The BEST EVER Pumpkin Chili (Gluten & Dairy Free)
The BEST EVER Pumpkin Chili – Pumpkin isn’t just for dessert! This healthy pumpkin chili recipe is a savory, filling meal you’ll make over and over (Gluten-free, dairy-free)
I remember once going through the checkout with a few cans of pumpkin in my cart and the cashier holding it up, bewildered. “What do you make with this? I’ve only ever tried pumpkin bread.”
My heart broke for her.
I LOVE pumpkin things. Always have. Our family has been making these pumpkin muffins since I was in junior high, which sort of opened the door for All The Pumpkin Things ever since.
As much as I love sweet applications–blender pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cake, pumpkin oatmeal, etc. I really REALLY love savory pumpkin recipes, too.
Sometimes that’s pumpkin corrnbread muffins, or a pumpkin curry, or pumpkin taco soup, but this healthy Pumpkin Chili Recipe has been the most popular pumpkin recipe on my site since 2013. It’s won more than a dozen chili cook-offs for readers over the years!
It’s AMAZING, if I do say so myself, and here’s why I think you’ll love it too.
5 Reasons You’ll Love This Pumpkin Chili Recipe:
- IT’S GOOD FOR YOU! Pumpkin is SO full of nutrients. It’s an amazing source of vitamins, fiber, and all sorts of other goodies that keep us young and healthy. It’s another reason we try mixing it in whenever we can.
- IT HAS AN AMAZING TEXTURE. In savory pumpkin recipes like this one, you actually don’t even really know the pumpkin is there. Instead, you just get an extra layer of vegetable-y goodness, silky texture, pretty color, and delicious flavor. It’s a trick you can use with any chili recipe, really. Just stir in a can of pumpkin to your favorite chili recipe and enjoy all the benefits!
- IT WORKS WITH ANY GROUND MEAT. You can make our pumpkin chili with ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, or ground turkey. Many folks have also made it with ground meat alternatives (like Impossible) over the last few years. It all works!
- IT’S PERFECT FOR COOL WEATHER. Our healthy pumpkin chili makes a spectacular Halloween pre-trick-or-treating meal. Hearty, festive, and, well, not candy. This savory pumpkin recipe is a family favorite all through the colder months (and throughout the year because #teamforeverpumpkin). Add a side of pumpkin cornbread muffins and you’re in business!
- IT GETS BETTER WITH TIME. I often like to make this chili ahead of time (the day before or morning of) so the flavors can develop even more. It just gets better with time!
How To Make Pumpkin Chili – Ingredients & Method
Did I convince you to give our healthy pumpkin chili recipe a try? Great! Here’s what you’ll need to make the chili, plus how to make pumpkin chili, step-by-step.
Ingredients For Pumpkin Chili:
- Ground Beef (Or Chicken, Turkey, or Pork). You’ll start your pumpkin chili with ground meat. Pick your favorite or choose from whatever’s on sale this week!
- Onion & Bell Pepper. Our flavor base starts with onion & bell pepper. They start the classic savory flavor I’m going for.
- Our Chili Spices. For our pumpkin chili seasoning, I use a blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic & onion powder, and salt. For a bit more kick, feel free to add some chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika.
- Pumpkin Puree. Here’s how we turn this into pumpkin chili! A can of unsweetened pumpkin puree adds thickness without making this taste like pumpkin. (It won’t be like pumpkin spice!)
- Two Kinds Of Beans. Next up is two kinds of beans. I like pinto beans and black beans for my pumpkin chili, though you can certainly use other options, like kidney beans or great northern beans.
- Diced Tomatoes. I love fire-roasted tomatoes, especially Muir Glen brand. They have a nice char and feel less acidic than other brands.
- Goods On Top! I usually finish my chili with some fresh cilantro (the pop of green is so pretty!), but don’t miss the FAQ below for more of our favorite toppings.
Method: How To Make Pumpkin Chili, Step-By-Step
- Brown The Meat. In a large soup pot, brown ground beef with pepper, onion, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add Chili Seasonings. As the meat and veggies are cooking, sprinkle over chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion, powder, smoked paprika an/or chipotle chili powder (if using), and salt.
- Add Pumpkin, Beans & Tomatoes. When the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender (10-15 minutes), add pumpkin puree, undrained beans, and the tomatoes with their juice to the pan.
- Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until ready to eat.
- Garnish. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, cheese or dairy-free cheese, as desired!
FAQ + TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST PUMPKIN CHILI
WHAT DOES PUMPKIN CHILI TASTE LIKE? Honestly, you won’t taste the pumpkin, and it won’t taste like the sweetness of pumpkin spice. It tastes like traditional chili, but with a thicker, more velvety texture.
PALEO? TRY THIS! This is healthy pumpkin chili recipe is a SUPER adaptable recipe and can fit almost any dietary restrictions. If you’d like to adapt it to be a whole30 or paleo pumpkin chili recipe, just skip the beans and add an extra bell pepper and another 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey.
CAN I MAKE THIS AS VEGAN PUMPKIN CHILI? You bet! I’ve got a Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili Recipe here. It’s delicious and meatless.
CAN YOU FREEZE PUMPKIN CHILI? Yes! My favorite way to freeze pumpkin chili for easy thawing is to put it into a freezer-safe bag, squeeze out any extra air and lay it flat on a plate or in a pan while it freezes. That way, you don’t end up with any surprise spills in your freezer and it freeze flat which helps it thaw faster later!
CAN I MAKE PUMPKIN CHILI IN A SLOW COOKER? YES! That’s another reason it’s so great. You can choose to brown your beef in a skillet and drain the fat before adding it to the crock (no need to cook any other ingredients), or if you’re using lean meat, you can toss it in raw. Just give everything a good stir and set to cook 2-3 hours on HIGH or 4-5 hours on low. I love this slow cooker because it has an automatic warming function (switches to warm when it’s done cooking) and is so easy to program.
ANY TIPS FOR TOPPINGS? Absolutely. While the traditional cheese and sour cream might be your faves, I love using diced avocado or a dollop of this avocado ranch (paleo or vegan!) on top of my pumpkin chili for a great dairy-free option. Try serving it with gluten-free corn bread or our baked tortilla chips!
LOVE THIS HEALTHY PUMPKIN CHILI? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…
- Gluten Free (or Not!) Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- The BEST Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
- Creamy Avocado Ranch (a great paleo/vegan sub for sour cream)
- Pumpkin Taco Soup (another awesome savory pumpkin dish!)
- Chili Mac (A great way to use leftovers!)
HELPFUL TOOLS & INGREDIENTS FOR THIS PUMPKIN CHILI RECIPE:
BEST EVER Pumpkin Chili (Gluten & Dairy Free)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: About 10 cups 1x
Description
I love making chili the day before I need it. It gets better with time! Don’t miss the notes section for tips on adapting this for vegan or paleo diets. (It’s SO EASY!)
Ingredients
For The Pumpkin Chili:
- 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil.
- 1 lb. ground beef*
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional, for more heat: 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/4-1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, not drained
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, not drained
- 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, not drained (I like fire-roasted)
For Garnish:
- chopped cilantro, sliced green onions or snipped chives, sliced jalapeno, diced avocado, sour cream, yogurt, cheddar cheese, or dairy-free cheese, as desired.
Instructions
- Brown The Meat. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, brown ground beef over medium heat with pepper, onion, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add Chili Seasonings. As the meat and veggies are cooking, sprinkle over chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion, powder, smoked paprika an/or chipotle chili powder (if using), and salt.
- Add Pumpkin, Beans & Tomatoes. When the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender (10-15 minutes), add pumpkin puree, undrained beans, and the tomatoes with their juice to the pan.
- Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until ready to eat.
- Garnish. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, cheese or dairy-free cheese, as desired!
- Store. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator 5-7 days, or in the freezer up to 2 months.
Notes
FOR A PALEO VERSION, skip the beans and add an extra bell pepper and another 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Soup, Chili
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Pumpkin Chili, gluten free pumpkin chili, best pumpkin chili, dairy free pumpkin chili, pumpkin chili recipe
I love chili in all it’s varieties!
A certain house guest of your, LOVED this chili and is looking forward to having it again soon!
This looks delicious!
When I was young, the only way we had pumpkin was roasted pumpkin.
Yup, just roasted in the oven, no spices or anything else 😛
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To say I am not a brave eater or cook is an understatement, so I very seldom actually try your amazing recipes, but this I may have to try!
Hope you’re doing well! We think of you often 🙂
I love pumpkin anything! I keep at least six huge cans of pumpkin in my pantry at all times (Costco’s always goes on clearance in the winter, and it is a WAY better deal than pureeing your own – which is what I tried a couple years ago. Dumb.) I am definitely trying this.
As soon as I read your title, I realized that pumpkin was MADE for chili. Thanks for the light bulb!
Emily, I am eating this as I type and I can’t stop. Thanks for coming up with dinner for tonight! It’s been great to follow your blog. I didn’t even know you had it until after we moved away from Provo. I love it when I see a pinned recipe and follow it back to your site (it has happened many, many times)!
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I look forward to your pumpkin recipes every year!
Autumn officially hit the UK this week and I have already baked spiced pumpkin pecan muffins and had pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast 🙂 This will definitely be on next weeks menu!
Oh my goodness. This isn’t something I would have ever come up with on my own, but it just sounds soo good!
Hi Emily, do you think this could be made in the crockpot ? Love ALL of your recipes. Sometimes eat them 2-3 days in a row
Kate – I imagine so. I’d probably add a little water (maybe 1/2c?) and then cook it on high for 3-4 hours or slow for 5-6. If you try it in the slow cooker, let me know!
i made it yesterday for a work chili contest but mine does not taste like pumpkin. Wasn’t it suppose to have a pumpkin taste? im leaving in a hour if someone could let me know what i can add to taste it up
Suzy – Nope! It’s not supposed to be like pumpkin spice or a pumpkin cake. It’s purely for the velvety texture. 🙂
yes making it now!
Yummy (even my picky eater ate it), quick to make, cheap, and nutritious. Can’t get better than that! This recipe is going on our regular rotation for the winter. Thanks for all the great soup recipes, they are the best for busy fall school nights.
I added cocoa, cinnamon, brown sugar, tomato sauce, water and a ton more heat to it. It’s fabulous.
Can you please send me your recipe?
Yum, I made this for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit at our house. I love the creaminess the pumpkin adds. Thanks for sharing!
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Tara – So glad you liked it! We made it again this weekend and just love it!
I’ve been dying to try a pumpkin chili for years! This will be my year!
I’m so excited that this freezes well! I have a friend who just had a baby so I think I’ll send her half the batch ready to eat and the other half frozen and ready for later! Gorgeous pictures too friend!
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Made this last night and it is fabulous. Only thing to note is that it makes a TON – I wasn’t able to fit everything into my slow cooker (realized this as I was halfway through adding the canned ingredients) so I had to pivot to a half slow cooker / half stovetop cooking method. (Maybe I just have a small slow cooker?) Either way, I’m looking forward to having this in the fridge all week and some more in the freezer for later this fall!
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Oh shoot! I didn’t think about what size slow cooker. I have this 6 quart slow cooker. I should have mentioned that! So sorry for the inconvenience!
I made this the other day for a chili-cookoff at work (I don’t know results yet!) but made it in slow cooker and let it cook for 6 hours on low, didn’t add any water or anything – it seemed there was plenty of liquid. It was good, even my mother who is picky about pumpkin enjoyed it. Getting to the point – I have a 6 qt and it filled it up about 1/2 way, but each cooker is different. Thanks for the easy recipe – I can make it either on stove or in slow cooker!
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I’m so glad! It’s one of our very favorite recipes!