Cozy Pumpkin Chili (Stovetop or Crockpot)
This pumpkin chili is hearty, flavorful, and made with pumpkin puree, beans, vegetables, and warm spices. Make it on the stovetop or in a slow cooker!
Servings: 6
Calories: 364kcal
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
- 1 pound lean ground meat of choice (turkey, chicken, beef)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1-2 tablespoons chili powder (depending on spice preference)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1, 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1, 15-ounce can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1, 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1, 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (only one ingredient, pumpkin)
- 1 cup chicken or beef broth
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground meat and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt, brown sugar, and tomato paste to the same skillet, coating the meat and vegetables evenly. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of the broth to loosen anything stuck to the bottom.
- Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. Add the black beans, kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, pumpkin puree, and remaining broth, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
- Give the chili a good stir before serving. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or chili powder if needed.
- Alternatively, if you’d like to make this chili on the stovetop, brown the meat in a large pot or Dutch oven, then add the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, garlic, seasonings, and tomato paste. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, then stir in the beans, crushed tomatoes, pumpkin puree, and broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the chili reaches your preferred thickness.
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- Dice the onion, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper up to a day ahead. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Measure the dried oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt, and sugar into a small bowl so the seasonings are ready to add.
- Drain and rinse the beans ahead of time, and measure out the pumpkin puree, crushed tomatoes, and broth before cooking.
- For slow cooker prep, brown the meat and cook the vegetables with the seasonings and tomato paste the night before. Refrigerate the mixture promptly, then transfer it to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients when you're ready to cook.
- Make a full batch for easy lunches and dinners throughout the week. The flavors develop as the chili sits, so leftovers can be especially delicious the next day.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Pumpkin Chili." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.2g | Protein: 27.5g | Fat: 8.6g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Cholesterol: 53.3mg | Sodium: 1188mg | Potassium: 1221mg | Fiber: 14.1g | Sugar: 16.8g
