Pumpkin Chili

Deliciously different and surprisingly tasty Pumpkin Chili made with ground beef, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, and of course pumpkin puree all in a perfect blend of spices with a touch of cinnamon. This 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.

How to make Pumpkin Chili

First, 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. 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 has slightly thickened. I like to garnish my bowls with cilantro but other options include green onions, sour cream, tortilla chips, or jalapenos.

Pumpkin Chili Recipe tips

• This recipe works with ground beef, ground turkey, or ground pork.
• If the chili becomes too thick, add a little more chicken broth.
• Any color bell pepper works well in this dish, but red is my favorite because it is a little sweet.
• Peel the sweet potatoes because they have coarse thick skins.
• Other vegetables to add include carrots, parsnips, lentils, or split peas. You could also add butternut squash, but it is really a fruit.
• Black beans can be substituted for kidney beans or pinto beans. 
• 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. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• Freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer zipper bag or sturdy freezer container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Why is my sweet potato white?

Okay, so it had been a while since I bought sweet potatoes. Well, if you want to call 9 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, and one 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, and therefore milder, and not as sweet as 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, so I knew which was which, to begin with.

More chili recipes to try

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