This turkey pumpkin chili is a savory, spicy and healthy dinner made for chilly fall nights. It's full of fiber and veggies and will be something you want to make a big batch of for leftovers.
What meat is good with pumpkin?
Pumpkin goes really well with beef, chicken and turkey. We're using ground turkey in this pumpkin chili recipe and they pair so well together.
Swaps: If you don't have ground turkey you could use ground beef or ground chicken.
How do you make chili taste like chili?
The secret to making chili taste like chili is the seasoning you use. All of the spices together are what creates the iconic chili taste. Here are the chili seasonings we use:
- chili powder
- smoked paprika
- garlic
- cumin
- onion powder
- salt and pepper
There's also one special spice for pumpkin chili and it's cinnamon! It's a little sweet and accentuates the pumpkin flavor.
Do you drain beans for chili?
Yes, you will strain the beans for this chili. We don't want any additional cooking liquid because we're getting it all from the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
The easiest way to drain beans for chili: put them in a colander together and rinse them under warm water for 20-30 seconds.
Can I make pumpkin chili in the slow cooker?
To make this turkey pumpkin chili in the slow cooker, use a saute pan to brown the meat first then saute the onion and place both in the crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 4-5 hours or 2-3 hours on high.
Can I freeze chili?
Once the chili is fully cooked, allow it to cool completely and place in an air tight container. You can also pour it into a freezer bag and lay flat in the freezer to freeze flat. What's it's completely frozen you can stand it up in the freezer to save space.
How to reheat chili: allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight then place back on the stove to heat or in the microwave.
Chili topppings:
- Avocado
- Plain greek yogurt
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Cornbread
- Tortilla chips
- Green onion
If you love this recipe as much as I do, don't forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me with @what_mollymade so I can see it and feature you.
More chili and hearty soups:
- Slow cooker paleo chili
- Crock pot healthy chicken chili
- Slow cooker sweet potato chicken chili
- The best instant pot chicken noodle soup
- Healthy chicken pot pie soup [dairy free]
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin pure
- 1 28 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 14.5 ounce pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- Optional for more spice: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and
- pepper and stir occasionally until soft. Add the ground turkey and pork and brown
- until no pink remains, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and mix well to incorporate. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings like avocado, shredded cheese, cornbread, greek yogurt or chopped onion.
Sarah says
This was awesome, my new favorite chili recipe.
I subbed all turkey instead of doing pork since it’s what I had on hand and it’s still amazing. The pumpkin makes it almost creamy. I’ve texted this recipe to friends and won’t go back. Thanks for your delicious recipes
Molly Thompson says
Oh my gosh, Sarah!! This is the best comment:) So glad you think so!!
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Please let me know if you have any kind of recommendations or tips for brand new aspiring bloggers.
Thankyou!
Molly Thompson says
Here's a great start to learn more! https://whatmollymade.com/resources/