Description
This hearty Pumpkin Chili combines ground beef, hot Italian sausage, sweet potatoes, beans, and a blend of spices with pure pumpkin puree for a rich, flavorful twist on classic chili. Perfect for cozy dinners, this chili is thick, smoky, and slightly spicy, with optional toppings like shredded cheddar, sour cream, and avocado to customize each bowl.
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
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 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 Meat: In a 6 quart or larger Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add hot Italian sausage and lean ground beef, cook while crumbling until browned and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped onion, peeled sweet potato chunks, and chopped red and green bell peppers to the Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. While cooking, measure out the spices but do not add yet.
- Add Spices and Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and the spices: chili powder, ground cumin, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, salt, and ground ginger. Cook for 1 minute to release aromas.
- Combine Remaining Ingredients: Add fire-roasted tomatoes (with liquid), kidney beans, black beans, pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, diced green chiles, beef broth, granulated beef bouillon, and bay leaves to the pot. Stir well to combine. The mixture will be very thick at this stage.
- Simmer the Chili: Cover the pot and bring chili to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered or partially covered, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Add more beef broth if desired to thin the chili to preferred consistency.
- Final Seasoning: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and chipotle chili powder as desired to brighten flavors and add heat.
- Serve: Ladle chili into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings such as shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, roasted pumpkin seeds, avocados, and tortilla chips or Fritos.
Notes
- Crockpot Option: After sautéing meat and vegetables with spices, transfer to slow cooker and add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Season to taste before serving.
- Turkey Alternative: Substitute beef and sausage with ground turkey. Increase beef bouillon to 1 1/2 tablespoons and adjust salt to taste for best flavor. Add extra heat to compensate for milder turkey meat.
- Vegetarian Version: Replace meat with extra beans (such as chickpeas), vegetarian meat crumbles, tofu, lentils, or tempeh. Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth and omit bouillon. Adjust seasoning and add extra spices for heat.
- Halve the Recipe: This recipe yields a large batch; halve quantities if fewer servings or smaller pot.
- Thickness Adjustment: The chili will be thick initially but thins during cooking; adjust liquid at end of cooking with more beef broth for desired consistency.
- Season to Taste: Additional salt or heat (chipotle powder or cayenne pepper) can enhance the chili if flavors feel muted.
- Flavor Development: Refrigerate chili overnight to allow flavors to meld and intensify before serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
