Pumpkin Chili! Made with chunks of pumpkin, ground pork, black beans, a bottle of beer, and plenty of spices. Ready in under an hour. Even better the next day.
Photography Credit: Aaron Hutcherson
Video! How to Make Pumpkin Chili
Pumpkin Chili’s Secret Ingredient
From the editors of Simply Recipes
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
Pumpkin Chili Recipe
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.
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.
