Pumpkin Chili
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The Easiest Pumpkin Chili Recipe that’s healthy and quick to make in the crock pot, instant pot or on the stove!
Chili is one of our favorite fall/winter dinners because it is warm and hearty, but has so much flavor!
Our pumpkin chicken chili recipe has been so loved (5 ⭐️s) that we knew we needed a pumpkin chili recipe that used beef!
If you think you can only enjoy pumpkin in sweet things like healthy pumpkin muffins, pumpkin overnight oatmeal, or healthy pumpkin bread, this pumpkin chili will be sure to change your mind. It still has those fall flavors you love!
This pumpkin chili uses simple pantry staples for an affordable meal that can be made on the stove top, crockpot, or instant pot! Done in under an hour (on the stove) – it’s rich in flavor and super filling! Chili heats up especially well, so make extra and enjoy the leftover for days!
If you are looking for another savory pumpkin recipe, try our Pumpkin Soup.
liz’s top tip for pumpkin chili
- Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling! Pie filling has added sugars and spices, while pumpkin puree is just pumpkin.
Ingredients
Substitutions
Olive Oil: You can substitute avocado oil, butter, or ghee.
Ground Beef: We like 85/15 ground beef. Feel free to use leaner ground beef depending on what you like. Read Butcherbox Reviews to see why we love them for our ground beef! To make vegetarian you can use cooked lentils or ground meat substitute. You’ll need to adjust your cooking time. I haven’t tried making this with ground turkey or ground chicken but I think it would work.
Broth: Any broth or stock (broth and stock are the same) can be used in any soup recipe. Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, or vegetable broth all work interchangeably. I always use low or no salt broth.
Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce: These add a bit of heat along with a smokey flavor. If you don’t have any on hand and can’t find them in a local store, you can try substituting a few shakes of Tabasco chipotle hot sauce. If you don’t have that then a 50/50 mix of smoked paprika and cayenne pepper can be used. Try a ½ teaspoon of each in the pumpkin chili. Check for your personal taste and add more as desired.
Pumpkin Puree: Make sure it’s not pie filling. Look for canned pumpkin puree that shows pumpkin as the only ingredient.
Beans: We haven’t tried them in this recipe, but I think black beans could work.
Vegetarian: We love our Vegetarian Chili!
How to Make Pumpkin Chili on the stove
- In a stockpot, sauté the onion in oil over medium for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes
- Brown ground beef until cooked. Add broth, diced tomatoes, corn, pumpkin puree, beans, chiles in adobo sauce and spices.
- Allow chili to simmer over medium low heat for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally allowing the flavors to blend. Serve with your favorite toppings. Our favorites are below!
Can you taste the pumpkin in this chili?
The flavor of the pumpkin does not come through in the chili. It will taste like a traditional beef chili, but it is thicker in texture.
If you have family members who don’t love veggies but eat chili, then this is a great way to sneak in some extra nutrition.
Storage
Storing: This pumpkin chili will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container
Freezing: You can freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. We like these containers for freezing! For all my freezing tips, check out my post on How To Freeze Soup.
Reheating: You can reheat this pumpkin chili recipe in the microwave, toaster oven, oven, or on the stove.
Serving ideas
This pumpkin chili is a complete meal in itself! However, there are lots of different ways you can serve chili. Here are some of our favorites:
- Over rice: white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa would be delicious
- Over a salad: we love to serve any chili over salad to get extra greens in
- With cornbread
- Toppings: see below for our favorites!
Best Toppings for Pumpkin Chili
Just about any topping used on traditional chili can be used on this pumpkin chili. Here are some of our favorites to serve with warm chili:
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- guacamole
- sliced or diced avocado
- sliced jalapeno
- a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro or green onion
- a squeeze of lime
- with tortilla chips
- with corn bread
Other healthy dinner recipes:
Looking for other easy meals? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 15 oz cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1.5 cups frozen corn
- 2 cups beef broth low/no salt
- 1 15 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons chiles in adobo sauce coarsely diced – optional
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Stove Top Directions:
- In a large stockpot add the oil and diced onion. Sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef. Brown the ground beef for at least 10 minutes, breaking it apart as you cook it. You can drain the excess fat from the meat if you'd like but it's not necessary.
- Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, corn, pumpkin, beans, chiles and spices. Stir well to combine.
- Let the chili to simmer for at least 30 minutes over medium low heat. Make sure to stir occasionally – this will allow the flavor of the spices to blend.
- When ready to enjoy, spoon into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
Crock Pot Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a pan. Add diced onion and saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef. Brown the ground beef for at least 10 minutes, breaking it apart as you cook it. You can drain the excess fat from the meat if you'd like but it's not necessary.
- Transfer the beef/onion & garlic mixture to the crockpot. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, corn, pumpkin, beans, chiles and spices. Stir well to combine. Stir well to combine.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Cooking on high isn’t recommended, but you can cook on high for 4 hours only if necessary.
- When ready to enjoy, spoon into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
Instant Pot Directions:
- *Warning* The instant pot is very finicky. We do not recommend making this chili in it unless you must as it may give you a burn notice. This chili tastes much better and is easier to make in your crockpot or on the stove.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode for 15 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add diced onion and saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef. Brown the ground beef for at least 10 minutes, breaking it apart as you cook it. You can drain the excess fat from the meat if you'd like but it's not necessary.
- Important: Make sure to scrape off any pieces of food on the bottom of the Instant Pot or you will get a burn notice during cooking.
- Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, corn, pumpkin, beans, chiles and spices. Stir well to combine.
- Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 10 minutes on high pressure. Make sure the pressure release is set to sealing (on older models). When finished cooking, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- When ready to enjoy, spoon into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
Video
This is an awesome chili recipe, especially for the fall season. Great overall taste and adding the pumpkin takes this to a different level of perfection.
Only difference I made was to swap out the ground beef and stock for ground turkey and
chicken stock. Really good and satisfying.
I’m going to try omitting the ground beef and adding 2 extra cans of the beans. Has anyone tried that??
I haven’t tried it but think it would work. make sure you drain them! We also have a Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Looks so easy and yummy! As my husband can’t eat corn, what could be substituted for it?
You can just skip it or if you want to add more beans you could
Yummy and looks like fall in a bowl!
This is so very good. I was not sure about the pumpkin, but I could barely taste it but liked the thicknest of this chili. IN will be adding this to my chili rotation this fall and winter.😋
Great recipe! love the ingredients and making.