Description
Hearty pumpkin chili blends Mexican-inspired flavors with autumn warmth, creating a comforting bowl packed with robust spices and seasonal goodness. Simmering with ground beef, beans, and a rich pumpkin base, this dish delivers a satisfying meal you’ll crave during cooler months.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 12 ounces (340 grams) diced pumpkin
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
Proteins and Beans:
- 15 ounces (425 grams) can kidney beans, drained
- 15 ounces (425 grams) can white beans, drained
- 1 ounce (28 grams) garlic (4 – 6 cloves), minced
Seasonings and Additional Ingredients:
- 2 – 3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup beef stock
- 8 ounces (226 grams) tomato sauce
- 3 ounces (85 grams) tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2.5 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 – 2 teaspoons coarse sea or kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a spacious cooking vessel over medium temperature, gently sautéing diced onions until they turn translucent and soft.
- Incorporate chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, and diced red bell pepper, allowing vegetables to become tender and release their aromatic essence for approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Introduce ground beef into the pot, carefully fragmenting the meat with a wooden utensil and cooking until it develops a rich, golden-brown color.
- Blend diced pumpkin, robust beef stock, tangy tomato sauce, and concentrated tomato paste, simmering the mixture for 5 minutes to develop depth of flavor.
- Fold in creamy pumpkin puree, hearty kidney beans, and delicate white beans, ensuring thorough integration of ingredients.
- Enhance the chili with a complex spice blend: smoky chipotle chili powder, sweet paprika, robust garlic powder, earthy cumin, subtle sugar, fragrant oregano, seasoning salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce heat and allow the chili to gently simmer for 20-30 minutes, enabling flavors to harmonize and the texture to thicken.
- Conduct a final taste assessment, adjusting seasonings to personal preference before presenting the aromatic and comforting dish.
Notes
- Boost the pumpkin flavor by roasting the diced pumpkin before adding to the chili for a deeper, caramelized taste.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version that maintains the hearty texture.
- Control the spice level by adjusting the chipotle chili powder; start with less and add more gradually to suit your heat preference.
- Enhance the nutritional value by adding extra vegetables like zucchini or spinach without compromising the chili’s rich flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 401 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg