Pumpkin Chili with Turkey, White Beans & Sweet Potato
This Pumpkin Chili with Turkey and White Beans is a nutritious and hearty main dish that will fill you up without being heavy.
Recipe Snapshot
- What to Expect: A hearty, high-protein turkey chili thatโs every bit as delicious as it is healthy.
- Might Look Tricky Because: there are a lot of ingredients to prep and it takes a while to cook.
- Actually Easy Because: you donโt have to chop everything perfectly, and once everythingโs in the pot, you can walk away from it. Most of the cooking time is inactive (just the chili cooking in the pot on the stove).
- Keep It Simple: use canned beans for ease. Everything cooks in the same pot all together, so you wonโt need to do a ton of dishes. You can also use a veggie chopper to chop up the onion and peppers and save a little time.
- Serve With: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting for a super pumpkin-y dinner + dessert.
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Active Prep: About 25 minutes
- Cook Time: About 2 hours (most of that is inactive cooking while it cooks on the stove; no stirring required).
- Servings: 6-8 hearty bowls of chili
A Hearty Recipe For Fall
Every time fall comes around, we start craving this turkey pumpkin chili recipe. The pumpkin gives the chili a mild vegetal sweetness and body, and the turkey, beans, and spices add savory warmth and heartiness. This healthy recipe is super easy to customize too, which is always a plus. You can eat it as is or enjoy it with your favorite toppings, like a little shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and fresh green onions.
Pull Up A Chair
Rachel: I love the warm fall spices in this chili, like cumin and cinnamon. They go so well with the pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and savory turkey.
Emily: This is one of my favorite fall recipes we make. I love how hearty it is without being too heavy.
Why We Love This Healthy Pumpkin Chili With Turkey
- Low in fat and high in nutrients. This chili is made with low-fat and nutritious ingredients like lean ground turkey, white beans, pumpkin puree, peppers, tomatoes, sweet potato, and veggie broth.
- Packed with fall flavors. Does it get much more โfallโ than pumpkin and cinnamon? These are often associated with sweet dishes, but theyโre excellent in savory dishes too.
- Hearty and super satisfying. It may be low-fat, but this chili is packed with fiber and protein, so it keeps us full (and itโs delicious too).
- Pantry-friendly ingredients. Many of the ingredients in this chili are pantry staples that we often already have on hand, and you might too. Stock up on pumpkin puree, canned crushed tomatoes, broth, and canned beans so that youโre always ready to make this when the craving hits.
- Great for meal prep and freezer-friendly. Want to cut down on time the day youโre ready to serve this? Chop up the onions, peppers, and sweet potatoes the day before! This recipe is also freezer-friendly (minus any toppings), so if you canโt finish it all, pack it away for later!
A Nutritious and Hearty Dish
Pumpkin is a superfood and it lends many nutrients to this dish. This chili also has nutritious fresh produce like peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes, as well as the anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamon. The whole dish is high in fiber and protein and low in added sugar (just a touch of maple syrup) and fat.
Ingredients in Healthy Pumpkin Chili
- Ground turkey and white beans – for lots of protein and fiber.
- Onions and peppers – the combination of shallots, onion, bell peppers, and jalapeรฑos (or serranos) provides a savory depth and a touch of heat.
- Pumpkin – use canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Tomatoes – use both tomato paste and fire roasted crushed tomatoes.
- Vegetable broth – we love the flavor of Better Than Bouillon veggie broth, but you can also use chicken broth instead.
- Sweet potato – sweet potato adds nutrients and fall flavors.
- Maple syrup – just a touch for subtle sweetness.
- Spices – chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, onion powder, salt, and black pepper add deep warm and savory flavor.
- Optional toppings – top your chili with shredded jack or cheddar cheese, sour cream, roasted pepitas, diced green onions, or tortilla chips.
How to Make Pumpkin Chili
- Cook the vegetables and turkey. In a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid set over medium-high heat, add oil and cook the onions, shallots, and both peppers for 5 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the ground turkey and cook for 8-10 minutes or until itโs no longer pink.
- Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, spices, and broth. Stir in the tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minute to cook off the raw tomato flavor. Mix in the pumpkin puree and then the canned diced tomatoes and cook for a minute or two. Pour in the broth and stir in the maple syrup.
- Cook the chili. Bring the chili to boil, then cover the pot with the lid. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Add and cook the sweet potatoes and beans. Remove the lid, then add the sweet potatoes and beans to the pot. Cover it again with the lid and cook for another 25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. (Be sure to dice your sweet potatoes small or they may take longer to cook.)
- Serve. Ladle generous servings into bowls and load it up with your favorite toppings. Note: for a vegan version, leave out the turkey and use your favorite plant-based toppings. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp oil and the ground turkey. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the liquid evaporates. Remove the turkey from the pot.
Our Tips For Pumpkin Chili With Turkey
Storage Suggestions
For best results, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. To reheat, place leftovers into a pot on the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Alternatively, you can place leftovers in a microwave safe bowl and microwave them. Leftovers can also be placed into freezer safe container (without the toppings) and frozen for up to three months.
FAQs: Pumpkin Chili
Yes, but youโll need to roast it first and then run it through a food processor or blender to puree it.ย
Absolutely! Chicken, beef, pork, or even crumbled tofu would all work.
This pumpkin chili has an overall savory flavor that is balanced by a subtle underlying sweetness from the pumpkin, sweet potato, and hint of maple syrup.
Yes! This recipe is easily made vegan by removing the turkey and replacing it with more beans, lentils, or crumbled tofu. Top the chili with your favorite plant-based toppings.
Pumpkin Chili with Turkey, White Beans, and Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 sweet or yellow onion, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeรฑo or serrano pepper, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ยฝ tbsp chili powder seasoning
- ยฝ tbsp cumin
- 1 ยฝ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt, plus more if needed
- ยผ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced small
- 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini or great northern white beans, drained and rinsed
- Optional toppings (such as: shredded Jack cheese, sour cream, pepitas, green onions, etc.)
Instructions
Cook the vegetables and turkey.
- In a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid set over medium-high heat, add oil and cook the onions, shallots, and both peppers for 5 minutes or until beginning to soften.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 shallot, minced, 1 sweet or yellow onion, diced, 1 orange bell pepper, diced, 1 jalapeรฑo or serrano pepper, minced
- Add the ground turkey and cook for 8-10 minutes or until itโs no longer pink.1 pound ground turkey
Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, spices, and broth.
- Stir in the tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minute to cook off the raw tomato flavor.1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 ยฝ tbsp chili powder seasoning, ยฝ tbsp cumin, 1 ยฝ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, plus more if needed, ยผ tsp cracked black pepper
- Mix in the pumpkin puree and then the canned diced tomatoes and cook for a minute or two.1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree, 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes
- Pour in the broth and stir in the maple syrup.4 cups vegetable broth, 1 tbsp maple syrup
Cook the chili.
- Bring the chili to boil, then cover the pot with the lid. Cook for 45 minutes.
Add and cook the sweet potatoes and beans.
- Remove the lid, then add the sweet potatoes and beans to the pot. Cover it again with the lid and cook for another 25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Note: dice the potatoes on the smaller side to make sure they cook fully in 25 minutes.1 sweet potato, peeled and diced small, 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini or great northern white beans, drained and rinsed
Serve.
- Ladle generous servings into bowls and load it up with your favorite toppings. Note: for a vegan version, leave out the turkey and use your favorite plant-based toppings.ย ยOptional toppings (such as: shredded Jack cheese, sour cream, pepitas, green onions, etc.)
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
If you tried this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment below! Craving more? Follow along with us on OnlineCook, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest for more delicious recipes and meal ideas!
Final Thoughts
This healthy pumpkin chili is one of our favorite fall recipes. Itโs cozy and comforting and full of nutrients. Make this chili for a chilly (see what we did there?) night in, for game day with a couple friends, or for whenever youโre craving something hearty and healthy.
This is such a wonderful recipe! I stuck to the instructions, and my family absolutely loved the savoury pumpkin flavor. It was amazing with melted cheese! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
This chili looks so good. I will definitely try out this recipe. Thank you for sharing.