Pumpkin isn’t just for dessert! This healthy pumpkin chili recipe is a chili cook-off winner–it’s easy, savory, and delicious. You might just find yourself making it all year long.
We are definitely Pumpkin All Year Long people at my house, and our famous pumpkin chili recipe has made an appearance at dinner at LEAST a few times a year since 2013. It’s not *just* for pumpkin season, but it’s especially good this time of year.
Over the years, it’s won almost a dozen chili cook-offs, been served at Bunco group, church & work Halloween parties, and is the annual Halloween dinner at so many homes I’ve lost count!
There’s a reason we call this the best pumpkin chili recipe: It is worth the hype! If this is your first time making it, you have a lot to look forward to…
- It’s EASY to make. No fussy ingredients & it can even be made in a slow cooker!
- It’s Thick & Hearty. This chili is thick and hearty in all the best ways.
- It’s Healthy! Made from nourishing ingredients, this healthy pumpkin chili is a great dinner (especially before trick-or-treating!)
- It’s Flavorful. Our signature chili seasoning always does the trick!
- It’s Flexible. This recipe is forgiving enough that you can easily make it just the way you like it!
- It Gets Better With Time, which makes this homemade chili a great make-ahead, meal-prep, or freezer dinner!
Ready to make a batch? Let’s take a look at the ingredients!
Simple Ingredients To Start
- Lean Ground Beef (Or Chicken, Turkey, or Pork). You’ll start your pumpkin chili with ground meat. Our favorite is lean ground beef (93% lean), but people have made this chili with ground chicken, ground turkey, and ground pork over the years!
- Onion & Bell Pepper. Our flavor base starts with colorful veggies–yellow onion & green 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, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and (if you want more kick!) some chipotle chili powder. These warm spices add so much flavor!
- Canned Pumpkin Purée. Here’s how we turn this into pumpkin chili! The addition of 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 types 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 best! They have a nice char and play up the savory, smoky notes in the chili.
- Some Water or Broth. To thin the chili out to your desired consistency, you can add a little broth or water. Vegetable broth, chicken broth, and beef broth all work!
- Goodies 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 chili toppings.
How To Make Pumpkin Chili, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Brown The Meat. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown ground beef in olive oil over medium heat 5-7 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Add Veggies & Seasonings. Once the meat is cooked, add the bell pepper, onion, and seasonings. Cook 4-5 minutes to soften the veggies.
- Add Pumpkin, Beans & Tomatoes. When the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender, add tomatoes, pumpkin puree, and beans to the pot. Stir to combine. (This mixture will be THICK! Don’t worry, we’re not done yet!)
- Cover and simmer on medium-low heat 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If needed, feel free to add 1/2-1 cup water or broth (or more) to thin the chili out to your desired consistency. Don’t rush this simmering process, since it helps the flavor develop.
- Garnish. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with your favorite toppings.
- Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months. (I love to make this chili in advance–it tastes even better the next day!)
Slow Cooker Directions
Prefer to make this as slow cooker pumpkin chili? No problem! It works great in a slow cooker! Here’s what we recommend:
- Brown Beef. First brown the beef in oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Combine. Add the beef (and any juices) to the crock pot, along with bell pepper, onion, spices, tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, and 1/2 cup water or broth)
- Cook on HIGH 3-4 hours, or LOW 4-6 hours.
Make It A Meal (Side Dishes To Try)
Now that we know HOW to make pumpkin chili, let’s talk about side dishes! Here are a few serving suggestions to try on chili night:
- Cornbread. Whether you choose Fluffy Gluten-Free Cornbread, Maple Cornbread, or these Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins, you can’t go wrong! They’re all delicious with this chili.
- Tortilla Chips. Need an easy side? Tortilla chips are delicious! Crumble them on top or use them to scoop the chili. (Making it for Halloween? Try our Spooky Baked Tortilla Chips!)
- A Simple Green Salad. Keep things fresh and light with our go-to house salad or a simple arugula salad.
- Fresh Fruit. You can’t go wrong with some seasonal fruit. Sliced apples & bananas, grapes…whatever is in season! (My kids will never say no to fruit!)
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Pumpkin Chili
What Does Pumpkin Chili Taste Like? Some people expect that pumpkin chili will taste like pumpkin spice or pumpkin baked goods. For my pumpkin chili recipe, that’s not the case. Our chili is decidedly savory, with the pumpkin adding nutrients, color, and thickness to the chili. That said…
Maybe Try Some Cinnamon? Some folks add a cinnamon stick to the pot as it simmers, to infuse the chili with a slight cinnamon flavor. This is 100% optional–only if you want to give a hint of pumpkin spice.
Chili Toppings To Try. Feel free to serve this healthy pumpkin chili with your favorite chili toppings. Classics like sour cream, Greek yogurt, and shredded cheddar cheese are delicious, or you can choose from paleo and whole30-approved toppings like diced avocado or green onion.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Easy Pumpkin Chiliu recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
The BEST EVER Pumpkin Chili (Gluten & Dairy Free)
Ingredients
For The Pumpkin Chili:
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil.
- 1 pound lean ground beef*
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 onion diced
- 2 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- optional: 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder for extra smokiness & heat
- 1 28 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (don’t drain)
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)
- 1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained
- 1/2-1 cup water or broth as desired
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 pot or Dutch oven, brown ground beef in oil over medium heat 5-7 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Add Veggies & Seasonings. Once the meat is cooked, add the bell pepper, onion, and seasonings. Cook 4-5 minutes to soften the veggies.
- Add Pumpkin, Beans & Tomatoes. When the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender, add tomatoes, pumpkin puree, and beans to the pot. Stir to combine. (This mixture will be THICK! Don’t worry, we’re not done yet!)
- Cover and simmer on medium-low heat 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If needed, feel free to add 1/2-1 cup water or broth (or more) to thin the chili out to your desired consistency. Don’t rush this simmering process, since it helps the flavor develop.
- Garnish. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with your favorite chili toppings.
- Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months. (I love to make this chili in advance–it tastes even better the next day!)
Notes
- FOR A PALEO VERSION, skip the beans and add an extra bell pepper and another 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey.
- BEEF. We prefer extra lean ground beef (93% lean) for this recipe, but readers have also made it with ground chicken, ground turkey, and ground pork over the years.
- CINNAMON? Some folks add a cinnamon stick to the pot as it simmers, to infuse the chili with a slight cinnamon flavor. This is 100% optional–only if you want to give a hint of pumpkin spice.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/pumpkin-chili/Originally published in 2013. Updated in September 2017. Fully updated with improved notes, refined recipe, new photos and video, and republished again August 2024.
It truly was the best chili ever! Was it the best pumpkin chili I’ve ever had? Yes! But it was also the best chili I’ve had in general. It was perfect. Simple, yet flavorful. I used turkey instead of beef and added some shredded havarti cheese on top. Delicious!
Angela – What a happy comment to wake up to this morning! I’m SO glad you enjoyed it as much as we do!!! 🙂
And thank you so much for the recipe! My mom tried it and loved it as well. She had never tried chili before because she was uncertain if she would like it and she loves it now. ☺️
Oh that’s the BEST!!! I’m so happy to hear that!
I felt it lacked flavor my first go at it, but after adding some salt to it, it definitely kicked it up a bit. I recommend adding some hot sauce on it for some heat and additional flavor (Franks or cholula work best). I also used ground chicken which could have resulted in a bit of a dull flavor. Luckily everyone else in my office loved it!
I’m glad it was a hit at the office! Sounds like you’ve got some great additions that work for your taste 🙂
Great recipe! One pot, super easy and delicious! I used ground chicken and it was delicious! I think any ground meat would work just as well!
Meredith – That’s wonderful! (And I totally agree–we often make this with ground chicken!)
This was amazing as you said!!
And YES…I won a chili cook off!!
I made it with beans and ground beef, added chunks of pumpkin and fresh corn.
Absolute hit!
Thank you for sharing!
Oh WOW!!! I’m SO GLAD! I bet it was amazing with the pumpkin and corn in it! I’ll have to try that sometime. Congratulations on your win!!!
Hello Emily,
I look forward to trying this recipe on Halloween but I ‘m wondering what type of ground meat we could use instead of beef. Chicken, Turkey, sausage?
Thanks
You can totally use turkey or chicken. I’m not a huge fan of ground turkey (the flavor is too strong for me), so my favorite is ground chicken breast. Hope that helps! 🙂
Would this work to serve it in a pumpkin?
That sounds adorable! I’ve never served it in a pumpkin, but I don’t know any reason it wouldn’t work for serving!
What are your thoughts on using chicken vs beef in this recipe? (Either ground or shredded.)
I’m having a chili bar for my sons birthday party and already have a beef chili planned so I’m looking for another option to have! Would love your input. Thanks so much.
Brittanee – I bet it’d totally work! For ease, I’d probably go with ground so it feels more like traditional chili, but shredded might be nice!
Making this dish for my mom’s birthday. How many servings does this make?
Ryan – Oh, I hope you all love it! It makes about 8 servings 🙂
Thank you for the response- we had to doctor it up quite a bit and it seems to have gone well at the cook off so I think we will try again without doubling it!
This turned out amazing. I did make a few changes. I used 2 lbs of ground beef (only because I like thick chili) , one whole yellow onion, 5 cloves of fresh garlic (in place of the powder), a can of kidney beans (along with the other beans mentioned), 18 oz can of tomato paste, a tsp. of cinnamon and about a cup of chicken broth because I needed some more liquid. Oh!! And I quadrupled the chili powder and added some extra cumin. It turned out slightly sweet, mildly spicy, and soooo good. Thank you for the recipe!
Wow! That sounds delicious!