIN CHILI? As written, this pumpkin chili is only slightly spicy. It is easy to adjust the spice level by reducing the amount of chipotle peppers you add. Likewise, if you prefer it spicier, add another chipotle pepper or two.

If you accidentally made it too spicy, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt will help temper the heat.

DOES THIS CHILI TASTE A LOT LIKE PUMPKIN? Not at all. In fact, the only thing you may notice is that it tastes mildly sweeter than other chilis.

WHY PUT PUMPKIN IN CHILI? Canned pumpkin is a really easy way to add more flavor and body to your pot of chili. It will also give the the chili a lovely texture by making it creamier and thicker. In addition, pumpkin will up the nutritional value of the chili since it is notoriously high in fibre and vitamins.

If you’re worried the pumpkin will make the chili taste too sweet, don’t be. Balanced by all the other bold flavors in the chili, all you will taste is a deliciously mild, nutty-sweet flavor.

CAN I MAKE PUMPKIN CHILI IN A SLOW COOKER? This is a great recipe for the slow cooker but you will have to start it out on the stovetop. Cook the onion, peppers, turkey and garlic on the stovetop according to recipe instructions. Place the turkey mixture in the slow cooker then add all the remaining ingredients. Stir until everything is well combined. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

What To Serve With Pumpkin Chili

This is a hearty one-pot meal that is completely satisfying all on its own. But like all chilis, it’s a little more fun to serve with some of your favorite toppings or some delicious sides.

Here’s a few of our favorites toppings:

• Chopped cilantro
• Avocado with lime
• Sour cream
• Cheddar cheese
• Green onions

Here’s a few of our favorite sides:

• White or brown rice
• Jalapeno cornbread
• Skillet cornbread
• Corn chips
• Warm corn tortillas
• Quinoa
• Green salad

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheating: For best results, reheat chili on the stove. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid (hard cider, tomato juice, chicken broth, or water) to the pot and heat over medium heat until warmed through.

Freezing: This chili freezes really well. Place cooled chili in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge, then follow reheating instructions above.

More Chili Recipes To Try