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    Home » Recipes » Soups and Stews

    Pumpkin Chili

    Published: Sep 25, 2023 · Modified: Jun 16, 2025 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    white bowl full of pumpkin chili with diced avocado and sour cream with text overlay that reads Easy pumpkin Chili

    This hearty 30-minute pumpkin chili recipe is made with pure pumpkin, ground turkey, bell peppers, tomatoes, black beans and corn, simmered in a beautifully seasoned broth. Make this comforting chili for your next cozy fall meal! 

    A white bowl of pumpkin chili topped with sour cream and avocados surrounded by tortilla chips.

    Best Pumpkin Chili With Ground Turkey

    I love a classic chili recipe, but my family also knows I’m all for it all different kinds of chili recipes! I’ve made butternut squash chili, lentil chili, and white bean chicken chili, but this time I’m making chili with pumpkin as an ingredient and it’s amazing.

    A big pot of hearty chili is a staple around here when the weather starts to change, but adding pumpkin flavor to the mix? That gives the pot of chili a whole new meaning!

    Replacing the traditional tomato-y flavor that chili normally has with a thick pumpkin purée isn’t as pumpin-y as you’d think either. It’s a subtle addition that adds a rich creamy consistency as well as tons of nutrition.

    Top it with all of your favorite chili toppings just as you normally would.

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    A bowl of pumpkin chili with spoon taking a bite.

    Pumpkin Chili Ingredients

    A bowl of ingredients for pumpkin chili - cheese, sour cream, green bell pepper, diced tomato, garlic, onion, pumpkin puree, chili powder, salt and pepper.
    Ingredients for Pumpkin Chili - corn, black beans, cilantro and chicken broth.
    • Diced Onion: I use white or yellow onion. We start the chili by cooking down the onions with the bell peppers to soften them up for maximum flavor.
    • Bell Peppers: I use both yellow and green bell pepper to give it a nice balance. Use whatever color combination you’d like.
    • Minced Garlic: Adding minced garlic is another aromatic that produces amazing flavor. Especially when paired with the onions!
    • Oil: Using vegetable oil in this case is great because it’s a cost-effective oil that has a neutral flavor. If you prefer, use olive oil or avocado oil too.
    • Ground Turkey: Ground turkey and pumpkin just scream fall don’t they? It’s lighter than ground beef, but just as meaty. Use ground beef,  ground chicken or even ground pork instead of ground turkey if desired.
    • Chicken Broth: Use homemade or store-bought broth.
    • Black Beans: Drained and rinsed. You can’t have chili without beans! You can use different types of beans like white beans, pinto beans, lentils or red kidney beans instead of black beans.
    • Corn: any canned corn is perfect or you can also use frozen corn.
    • Pumpkin Puree: For simplicity, I use a can of pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!) but you can also make your own purée that would be great in this pumpkin chili.
    • Diced Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes add the familiar tomato flavor and a bit of acidity.
    • Seasoning: Chili powder, salt, and pepper.
    • Optional Toppings: Cheddar cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, sliced greens onions

    Variations To Try

    1. A combination of bell peppers not only tastes great but looks pretty too! Green, yellow, and red are essential to fall colors!
    2. Add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a spicier version. A dash of cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper would also be a great alternative.
    3. A teaspoon or two of cumin would give the pumpkin chili a delicious earthy flavor and extra warmth. Traditional chili use cumin so this is a familiar seasoning.
    4. You can add in a bit of butternut squash purée or mashed sweet potatoes in addition to the pumpkin for a slight variation in taste.
    5. Make it vegetarian or vegan pumpkin chili by completely omitting the ground beef and using a vegan crumble or an extra can of beans for a meatless chili and use vegetable broth instead. 
    6. Add in a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice for even more warm fall flavor!

    How to Make this Pumpkin Chili Recipe

    This recipe comes together with 10 minutes of prep time and a total time of just 30 minutes, then dinner is served! Here’s how it’s done.

    Chopped onion, yellow bell pepper and green bell pepper in a white pot.

    Step 1 – In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the chopped onion and bell peppers in oil over medium-high heat until they’re tender. Then add the garlic to sauté for another minute.

    Ground turkey placed in pot with hhopped onion, yellow bell pepper and green bell pepper.
    Ground turkey, hopped onion, yellow bell pepper and green bell pepper in a white pot mixed together.

    Step 2 – Add the ground meat and cook it until no longer pink and completely cooked through. Break it up into crumbles as it cooks. To do this, use a spatula or a meat masher if you have one.

    Ingredients for pumpkin chili in large pot.

    Step 3 – Pour in the chicken broth, drained black beans and corn, canned pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, and seasoning. Cover the pot with the lid and cook on medium-low for 20 minutes.

    Ingredients for pumpkin chili mixed in large pot.

    Step 4 – Once it’s fully cooked and ready to serve, ladle out the chili into serving bowls and allow people to add their own toppings!

    Tips

    • Adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more or less chili powder. If you really want to kick it up a notch, diced jalapeno should do the trick.
    • I do say you can use homemade pumpkin purée, however, my recommendation is to use canned pumpkin if you can. It’s thicker and has less water content, which means it won’t thin your chili.
    • Turn this into a slow cooker pumpkin chili by dumping all the ingredients into the crock pot basin (the turkey should be browned ahead of time) and cooking on low for 6-8 hours.

    FAQ’s

    How spicy is this chili?

    Not very. The only source of heat comes from the chili powder and although it has a smoky kick to it, it’s not overpowering unless you decide to add more. As the recipe is written, it’s pretty mild.

    Any additional heat added would be all up to you.

    How to store leftover pumpkin chili?

    Like most other chili, leftover chili even better the next day. The longer it sits, the better chance the flavors have to blend. Keep any leftover chili in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

    Can I freeze it?

    You can! For up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat it when you’re ready to serve it.

    How to reheat?

    Easily reheat chili in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl or in a pot on the stove over medium heat until warmed to your liking!

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram!

    A white bowl of pumpkin chili topped with sour cream and avocados surrounded by tortilla chips.

    Pumpkin Chili

    This hearty 30-minute pumpkin chili recipe is made with pure pumpkin, ground turkey, bell peppers, tomatoes, black beans and corn, simmered in a beautifully seasoned broth. Make this comforting chili for your next cozy fall meal! 
    5 from 1 vote
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    Course: Chili, Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 338kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup onion diced
    • ½ cup green bell pepper diced
    • ½ cup yellow bell pepper diced
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1 pound ground turkey
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 15 ounces black beans drained, 1 can
    • 15 ounces corn drained, 1 can
    • 15 ounces pumpkin puree 1 can
    • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
    • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • Optional Toppings: Cheddar cheese Sour cream, Cilantro, Diced Avocado

    Instructions

    • In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add the oil, diced bell peppers, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the veggies start to become tender. Then add in the minced garlic and saute for an additional minute.
      1 cup onion, ½ cup green bell pepper, ½ cup yellow bell pepper, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • Add the ground turkey to the pot and cook it until completely cooked, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula as it cooks.
      1 pound ground turkey
    • Then add in the chicken broth, drained black beans and corn, pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
      2 cups chicken broth, 15 ounces black beans, 15 ounces pumpkin puree, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 15 ounces corn
    • Cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes
    • Serve topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocado and/ or chopped cilantro.
      Optional Toppings: Cheddar cheese

    Notes

    Swap the ground turkey for ground beef or ground chicken.
    Use white northern beans, pinto or red kidney beans instead of black beans.
    Use frozen corn if desired.
    Use any variations of bell peppers you’d like. Red, orange, yellow or green are all good.
    Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes for a spicy version.
    Add a teaspoon or two of cumin for more flavor.
    Nutritional information does not include additional toppings.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 1102mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 11985IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

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