Hearty & cozy, this Easy Savory Pumpkin Chili blends sausage, beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and pumpkin puree for a bold fall dinner. Ready in 45 minutes, topped with cheese or sour cream, this is perfect for crisp nights.
Healthy Pumpkin Chili
When fall rolls in, I don’t always want sweet pumpkin treats. Sometimes I crave a bowl of cozy, savory comfort.
That’s when this savory pumpkin chili with sausage comes to the rescue. It’s hearty, full of flavor, and gets bonus points for sneaking in healthy pumpkin in a way that doesn’t taste like pumpkin pie spice.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Italian Sausage (used mild/sweet, can use spicy)
- onion, chopped
- red bell pepper, chopped
- garlic, minced
- ground cumin
- garlic powder
- chili powder
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- fire-roasted diced tomatoes,
- black beans, drained and rinsed
- pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- chicken broth
- Cheddar cheese, sour cream, parsley (optional for garnish)
How to Make Pumpkin Chili Recipe
Adding pumpkin puree to this chili creates a nice fall flavor that is creamy and also sneaks in some health benefits. This is not like Skyline Chili, which has spices like cinnamon and clove.
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring to break up pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Add onion, garlic, bell peppers, and spices to the sausage and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.
Check seasoning and adjust to your liking. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and parsley if desired.
Variations For Pumpkin Chili
- Use turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter version.
- Extra vegetables: stir in corn or zucchini in the last 10 minutes.
- More heat? Add a diced jalapeño or extra chili powder.
- Make it vegetarian: Replace sausage with extra beans or a meat substitute.
- Meal prep: This chili freezes beautifully. Portion into containers for later use.
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Other recipes you may like to try:
This was one of my favorite savory pumpkin recipes this fall. I really enjoyed the texture of the latest test recipe, and I will definitely be making this again through the winter!
Pumpkin Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Italian Sausage used mild/sweet, can use spicy
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 15 oz. Cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz. Can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. Can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 1/2 Cups chicken broth
- Cheddar cheese sour cream, parsley (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large Stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook stirring to break up pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic, bell peppers, and spices to sausage and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 20 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.
- Check seasoning and adjust to your liking. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and parsley if desired.