A cozy vegetarian Pumpkin Chili simmered in a chipotle and poblano base with fire roasted tomatoes and warming spices. Use fresh pumpkin puree, kabocha puree or store bought in this recipe. Dinner in 30 minutes? Helloooo weeknight chili! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
This Pumpkin Chili Recipe was originally published Nov. 2016 and has been updated with new photographs and additional recipe notes Oct. 2020. The original recipe remains unchanged.
Seasonal Inspiration
Pumpkin in my chili? Whaaa?!
Yes please! This squash can go sweet or savory and it’s absolutely lovely in chili. Have you tried it? Adding pumpkin to chili helps it thicken and also lends an earthy flavor. And, it’s just good for us anyway, so why not?
Seasonal and super flavorful paired with onions, poblanos and warming spices, this vegetarian pumpkin chili is super quick to pull together, is freezer friendly and can be shared as a vegan or vegetarian main.
It’s also delicious on top of these veggie burgers!
How to Make Pumpkin Chili
For this vegetarian pumpkin chili recipe, use poblano and onions to build flavor. Additionally chipotle in adobo sauce offers smoky-spicy notes chili is known for. Although this chili is spicy, it can be easily made mild by simply reducing or eliminating the chipotle pepper and reducing the adobo sauce a bit. In summary, here’s how to make it (for full recipe, see recipe card below):
- First, saute the poblano and onions.
- Second, add warming spices like cumin, chili powder and smoky paprika.
- Next, after the spices release their fragrance, add garlic, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, broth, beans and the pumpkin puree.
- Last, simmer for 10-20 minutes and this easy and flavorful chili is ready.
This is a perfect weeknight chili I lean on during the colder months of the year.
Ingredient Swaps in Pumpkin Chili
Poblano Pepper: This recipe calls for a poblano pepper. They’re generally not spicy but instead offer an earthy, unique flavor to this chili. If unavailable, use a green bell pepper. Its flavor is different, but it will work beautifully in a pinch.
Pumpkin Puree: I like homemade pumpkin or kabocha squash puree in this recipe, however store bought plain puree can also be used with delicious results.
Beans: Use cooked, canned beans in this recipe for a speedy dinner. I like black and pinto beans, but kidney beans are delicious as well.
Adjust the Spicy: To create a smoky, spicy chili, this recipe relies on chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. To make a milder chili, eliminate the chipotle pepper and reduce the amount of adobo in the recipe.
A Few Recipe Notes
- Share With (so many options!): avocado slices, my Chili – Lime Pepita Crema, sour cream, a sprinkle of cheddar, and/or plenty of jalapeño slices.
- Cornbread? Yes please! A big slab of jalapeño cornbread or gluten free cornbread is really nice too.
- Make a Big Batch! This recipe as written serves four, but it doubles with ease for a small crowed or for leftovers.
- How Spicy? As written, this pumpkin chili recipe is pretty spicy, but you can easily make this a mild chili by reducing or eliminating the chipotle chili pepper.
- Pumpkin Puree! Use store bought plain pumpkin puree or use homemade pumpkin or kabocha puree!
More Chili Recipes to Love
RELATED: Make homemade pumpkin puree! It’s freezer friendly and tastes amazing! Try my DIY Pumpkin Puree recipe.
the recipe
Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs Vegetable Oil I like coconut or olive oil
- 1 1/2 C (200g) Yellow Onion, large dice, about one smallish onion
- 1 C (125g) Poblano Chili Pepper, large dice*, about one medium poblano
- 1 tsp Cumin, ground
- 1 1/2 Tbs Chili Powder
- 2 tsp Smoky Paprika
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 Chipotle Chili minced, omit for a milder chili
- 1 Tbs Adobo Sauce, from can of chipotle chilis, reduce to only 1 tsp for a milder chili, look for gluten free if needed
- 2 C (465g) Vegetable Broth
- 14 1/2 oz (411g) Fire Roasted Tomatoes, + its juice, one can
- 15 1/2 oz (440g) Cooked Black Beans, drained and rinsed, about one can
- 15 oz (425g) Cooked Pinto or Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed, about one can
- 1 C (270g) Pumpkin Puree, use homemade or store bought / not pumpkin pie - plain unsweetened (kabocha puree is delicious too!)
- 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Black Pepper, ground
- 1 tsp Oregano, dried
Serve With:
- Chili - Lime Pepita Cream
- Fist Full of Fresh Cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Jalapeños
- Sour Cream
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot add the coconut oil and heat on medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and poblano pepper. Turn the heat to medium-low and saute for 8-10 minutes or until slightly softened. Some charing is good!
- Add the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, chipotle chili and adobo sauce (for a milder chili, omit the chipotle chili and reduce the adobo sauce to taste). Stir for 1 minute or until the spices release their fragrance. Pour in the vegetable broth, stir to deglaze, then add the tomatoes, beans, kabocha, garlic, black pepper and oregano. Bring to a simmer, turn to low and cook for 10-20 minutes until warmed through. It will thicken further as it cooks.
- Serve with fresh cilantro, avocado, jalapeños, sour cream and/or a sprinkle of shredded cheddar. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days, or up to three weeks in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight and rewarm stovetop on low for about 10 minutes.
Absolutely delicious & super easy to make. I really appreciate the amounts being given in grams for a cooking recipe – saved me a lot of time digging out measuring cups.
Hi Laura! Thank you for your note, giving the recipe a go and your rating! So happy to hear the recipe was easy. Too, thank you for your feedback regarding grams – I measure all my recipes in US standard and metric so I’m so glad to hear it’s helpful!
It wouldn’t be fall without a few delicious chili recipes Traci! And I remember this one well! So tasty. The best kind of fall comfort/game day food.
Is there anything more fall than pumpkin? ;) I am definitely going to be making this cozy dish soon, Traci! I might make double so I can freeze half for a quick meal!
I discovered Kabocha last winter. I can’t believe it took me so long to taste this autumn delicacy. You soup looks unbelievably fragrant and delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Oh it’s wonderful, Hanne! I use it in pie too.. all things sweet and savory! I hope you enjoy the recipe! :D
I LOVE this chili! I have already made it twice and taken the leftovers to work all week both weeks! It’s spicy and filling and delicious! I use the canned pumpkin in place of the squash.
Thank you for your note, Janet! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the chili! I love it too. Canned pumpkin is such a great way to enjoy it. It’s so rich and hearty! I need to make it again. Thank you for sharing!
oh my word! this sounds absolutely delicious!!!! I love how you have used spices so generously! My mouth was watering as I was reading this beautifully done post my friend! Well done :)
It’s a total mouthwater Amisha! The spice is sooo good.. have something to put out the fire nearby! xo
I’ve never had Kabocha but you seriously now have me wanting to try this. I love spicy food so this would be right up my alley..Your pictures are amazing and making me hungry..Pinning to try later :)
Thank you so much, Stephanie for your kind words and pin! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Poblano chilis we live in recipes! This easy chili recipe looks delicious! Beautiful photos!
I love them too!! Thank you for your kind words Danielle.
Beautiful recipe Traci! Just came across it on Foodgawker and had to click through! Perfect fall dish :)
Thank you so much Jess!
I have not tried kabocha, Traci. I see it in the grocery store and am intrigued but intimidated – especially with having to chop it in half – because of my fear of cutting tough gourds! But I love this recipe – perfect for this time of year – so I will be buying a kabocha next time I see one! PS: left you a message yesterday but it disappeared?
I get it, Geraldine… I find the smallest gourd I can, then work it with my largest chef knife. You can also pop it in a warming oven for 15-20 minutes to soften it a bit. I hope you’ll give it a go… !! I checked my spam/junk and didn’t see it. BUT, I’ve been experiencing this too on other blogs – my comment not showing. I check with a few of them and I was in their spam file! IDK – strange tech stuff!! Thank you for recommenting!
haha I wouldn’t have known what kabocha is either! We don’t seem to get nearly as many pumpkin varieties here in NZ. We do have kumara though – I wonder if they are similar? This chilli looks so warming and delicious though – wish I had a bowl!
Hehe! I know, right. I did a bit of reading on Kumara, Claudia, and I think it would be delicious in this chili!
I have never had kabocha but am so excited to try it! I have been trying to make as many plant-forward easy meals as possible lately, and this one is going in the lineup!! The light in these photos is just so pretty, Traci! Beautiful! xoxo
Thank you Tessa, I hope you’ll give it a go! I hear you on easy, especially this time of year. xo
Oohhh this looks delicious, Traci! But I was sold as soon as I saw the jalapeno in there ;)
I love jalapeño too, Sarah! :D
Hahahaha!! Two years ago I would have thought the same thing, Traci!! I mean, in all fairness to us kombucha and kobacha do kind of sound and look alike! ;) Now I know kabocha well and I absolutely share the same admiration for it as you do! Using it in chili with a little (or a lot for me) of spice sounds just dreamy! I could absolutely curl up with a few big ‘ole bowls of this flavorful chili! Can’t wait to give this a try, dear friend! Pinned of course! Cheers! <3
LOL – indeed, they do! I’m with ya on the spice and Rob loves it too! I hope you enjoy it my dear! xo
Confession: I’ve never had this kind of squash (ahh I know!), so this chili needs to happen ASAP! The way you describe this is amazing, I almost don’t mind the cold weather when it comes with soups like these :)
It’s newish to me too, Abby! It took a few farmers to convince me that the gnarly exterior is far different than it’s creamy, sweet interior! I don’t mind the cold when soups, stews and chili are involved either… love them! Now, go get some kabocha!! xo
TWO beans, chipotle AND poblanos! This is pretty much my ultimate chilli right here.
Mine too Meredith! Sweet and spicy? I’ll take it!
This is my kinda food for these snowy cold days! I’m a huge fan of poblanos and though I’ve not tried Kabocha, I know I would love it! These pictures are warming me up!! xo
I couldn’t agree more Annie! Just wait till you try poblanos and kabocha (or pumpkin) together! OH MY!!
I would have said the same thing, hehe! I’ve actually never cooked with kabocha but I can still imagine how it would give this chili a glorious creamy texture. Such a brilliant idea, my dear! I just made chili tonight but I’m going to be honest, this one looks so much better, ha! :)
hehe!! So funny, Sarah! It IS so creamy and rich! I hope you’ll find some kabocha and enjoy it! I know you’d love it!