Pumpkin Chili
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Oct 2, 2024 
This gluten free Pumpkin Chili Recipe is a twist on the classic, incorporating rich, earthy pumpkin puree for a fall-inspired comfort meal! Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro for a hearty and satisfying meal that celebrates the flavors of fall!
Why We Love Pumpkin Chili
To me, fall is chili season, even more so than winter. I love simmering big pots of traditional chili once the weather turns cold and serving it with fluffy cornbread.
Usually, I add beer to my traditional chili recipe to offer a deeper note. I carried on the fall flavors in this Pumpkin Chili recipe by pouring in apple hard cider instead. The apple undertones in the chili balance the spice, making this chili recipe very hard to resist!
Adding pumpkin to chili sounds odd, but trust me when I say it offers so much flavor for this savory pumpkin chili! Substituting pumpkin for tomatoes does several wonderful things…
- It gives the chili a sweet rustic essence and deep flavor.
- It provides a thicker luxurious texture.
- It’s a fabulous platform for fall spices.
- And it tastes great with pork or chicken, if you aren’t a beef lover.
Update: Last fall, my daughter Ava and I entered our best pumpkin chili recipe in a local chili cookoff—and won! In the last two years since I originally posted this recipe, several people have emailed me to say they had also used it for neighborhood, state fair, and sponsored chili competitions, and they all placed in first or second place!
Ingredients You Need
Healthy gluten-free pumpkin chili uses minimal ingredients for a super flavorful stew. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Ground Pork or Chicken – for a richer chili, use ground pork
- Onion – sweet onion is best
- Red Bell Pepper – diced
- Garlic Cloves – freshly minced
- Chipotle Peppers – canned in adobo sauce and chopped
- Pumpkin Puree – 100% canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- Hard Cider – for a depth of flavor
- Kidney Beans – or black beans, for added protein and texture
- Chicken Broth
- Spices – chili powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon, bay leaves and salt (or swap cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice to bump up the pumpkin flavor!)
How to Make Pumpkin Chili
Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground pork and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic, and chipotle peppers. Cook until the meat is browned and the onions are soft.
Pour the pumpkin puree, hard cider, beans, and chicken broth into the pot. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Stir well.
Simmer for at least 30 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream, cilantro, red onion, and avocado! Enjoy!
Get the Full (Printable) Pumpkin Chili Recipe + VIDEO Below!
Serving Suggestions
Pumpkin Chili is a hearty and comforting meal that can be enjoyed on its own. I highly recommend topping your bowl off with sour cream, cilantro, red onion, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips or Fritos!
If you are looking to serve sides along with your chili, try serving it with some of my favorites:
- Fluffy Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Homemade Tortillas
- Cornbread Muffins
- Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Lentil Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Jennifer Aniston Salad (Bulgar Wheat Recipe)
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! You can use any ground meat you prefer. Ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken are all great options. You can use ground chicken or turkey for a leaner pumpkin chili recipe!
To make a vegetarian pumpkin chili, omit the ground meat and increase the amount of beans you add to the recipe. You can use a combination of kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans, or use just one or two of them. Use water or vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. This pumpkin chili is already dairy-free, so for vegan pumpkin chili, use vegan toppings!
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through!
Generally, yes. You want to simmer your pumpkin chili for at least 30 minutes, but it will develop more flavor the longer you simmer it. It would be ideal if you could simmer it for up to one hour to let the flavors come together!
More Chili Recipes We Love
- Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Chili Mac and Cheese
- Best Turkey Chili
- Venison Chili Recipe
- Frito Chili Cheeseburgers
- Nachos with Chili Con Carne
- New Mexican Green Chili
- Vegan Chili
- Paleo White Chicken Chili
- Chili Con Carne (No Beans)
- Paleo Chicken Chile Verde
Pumpkin Chili Recipe + Video
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground pork, or ground chicken
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- 29 ounces 100% pure pumpkin puree (1 can)
- 2 bottles hard cider, gluten-free (12-ounce bottles)
- 2 cans kidney beans, drained (15-ounce cans)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1-2 bay leaves
- Optional Toppings: sour cream, cilantro, red onion
Instructions
- Place a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the ground pork and break into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic, and chipotle peppers. Cook until the meat is browned and the onions are soft.
- Pour the pumpkin puree, hard ciders, beans, and chicken broth into the pot. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Stir well.
- Simmer for at least 30 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with toppings if desired.
I don’t have hard cider but I do have apple juice and amber beer (yuingling). Which would be best? Or maybe 12 oz of each?
Hi Michelle,
Yes, using both would be great! Please report back. :)
I don’t have hard cider but I do have apple juice and amber beer (Yuingling). Which would you recommend? Or maybe 12 oz of each?
Hi:)
A couple of questions:
1. What cook temp/time would you recommend for using a slow cooker to make this recipe?
2. Would a sparkling cider work in place of hard? Would you recommend any adjustment to combat the added sweetness (sparkling vs hard)
Planning on making this for a family chili contest! I’m really excited to try it :)
Hi Bethany!
I would set this on low for 6-7 hours in the slow cooker.
Yes, sparkling cider is a great substitution. :)
This recipe is amazing! I’ve made this a few times and now it’s my partner’s favorite chili. I’ve used canned pumpkin puree and fresh roasted pumpkin, and it’s delicious both ways. It’s the perfect blend of flavors and spices!
Can the chili be made ahead and frozen?
Hi Kathy,
Yes, this recipe freezes well. Place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to use, thaw completely at room temperature, before reheating.
I made this the other day, but changed up a few things. This turned out amazing
Changed:
used 2lbs of ground pork and beef
added 5 sweet Italian sausage (removed casings)
added a bouquet garni of thyme and rosemary to add some aromatics and more depth of flavor. Removed them once cooking was finished
Roasted cumin and ground in a pestle and mortar for enhanced flavor, rather than pre ground.
Would this work well with a beef and pork mixture –instead of all pork?
Hi Violet,
Sure thing! We made it for friends, who don’t eat pork, using ground beef and veal. It tasted delicious!
Truly an amazing chili!
It’s the only one that I make anymore… Some sour cream and cilantro on top and it is perfect!
Serve with corn bread and a salad and it is a complete meal…
This is my favorite non-tomato chili! Any kind of beer works too. Many thanks!
I wanted to let you know that this recipe is still winning Chili contests! I found your recipe when looking for a unique chili recipe and new it was perfect since I had fresh pumpkin puree in my freezer. I made this recipe for my company’s chili contents and it won most unique chili.
Thank you for a great recipe and I will continue to make this recipe. Its perfect for anyone who loves pumpkin
I made this last night but modified it only to make it vegan by subbing veggie broth for the chicken broth and lightlife vegan meat for the meat. It was absolutely fabulous. Thank you so much for this beautiful fall chili which is now permanently part of our repertoire.
I intended to make this chili just for my husband and me, but my workplace was having a Wellness Week and on one of the days we were encouraged to make and bring a healthy dish- so I chose to make this chili. The only modification I did was to use Pumpkin Cider, a large bottle, rather than hard apple cider. The result was AMAZING!!! Just like the blog said, it is a crowd-pleaser! There was not a drop left (much to my husband’s disappointment, even though I had put aside some for him, too!). Everyone raved about it and several people asked for the recipe, so I printed it out and gave them copies. My husband is now begging me to make this again- soon- and not take any of it to work!