This hearty Pumpkin Chili is bringing the fall vibes! A delicious turkey chili recipe with peppers and white beans, reduced with white wine and simmered in a creamy pumpkin broth.
Serve this chili with Sweet Cornbread on the side and even a fun Pumpkin Drop Martini to keep with the pumpkin theme!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Chili Recipe
Pumpkin Chili is one of our favorite fall recipes. A vegetable packed, creamy turkey chili that will warm you up on crisp fall days.
A delicious, make ahead recipe for everyday dinners, holidays, parties and game days. It can be made completely ahead of time and kept warm in a slow cooker on on the stove top. A hint of pumpkin flavor from pumpkin puree rounds out the comforting feeling that this chili recipe brings to the table.
- Easy To Make: After chopping a few vegetables and cooking the ground turkey, this chili recipe is really a dump and go recipe.
- Make Ahead: You can make this chili recipe a day ahead of time to make parties and dinners nights a breeze. The flavor even gets better!
- Fun For Parties: Any fall party or game day, even Halloween, this pumpkin chili is going to be a hit.
- Unique Recipe: This pumpkin chili is one of those recipes that everyone is going to be asking about. Get ready to hand out the recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This chili recipe has a few, simple ingredients that you’re likely to have on hand in the kitchen. Please see the recipe card for a complete list of recipe ingredients.
- Ground Turkey: We like using 99% lean ground turkey, but you can use 93% lean as well.
- White Beans (cannellini beans): Creamy, white beans make the perfect addition to this pumpkin chili. Grab black beans and/or kidney beans as well!
- Pumpkin Puree: Unsweetened pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Onions: Sweet yellow onions
- Bell Peppers: Any color you like.
- Celery: For crunch and flavor.
- Garlic: For flavor.
- Fresh Rosemary: Thyme will work, too if you don’t like the flavor of rosemary. Or you can use a simple herb like fresh parsley.
How To Make Pumpkin Chili
Pumpkin chili only takes a few minutes to get started. After cooking down the vegetables and cooking the ground turkey, you’ll be simmering away in no time! Scroll to the bottom of the post for complete instructions in the recipe card.
- STEP 1 – COOK THE VEGETABLES: Add the oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and the green and red peppers to the pot and cook while stirring until softened. Add the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic to the vegetables. Stir to combine.
- STEP 2 – ADD THE GROUND TURKEY: Move the vegetables to the side of the pot, drizzle the empty side of the pot with a little more olive oil and then add the ground turkey. Cook while breaking up with a spoon into crumbles. Stir to combine the turkey with the rest of the vegetables in the pot. Sprinkle in the flour, stir and cook for 1 minute.
- STEP 3 – DEGLAZE AND ADD CHILI INGREDIENTS: Pour in white wine to deglaze the pot, stir and let reduce for 1 minute and then scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the white beans, the pumpkin puree and the rosemary sprigs to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- STEP 4 – SIMMER: Simmer the chili uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed. Remove the rosemary sprigs from the chili and then pour in the cream (if using).
Can Pumpkin Chili Be Made Ahead Of Time?
Yes, and leftovers are amazing. Chili is honestly the most perfect make ahead recipe because the flavor actually gets better as it sits in the refrigerator. You can make it a day or two in advance if you need to!
However, since ground turkey recipes are only good for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator, I wouldn’t recommend making it more than a day or two in advance. Unless, of course, you know that you’re going to finish all of the chili on the day that you warm it up.
If you’re looking to get a head start without making the entire recipe ahead of time, you can chop up the onions, peppers and celery to have them ready to go for you.
Can You Taste The Pumpkin?
Of course we want to taste the pumpkin in this pumpkin chili recipe, but some people wonder if the pumpkin flavor is overpowering. But we’re here to tell you that it’s not.
We’re using unsweetened pumpkin puree for this chili so it’s not going to be very sweet or overpowering. The pumpkin puree also adds a creaminess to the chili that we just love. So yes, it’s going to have a hint of pumpkin flavor but it won’t be the main flavor in this chili recipe.
Pumpkin Chili Variations
We think this turkey Pumpkin Chili is pretty perfect as is, but of course there can be variations to the recipe! Chili recipes are a great way to use up whats in your refrigerator so nothing has to go to waste!
- Ground Chicken or Lean Ground Beef
- Beyond Meat Crumbles
- Zucchini
- Corn
- Carrots
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced green chilis
- Different beans like black beans, kidney beans or chick peas
- Different herbs like thyme, oregano, parsley or cilantro
How To Store and Reheat Chili
Let the chili cool down to room temperature before storing it in air tight containers. Leftover pumpkin chili will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days if stored properly. if you don’t think that you’ll use up all of the chili within that time, you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
Reheat the chili in the microwave or on the stove top until warmed through. Garnish with all your favorite chili toppings like sliced avocado, sour cream and scallions.
More Delicious Chili Recipes
- Everyday Chili Recipe – A Kid Favorite!!!
- Cincinnati Chili
- Hot Dog Chili – No beans, great for topping hot dogs, nachos, chili fries or stuffing into baked potatoes!
- Ranch Turkey Chili
- Chicken Chili (Not white chili!)
- Chicken Sausage Fiesta Chili
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Pumpkin Chili
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThis cozy Pumpkin Chili is bringing the fall vibes! A hearty turkey chili with peppers and white beans, reduced with white wine and simmered in a pumpkin broth.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups diced onions
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 1 cup diced red pepper
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- Fresh black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 pounds ground turkey (93% or 99% lean)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (can also use beer or more chicken broth)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large, 6 or 8 quart dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and the green and red peppers to the pot and cook while stirring for 7-8 minutes. Add the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic to the vegetables. Stir to combine.
- Move the vegetables to the side of the pot, drizzle the empty side of the pot with a little more olive oil and then add the ground turkey. Add the remaining 1/2 – 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the turkey, depending on your taste. Cook while breaking up with a spoon into crumbles.
- Once the ground turkey is mostly cooked through, stir to combine it with the rest of the vegetables in the pot. Sprinkle in the flour, stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the wine to deglaze the pot, stir and let reduce for 1 minute, then scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the white beans, the pumpkin puree and the rosemary sprigs to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer the chili uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed.
- Remove the rosemary sprigs from the chili and then pour in the cream (if using).
- Serve in bowls with tortilla chips or bread for dipping.
Recipe Notes
Store: Let the chili cool to room temperature and then store in air tight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: This chili freezes beautifully! Store in air tight containers or cool completely and place in plastic zip top freezer bags. Let the chili thaw and then reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
Reheat: If frozen, let the chili thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave or on the stove top. Refrigerated chili can be reheated both in the microwave or on the stove top as well.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
