When I cook with pumpkin I mainly stick with the sweets category. Can you think of ONE savory dish that includes pumpkin (pumpkin chili doesn’t count)?? My top thoughts are:

1. pumpkin spiced chai
2. pumpkin donuts
3. pumpkin pancakes
4. pumpkin cupcakes

Nothing even close to the savory side. So when I was flipping through the latest copy of AllRecipe magazine and saw a recipe for the chili I was intrigued. Why shouldn’t pumpkin be aloud in the savory side of cooking? So I rolled up my sleeves and tested it out. With a few modifications of course.

My husband wasn’t super excited about a sweet chili. He was convinced that it was going to be horrible. Especially with the hint of pumpkin. Luckily I got him to taste a small bite before we dished it up and he fell in love. It helped that our house smelled amazing from the chili simmering for a few hours. This is the perfect fall recipe!

Is anyone else wondering about these super adorable mini baker pots?? I originally saw them on Where Women Cook when my friend Stephanie posted some delicious looking easy mexican rice and just knew that I had to have them! Just thought I’d throw in a quick shout out to Create-Ologie and say thank you for such a fun product!

Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 15 oz can kidney beans
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz can great northern beans
2 28 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
sour cream
cheese
green onions

Instructions

Cook your beef in a medium sized skillet until just browned. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and onion. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the peppers. Cook an additional five minutes.
Drain the kidney, black, and great northern beans. Rinse well. Pour into a slow cooker along with the diced tomatoes (un-drained), pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir in the beef mixture. Cook on high for two hours or until heated through.
Serve topped with sour cream, cheese, and green onions.

Joslyn

Monday 27th of October 2014

I live in Australia and we cook with pumpkin all the time - pumpkin and spinach curries, pumpkin soups, pumpkin in salads...

Would you be able to send a modification of this recipe using fresh, JAP or butternut pumpkin (squash) instead of canned pumpkin, which they don't sell here? Thanks!

meghan

Monday 20th of October 2014

Does this get thick in the crock pot or is it watery?

aimee @ like mother like daughter

Monday 7th of October 2013

Mmm I made pumpkin chili for dinner last night, but yours looks so great I might have to try making it again. (Ps. Ours was delicious and we too were totally surprised) and yes, I love that pot!

marissa | Rae Gun Ramblings

oh man that sounds delicious

Yvonne

Pumpkin chili? Who would have thought! I can't even think of any other savory chili recipe - I bet this was great!