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Chipotle Pumpkin Chili

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Chipotle pumpkin chili, a chili balanced with pumpkin and a touch of sweet and heat. Hearty, protein packed, and great for leftovers.

Pumpkin chili served in a bowl with brown rice, avocado and spring onion.

As soon as the fall comes, I just wrap myself in warm things and pray for summer to come quickly. The colder months are not all bad though considering that it typically means I can enjoy things like chili and hearty stews regularly. Chilis happen to be one of my favorite warming foods, and this chipotle pumpkin chili hits the spot. The chipotle peppers give this chili a nice kick and pairs super well with the pumpkin added to this. Fall just isn’t the same without someone throwing pumpkin into something after all.

What makes pumpkin special?

It’s only the beginning of fall and I’m sure you might be someone that either loves or hates pumpkin right about now. And since this recipe does use pumpkin puree thought I would highlight why I wanted to add it in. Objectively, the slightly sweet pumpkin helps to balance out the rich tomato base that chili has. On top of that, it also happens to be loaded with a lot of great nutrients as well. Here’s just a few of those amazing nutrients right here:

  • Carotenoids like beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin (these are especially helpful for overall eye health)
  • Vitamin C
  • Fiber
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium

This shows diced onions and chipotle peppers being sautéed together in a large pot.

A jar of salsa is added to the large pot with the onions and chipotle peppers.

How to make chipotle pumpkin chili

  1. In a large pot, add onion and sauté until softened.
  2. Add in diced chipotle peppers, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Fold in chili powder and cinnamon and cook for an additional minute then stir in salsa.
  4. To the pot, add pumpkin, beans, and walnuts. Stir well to combine and allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
  5. Add in apple juice and broth, stir well and then bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover pot with a lid and allow to cook for about 25-30 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally.
  7. Remove chili from the stove top and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve as desired. This chili tastes even better as leftovers.

Pot filled with pumpkin puree, chopped walnuts, red kidney beans and salsa.

Tips for making chipotle pumpkin chili

  • Texture really makes a difference with vegetarian chili. The walnuts help add more texture to your chili. To help it get to the right texture as it cooks, make sure to dice the walnuts to the same size of minced meat. You can also replace the walnuts with TVP (textured vegetable protein) OR vegan meat alternatives.
  • Not a fan of spicy? Instead of adding the diced chipotle peppers, feel free to use the sauce itself. Add 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce in place of the whole peppers with the seeds. Should provide the smoky flavor without as much heat.
  • The best part about stew and chilis is that they often make for even better leftovers. The flavors continue to develop as the chili sits. Get ready for more flavor when you enjoy this as leftovers.

All of the chili ingredients mixed together in a pot and ready to cook and thicken.

More hearty stews perfect for the season

Plate of pumpkin chili topped with avocado and spring onion.

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Plate of pumpkin chili topped with avocado and spring onion.

Chipotle Pumpkin Chili

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Chipotle pumpkin chili, a chili balanced with pumpkin and a touch of sweet and heat. Hearty, protein packed, and great for leftovers.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 medium onion (diced)
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (roughly chopped)
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 15.5 oz jar salsa
  • 1 15.5 oz can pumpkin purée
  • 2 cans red kidney beans (drained)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 1 cup vegetable broth

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, add onion and sauté until softened.
  2. Add in diced chipotle peppers, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Fold in chili powder and cinnamon and cook for an additional minute then stir in salsa.
  4. To the pot, add pumpkin, beans, and walnuts. Stir well to combine and allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
  5. Add in apple juice and broth, stir well and then bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover pot with a lid and allow to cook for about 25-30 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally.
  7. Remove chili from the stove top and adjust seasoning to taste then serve.

Notes

  • The walnuts in this recipe are supposed to add more texture to the chili in place of ground meat. If you don’t wish to use walnuts you can replace this with vegan meat crumbles (sauté separately and add at the end of cooking time) or TVP for texture as well.  
  • Perfect to serve as is, with rice or with corn bread. 

Keywords: chili, pumpkin, pumpkin chili, stew

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★ Catherine

Chipotle pumpkin chili, a chili balanced with pumpkin and a touch of sweet. Hearty, protein packed, and great for leftovers.
Chipotle pumpkin chili, a chili balanced with pumpkin and a touch of sweet. Hearty, protein packed, and great for leftovers.

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