Hearty Pumpkin Chili

Made with chunks of pumpkin, ground pork, black beans, a bottle of beer, and plenty of spices, this hearty pumpkin chili recipe is ready in under an hour. It's even better the next day!

By
Aaron Hutcherson
Aaron Hutcherson
Aaron Hutcherson
Aaron has over 10 years recipe development experience for his blog The Hungry Hutch. He has written for NYTimes, Washington Post, Simply Recipes, and others.
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Updated February 07, 2022
Aaron Hutcherson
Pumpkin Chili
Aaron Hutcherson

Pumpkin and chili: two things we all crave every fall. This recipe combines them into one dish. It's the best of both worlds!

The pumpkin provides some natural sweetness, which plays well with the different spices. If you aren’t able to find fresh pumpkin, then butternut squash, acorn squash, or any other hard squash would be good substitutes.

Video!: How To Make Pumpkin Chili

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How to Make Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin Chili's Secret Ingredient

I love using beer in my chili recipes because it adds a rich, earthy flavor and just enough bitterness to balance the richness of the finished dish. Since this is a pumpkin chili, I thought it only fitting to use a pumpkin beer in this recipe. There usually isn't any real squash in pumpkin beer, but it has a mellow malty flavor and a spiciness that underscores the flavors in this chili really nicely.

However, you can really use whatever beer you have on hand; I recommend sticking with an amber beer or lager since those usually have a good balance of malty flavors with a light bitterness. (Avoid overly-bitter, hoppy beers for this recipe.)

Pumpkin Chili With Chunks of Pumpkin
Aaron Hutcherson

What To Serve With Pumpkin Chili

Top this chili with a spoonful of sour cream and some shredded cheddar cheese, and add a wedge of cornbread alongside. Don't forget the beer!

Swaps & Substitutions

  • Swap the pumpkin for any other hard winter squash, like butternut, acorn, or kabocha.
  • Swap the black beans for your favorite bean. Pintos are especially nice!
  • Swap the ground pork for sausage links or ground beef.

Storing & Freezing Pumpkin Chili

Like most chilis, this one tastes even better the day after it's made. Store it in the fridge for up to a week, and reheat leftovers gently in the microwave or on the stovetop.

You can also freeze this chili for up to three months. We like this method for freezing soup and saving on freezer space!

More Favorite Chili Recipes

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Hearty Pumpkin Chili

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the chili:

  • Small 1-pound sugar or pie pumpkin, or other hard winter squash

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 large onion, diced

  • 2 jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed and finely diced

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder

  • 1 tablespoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

  • 1 pound ground pork

  • 2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle pumpkin beer (or amber ale or lager)

For the optional toppings:

  • Tortilla chips

  • Sour cream

  • Chopped cilantro

  • Shredded cheddar cheese

Method

  1. Prepare the pumpkin:

    Peel the skin from the pumpkin with a vegetable peeler. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut away the stem, then cut the pumpkin into small bite-sized pieces. (See this guide to How to Peel A Butternut Squash; the steps are similar.)

  2. Begin making the soup:

    Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the cut pumpkin, onion, jalapeños, garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. (The pumpkin should be slightly soft around the edges, but probably won't be cooked through yet.)

    Add the ground pork, breaking it up with a stiff spatula, and continue to cook until no longer raw, 3 to 5 minutes more. Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, beer, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pot.

    Ingredients for pumpkin chili set in glass bowls.
    Aaron Hutcherson
    Beer poured into a pot of easy chili.
    Aaron Hutcherson
  3. Simmer the soup:

    Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin has cooked through and the flavors have had time to mingle, about 30 minutes.

    Taste and add more salt or spices if needed. (If the chili tastes a little bland, add more spices; if the chili tastes a little bitter, add more salt.)

  4. Serve:

    Divide among bowls and serve with your favorite chili toppings. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
480 Calories
22g Fat
38g Carbs
31g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 480
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 1482mg 64%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 15g 53%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 28mg 138%
Calcium 152mg 12%
Iron 6mg 34%
Potassium 1222mg 26%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.