Pumpkin Chili {Slow Cooker or Stovetop}

Nothing says “fall” quite like a cozy bowl of savory Pumpkin Chili! This healthy and easy dinner recipe is the perfect dish to serve on Halloween, but it’s also a simple option for busy weeknights. Use ground turkey or ground beef, and prep a big batch on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot. Serve the turkey pumpkin chili is with cornbread, pumpkin muffins, or crunchy tortilla chips!

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

This festive turkey pumpkin chili recipe is perfect for a Halloween party or other gathering during October, or even ideal for a Thanksgiving lunch. Leave it simmering in the kitchen for your guests to serve themselves. Similarly, you can get it going in your Crock Pot and come home to a warm supper after a long night of trick-or-treating! It’s a kid-friendly, hearty, and nutritious option to balance out all of the sweet holiday indulgences.

What does Pumpkin Chili taste like?

Pumpkin chili is SO GOOD! It tastes just like a traditional beef or turkey chili recipe, but the pumpkin adds a smooth, thick texture to the broth and gives the dish just a hint of sweetness. Your guests probably won’t be able to tell that there’s pumpkin in the mix, but they will definitely wonder which secret ingredient makes this particular chili so darn good!

Can I use pumpkin to thicken chili?

Absolutely! The pumpkin puree serves a few different purposes in this chili recipe. First, it thickens the broth, giving each bowl a rich, hearty texture and mouthfeel. The pumpkin also adds a hint of sweet flavor in the background, while contributing extra nutrients to the dish as well.

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pot of pumpkin chili. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Olive oil: to sauté the meat and vegetables.
• Onion and garlic: add savory flavor to the base of the chili.
• Ground turkey or ground beef: either meat will work, so pick your favorite!
• Pinto beans: these are optional. You can omit the beans altogether if they’re not your family’s favorite, or you can substitute with other beans like black beans, garbanzo beans, or kidney beans.
• Corn: I use frozen corn kernels, but a can of corn is also fine.
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: the fire-roasted variety gives the chili a rich flavor that makes it taste like it’s been simmering on the stovetop all day long! Substitute with regular diced tomatoes if you prefer.
• Pumpkin puree: make sure that you buy a can of 100% pure pumpkin puree — not the pumpkin pie filling that looks very similar.
• Tomato sauce: contributes flavor and a thicker texture to the broth.
• Beef broth or chicken broth: start with a small amount, and then add extra to thin at the end, if necessary.
• Chili powder: adds zesty chili flavor.
• Cumin: a smoky addition.
• Cayenne: for some spicy kick! Add more for a spicy chili, or omit it entirely for a mild dish.
• Brown sugar: a hint of sweetness balances the acidity in the tomatoes and gives the chili a more complex depth of flavor.
• Salt and pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.

How to Make Pumpkin Chili in a Crockpot or on the Stovetop

You can put almost any of your favorite meat, beans and veggies in this pumpkin chili, but I keep the base recipe simple and full of classic chili flavor.

1. Cook the turkey or beef, onion and garlic in a large skillet or Dutch oven until no longer pink. Drain off the fat.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, give it all a stir, and cover tightly with a lid. You can do this in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.
3. Simmer on the stovetop over low heat for 1 – 1 ½ hours, or in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours on LOW or 2-3 hours on HIGH.
4. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with all of your favorite toppings!

Chili Toppings

Set out a variety of toppings and let your friends and family customize their own bowls. Here are some tasty chili toppings:

• Grated cheese
• Sour cream
• Diced avocado
• Fresh cilantro
• Sliced green onion or minced red onion
• Hot sauce
• Sliced jalapeño peppers
• Lime wedges
• Tortilla strips or crushed chips

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili

Round out the meal with any of these easy sides:

• Jalapeno Cheddar Mexican Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, or Honey Cornbread
• Corn Muffins or 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
• Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Bread, or Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins
• 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, or Cheese Biscuits
• Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Wedge Salads, House Salad or Caesar Salad
• Fritos chips
• Saltine crackers
• Easy Homemade Guacamole with tortilla chips and salsa

Storage

Leftover chili will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

How to Freeze

Allow the chili to cool completely. Package in airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight. Place chili in a saucepan or Dutch oven. Cover and warm over low heat, just until hot. If it seems too thick, thin the chili with a splash of broth or water.

Recipe Variations

• Use ground turkey, ground beef, or even ground chicken. You can also add cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken instead of ground meat for a pumpkin chicken chili!
• Just about any bean will work. I use pinto beans, but you can try a can of red kidney beans, white beans (like Great Northern beans), garbanzo beans, pink beans, or black beans (for a Halloween-inspired black-and-orange bowl).
• Instead of frozen corn, use canned corn.
• Omit the beans if your family doesn’t care for them. You can substitute with extra corn, or just leave them out altogether.
• To make last-minute dinner prep even faster, brown the meat, onion, and garlic in advance and then just keep the cooked meat in a container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. This is a step that you can usually do on the weekend so that you only have to dump the ingredients into a pot on a busy weekday.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Chili Recipe

• Use chicken broth with ground turkey, and use beef broth with ground beef.
• Start with a small amount of broth. The condensation from the Crock Pot or covered Dutch oven will add more liquid to the dish. If you prefer a thinner chili, simply add extra broth at the end, until it reaches the desired consistency.
• This pumpkin chili is not very spicy. If you prefer more spice or kick in your bowl, add extra cayenne or chipotle, or serve with a side of hot sauce or jalapeños!
• Make ahead! This chili just gets better as it sits, so you can make a batch on the weekend and keep it packaged in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat individual bowls for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week.

More Chili Recipes to Try

• Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
• Classic Beef Chili
• Stovetop White Bean Chicken Chili
• Easy Texas Chili
• Southern Homemade Chili
• Hot Dog Chili
• Crockpot Chili Recipe
• Instant Pot Turkey Chili
• Chili Con Carne

Pumpkin Chili {Slow Cooker or Stovetop}

5 from 4 votes

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes

0 minutes

Total: 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings 10 cups

Calories 249 kcal

On the stovetop or in the slow cooker, this Pumpkin Chili recipe is an easy and healthy dinner that's perfect for fall!

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons minced or pressed garlic (about 2 large cloves or 4 small cloves)
• 2 lbs. ground turkey or ground beef
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels (you do not need to thaw them)
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• ½ cup chicken broth or beef broth (plus extra to thin, if necessary)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or reduce to 1 teaspoon for a less-sweet taste)
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (use more for a spicy chili, or omit for a mild chili)
• Optional (for serving): cornbread; corn chips; cheese; sour cream; sliced green onions/chives; cilantro; avocado; diced red onion

Instructions

FOR THE STOVETOP:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook about 5 minutes or until it begins to caramelize around the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Add the turkey or beef and brown all over, breaking up the meat as you go, about 5-7 more minutes. Drain fat and return meat mixture to the pot.
• Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered, on low heat for about 1-1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
• Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with optional toppings.

FOR THE SLOW COOKER:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook about 5 minutes or until it begins to caramelize around the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Add the turkey or beef and brown all over, breaking up the meat as you go, about 5-7 more minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Drain fat.
• Transfer the meat mixture to a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
• Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with optional toppings.

Notes

• Use chicken broth with ground turkey, and use beef broth with ground beef.
• Start with a small amount of broth. The condensation from the Crock Pot or covered Dutch oven will add more liquid to the dish. If you prefer a thinner chili, simply add extra broth at the end, until it reaches the desired consistency.
• This pumpkin chili is not very spicy. If you prefer more spice or kick in your bowl, add extra cayenne or chipotle, or serve with a side of hot sauce or jalapeños!
• Make ahead! This chili just gets better as it sits, so you can make a batch on the weekend and keep it packaged in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat individual bowls for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 21gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 831mgPotassium: 739mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 7376IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 4mg

Keyword: chili on the stovetop, pumpkin chili, pumpkin chili crockpot, slow cooker pumpkin chili, turkey pumpkin chili

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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This post was originally published in October, 2015. It was updated in October, 2021.