Description
A hearty and flavorful Pumpkin Chili recipe combining spicy Italian sausage, lean ground beef, sweet potatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and pumpkin puree, simmered together with a blend of warm spices for a comforting and nutritious dish perfect for chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage
- 1 pound lean ground beef
Vegetables
- 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
- 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
Canned Goods and Liquids
- 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
Other
- 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 Meat: 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, breaking them apart and cooking until browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked meat to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: To the same Dutch oven, add 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 8-10 minutes. While cooking, measure out the spices but do not add them yet.
- Add Spices and Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic along with chili powder, ground cumin, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, salt, and ground ginger. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and release their aromas.
- Combine Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes (with juice), 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 but will thin as it simmers.
- Simmer the Chili: Cover the Dutch oven and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered or partially covered, stirring occasionally, 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 as desired to enhance heat and flavor. If the chili is too thick, thin it by stirring in additional beef broth until the desired consistency is reached.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves and ladle the chili into bowls. Serve hot with optional toppings such as shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, roasted pumpkin seeds, avocados, and tortilla chips or Fritos.
Notes
- Crockpot Instructions: After step 2, transfer the cooked beef, sausage, and sautéed vegetables and spices into a slow cooker. Add all remaining chili ingredients, stir, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Season with salt and chipotle chili powder before serving.
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili: Substitute the beef and sausage with ground turkey. Increase beef bouillon to 1 1/2 tablespoons and adjust salt to taste. Add extra heat as needed since turkey is milder than hot Italian sausage.
- Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili: Replace meat with extra beans, vegetarian meat substitutes, tofu, cooked lentils, or tempeh. Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth and omit beef bouillon. Add additional heat and salt to taste.
- Recipe Yield: This recipe makes 8-10 servings. Consider halving the recipe if you prefer fewer servings or do not want leftovers.
- Thinning the Chili: Wait to thin with broth until after cooking. The chili will naturally thin out as it cooks and vegetables release moisture.
- Seasoning: If the chili tastes flat, add more salt and/or chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper to brighten flavors.
- Refrigeration: The chili tastes even better the next day after flavors meld in the refrigerator overnight.
- Leftovers and Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
