Warm up on a cold night with a bowl of this hearty pumpkin chili. This dairy free recipe is loaded with tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, and ground turkey, making it delicious and filling.
There’s nothing like a bowl of chili to warm up on a cold night. Thick broth, beans, spices, and some meat make a hearty dinner in the fall.
And if you happen to be baking fall treats, like these pumpkin chocolate chip bars, or this vegan loaf cake, you might have some pumpkin puree left over – don’t you hate that?
What do you do with leftover canned pumpkin? Make this pumpkin chili – it’s the perfect way to use up some leftover pumpkin.
This is a very family friendly chili recipe – I’ve kept it quite mild because my children don’t want anything that’s too hot. There is a little kick, but you can increase or decrease the amount of chili powder to your liking. Or add some hot sauce if you like!
If you’re looking for more easy chili recipes, try this white chicken chili or this hearty fiesta chicken chili.
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Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin – Canned pumpkin doesn’t do much to change the flavor of this chili, but it does add richness and body to the chili. Plus, pumpkin contains fiber and vitamin C, which is a nice way to boost the nutrition of this recipe.
- Ground Turkey – Make sure you get 93% lean ground turkey for the best flavor and texture. If it’s leaner than that it will be quite dry.
- Black Beans – I like canned black beans in this recipe, but you could use pinto beans or white beans if you prefer.
- Mushrooms – I love the addition of mushrooms to this chili, but if you aren’t a fan, you can leave them out. I used white button mushrooms. Baby Bella mushrooms would also work.
Substitutions
- If you can’t eat onions, you could use scallions if you prefer, or you could add some fresh garlic to boost the flavor.
- If you’d like to use a meat other than ground turkey, you can substitute ground beef or ground bison, or if you are vegan, feel free to add more beans, like pinto beans or garbanzo beans.
Serving Suggestions
- Gluten Free Vegan Corn Muffins
- Toast with Roasted Garlic spread on top
- Simple Red Cabbage Slaw
Storage/Freezing
Store leftover chili in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze these leftovers! I recommend freezing them in individual portion sized freezer containers. Chili should stay fresh in the freezer for three months.
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Recipe
Cozy Pumpkin Chili (Gluten Free, Dairy Free).
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 1 yellow pepper seeded and chopped
- 6 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 pound ground turkey 93% lean
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 30 ounces black beans you don't need to drain them
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place the olive oil and chopped onion and pepper into a large pot along with the olive oil. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and ground turkey, and raise the heat to medium high. Cook until the turkey is brown. Use a large spoon or spatula to break up the turkey as you cook it.
- Add the pumpkin puree, tomatoes, and black beans and their juice. Stir. Add the spices and salt and pepper, and stir well.
- Raise the heat and bring the chili to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Serve with cornbread or green salad. Add your choice of toppings if desired – try tortilla chips, guacamole, or green onions.
Katie
Delicious recipe!