Healthy Pumpkin Chili
A cozy, lean turkey chili enriched with pumpkin puree, aromatic spices, and beans, ready in under an hour for easy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Produce & Aromatics
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Meat & Spices
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
Canned Goods & Liquids
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 15 oz diced tomatoes with juices
- 15 oz kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Seasoning
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
Sauté Aromatics
- Heat 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion, diced red bell pepper, and minced garlic; cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Brown Turkey & Spices
- Add ground turkey; break up with a spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
- Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Simmer Chili
- Add pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes with juices, kidney beans, black beans, and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.
- Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finish & Serve
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
In early tests I found that adding the broth gradually prevented a too-thin consistency.
Letting the chili rest off heat for five minutes deepened the flavor in my second trial.
After freezing and thawing, the chili kept its creamy texture without separation.