Cozy Fall Harvest Pumpkin Chili Recipe
A comforting and delicious Harvest Pumpkin Chili that combines classic chili heartiness with a unique autumn twist. Packed with flavor, easy to make, and perfect for chilly nights.
Equipment
- big pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
Hauptzutaten
- 1.3 lbs ground turkey extra lean
- 6 small links chicken maple sausage 9oz, sliced
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 orange bell pepper diced
- 1 can cannellini beans 15.5 oz, drained and rinsed
- 1 can red kidney beans 15.5 oz, drained and rinsed
- 1 can pumpkin purée 29 oz, NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 1 can diced tomatoes 28 oz
- 1 bottle pumpkin beer 12 fl. Oz. (substitute with 12 oz chicken or vegetable broth if needed)
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- Sea Salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- First things first, grab a nice big pot or Dutch oven. Heat up that olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add your ground turkey and sliced maple chicken sausage. Break up the turkey with your spoon and cook until both meats are browned. Drain off any excess fat.
- Now, toss in your chopped onion and diced bell peppers. Cook them for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and the onion is translucent.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for just another minute until fragrant. Don't let it burn!
- Time for the spices! Add the chili powder, oregano, cumin, brown sugar, and cayenne (if using). Stir everything together and cook for about 1-2 minutes, letting those spices bloom and release their amazing aromas. It's going to smell incredible!
- Pour in the pumpkin purée, diced tomatoes (undrained is fine!), pumpkin beer, and chicken broth. Stir it all up until everything is well combined and there are no lumps of pumpkin.
- Add your drained and rinsed cannellini and kidney beans to the pot. Stir again.
- Bring the chili to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it gently bubble away for at least 30 minutes. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors will meld and deepen. I often let mine go for an hour if I have the time! Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick.
- Before serving, give it a taste and season generously with sea salt and pepper. You might be surprised how much it needs to make all those flavors pop!
- Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite chili fixings!
Notes
This recipe is flexible for substitutions (meat, beans, beer, veggies). Important tips include properly browning meat, blooming spices, letting it simmer (longer is better), and tasting/adjusting seasoning. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for 4-6 months. Can be made in a slow cooker by browning meat/veggies on stove first, then cooking on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.