Description
This hearty Pumpkin Chili combines hot Italian sausage, lean ground beef, sweet potatoes, and a blend of warming spices with pumpkin puree for a flavorful twist on classic chili. Perfect for cozy dinners, it delivers a balance of spicy, smoky, and savory notes, with plenty of comforting textures. Customize with your favorite toppings like cheddar cheese, sour cream, or avocado for a deliciously satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage
- 1 pound lean ground beef
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
Spices and Seasonings
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Chili Ingredients
- 2 15 oz. cans fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
- 2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can 100% pure pumpkin puree
- 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chiles
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon granulated beef bouillon, bouillon base or crushed cubes
- 2 bay leaves
For Serving (Optional)
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- green onions
- cilantro
- roasted pumpkin seeds
- avocados
- tortilla chips or Fritos
Instructions
- Brown the Meats: In a 6 quart or larger Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the hot Italian sausage and lean ground beef. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked meat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat.
- Sauté Vegetables and Add Spices: In the same Dutch oven, add the chopped onion, peeled and chunked sweet potato, and chopped red and green bell peppers. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. While cooking, measure out the spices but do not add them yet. Stir in the minced garlic followed by all the spices—chili powder, ground cumin, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, salt, and ground ginger. Cook this mixture for 1 minute to bloom the flavors.
- Add Remaining Chili Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes (with juices), kidney beans, black beans, pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, diced green chiles, low-sodium beef broth, granulated beef bouillon, and bay leaves. The chili will be very thick at this stage. Cover the pot and bring the chili to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid as needed. Cook until the flavors meld and the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Season and Adjust Consistency: Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and chipotle chili powder to enhance the flavor and heat as desired. If the chili is too thick, gradually stir in more beef broth until the desired consistency is reached.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves before serving. Ladle the pumpkin chili into bowls and top with your favorite accompaniments such as shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, roasted pumpkin seeds, avocados, and tortilla chips or Fritos for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Crockpot Instructions: After step 2, transfer the cooked meat, sautéed vegetables, and spices to a slow cooker. Add all remaining chili ingredients and stir well. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Season to taste with salt and chipotle powder before serving.
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili: Substitute ground turkey for beef and sausage. Increase beef bouillon to 1 1/2 tablespoons and salt to taste. Add extra heat to compensate for milder turkey.
- Vegetarian Version: Replace meat with extra beans, vegetarian meat crumbles, tofu, lentils, or tempeh. Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth and omit beef bouillon. Add extra heat and salt to taste.
- Adjust Serving Size: This recipe makes 8-10 servings. To avoid leftovers or use smaller pots, halve the ingredient quantities as desired.
- Thinning the Chili: Wait until after cooking to thin the chili with broth. It starts thick but loosens as it cooks; add broth gradually to reach your preferred consistency.
- Season to Taste: If the chili tastes flat, add more salt or heat using chipotle powder or cayenne pepper for better flavor balance.
- Flavor Development: For best flavor, cook the chili a day ahead and refrigerate overnight. This allows the flavors to meld for a more intense, delicious taste.
- Storage: Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
