Pumpkin Chili

I used this recipe when I was throwing a chili cookoff at my house and I decided to compete in the "Most Interesting Ingredient" category. This was a wonderful recipe, but I did change it: I used a large can of pumpkin, I substituted black beans, I added approx. 1/4 cup chili powder and doubled the cumin and added approx. 1/4 cup sugar. I actually won my own chili competition with this recipe! It's wonderful! (but some of the best recipes are ones that you alter to fit your own style!)

My potluck guests loved this chili. I used 1 1/2 lbs hamburg instead of 2 lbs, added 2 15 oz cans of black beans and an additional can of kidney beans (drained), an entire 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, omitted the sugar and added 2 tsp cumin and 2 tsp cayenne. This was fabulous chili! Thanks so much for the recipe, Teresa.

I won an "Iron Chef" competition with this (the secret ingredient had to be pumpkin - was totally unique!) Did add a few things though - 2 cloves minced garlic FULL can of the pumpkin puree "dash" of kosher salt and a lot more chili powder ....delicious and unique!

I listened to other reviewers and made the following adjustments: used 1 # of ground turkey & 1 # of ground beef; used one red bell pepper instead of green; instead of tomato juice I used 2 (15 oz.) cans of tomato sauce; added 2 cloves minced garlic; added in the whole 15 oz. can of pumpkin; used 2 T. pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/2 T. chili powder, reduced sugar to 1 T. brown sugar; added in 1/2 tsp. cayenne, 1 tsp. curry, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. cumin. With these changes, it was the right consistency (not runny as the tomato juice users complained of), and flavorful. I think it tasted even better the next day.

This is a great unique chili! It rather reminded me of a middle eastern dish because of the cinnamon blended with cumin. (yes, I added a bit of cumin in addition to the chili powder.) I also used tofu instead of ground beef, which is my usual vegetarian substitution in chili. A great combination of flavors to give a delicious chili!

Very good chili. Used 1 lb fround beef and 1 lb ground pork. Also used good quality ancho chili powder. Thought the smokiness of the ancho chilis would compliment the pumpkin. Did not have pumpkin pie spice, so I used a mix of cinnanmon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. Only used about 1 Tbps of sugar. Used about 3/4th of can of tomato juice just because I like my chili thick.

Entered a chili cookoff competition at work with this recipe and came in second. Everyone gave it high marks and mainly wanted to taste it due to the uniqueness of using pumpkin in a chili. Am planning to enter it in a chili competition at a local festival next year.

This recipe is a perfect blend of chili and pumpkin pie. The spices comingle nicely on the tongue. It was a hit with my picky husband and 3 year old.

Loved it! Fall is my favorite season and this chili fast-forwarded the seasons for me. My husband thought it was too sweet, but I finished it off.

Quick and easy to make, and VERY tasty! I don't have any kids, but I think kids would like this chili because it's not a super-spicy chili.

I used this recipe to enter a church chili cookoff and I won for having the most original chili. It was good, but not the best. I will probably make this again though.

I didn't change a thing and my whole family loved it- my only advice is to double the recipe

Hmmm. I like pumpkin, both in desserts and in dinner foods, but I think what I didn't like about this chili is that it's throwing the dessert right into the dinner... I don't enjoy sweetened meat, so I left out the sugar, but the pumpkin pie spice was still very sweetish (even though I put in less than 1/2 tablespoon for a big vat of chili). I'd suggest starting the pumpkin pie spice at 1/2 teaspoon, and taste-testing from there to see if you want to add more. I ended up increasing the chili powder by at least double, and adding a tablespoon of cumin, a tablespoon of beef bouillon, a tablespoon of tomato bouillon, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (too mild otherwise) to mask the sweetness of the pie spice. I also increased the pumpkin to 1 cup and added black pepper to taste. In the end, that combination worked for me--it came out tasty and appealing, even for my boyfriend, who doesn't like chili. But given that the recipe makes a *lot* and it's not my favorite ever, I don't think I'll make it again (save my spices and puree for pies!)

I made this recipe for a chili contest at my office and I won the 1st place! I did make some changes to it: I added a couple of fresh jalapenos, cumin and cayenne pepper for an extra kick. I used green, yellow, orange and red bell peppers and they gave the chili a wonderful color! I also added salt (lots) and cut back on the sugar.I used black beans instead of kidney and substituted V8 for the tomatoe juice. I also used the whole pumpkin can. Everyone loved it!!! Thank you for posting this recipe! I am the 2008 Chili Champion! Yay!

This has been a big hit at Halloween parties 2 years in a row. I use 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound sausage (I've used regular and hot), 1 onion, serrano peppers (2), 1 can black beans, 1 can canneliini beans, V8 spicy juice, 1 can Rotel, 1 can fire roasted tomatoes, 1/2 cup pumpkin, 1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice, 1 TBSP ancho chili powder, no sugar. I cook the beef, sausage and onion on the stove and then put it all in the slow cooker on low. Yum - Enjoy - this is a spicy version.

Used ground turkey instead of beef, black beans instead of kidney beans and a full 15 ounce can of pumpkin because I didn't know what to do with the rest of it - tasted great but I will cut back on the sugar some next time - thanks

The whole family enjoyed this recipe. I added a little more pumkin than the recipe called for. It made the chili even more creamy and flavorful.

Amazing sweet chili. I used diced green chilis instead of bell pepper and added some crushed red pepper. I also used real pumpkin (not from a can). Added a little salt when served and it was amazing!! I never go for seconds but I did with this chili.

I thought this turned out very well. I made a number of changes that other reviewers suggested: 1 tsp cumin, a little over 1 tsp cayenne pepper, somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 cup sugar, quite a bit of salt, and way less pumpkin spice, and the whole 15 oz can of pumpkins. It ends up being like a normal, not very spicy chili with just a hint of pumpkin. It was a big hit with my guests.

My husband said this was the best chili he has ever had. I used an extra 1/2 tbs of chili powder because we like things spicy. I also used a whole 15oz can of pumpkin. What was I going to do with the rest of it anyway? It made the chili thick and hardy. This recipe is a keeper!

It is super easy to make. I made this for a Chili cookoff at work and won. I added a can of black beans, and a red pepper diced (I hate diced tomatoes, so I had to trick myself into eating them). I forgot the sugar that the recipe called for but it came out great. I'm not sure who decided the serving size, but this made a HUGE amount of chili. I recommend this recipe to anyone!

One of my favorite fall recipes.

Loved this recipe! I doubled the pumpkin (I used homegrown pumpkins), added more sugar and a bit more chili spice. I also used jalapenos instead of bell peppers. Yum! I've already made 3 batches and plan to make more. I so recommend this fabulous recipe.

I love this recipe! We prefer a leaner diet, so I altered this by using turkey instead of beef, omitting the sugar and adding a crushed garlic clove, black pepper and frozen sweet corn. I like my chili spicy, not sweet. It turned out great!

Definitely a different taste to a classic chili! My family found it way too sweet! If I made it again I would cut back on sugar!

This is by far my favorite chili recipe. It is delicious and nobody knows there's pumpkin in it. It has a sweet dark rich taste and when it sits over night, it's even better!

Delicious, even the kids liked it. I left out the green peppers, added a bit more pumpkin and spices. It won 1st place in a Habitat for Humanity chili cook-off in Lebanon, Oregon.

This was okay, but being from Texas I prefer my chili really spicy. I decided to try this because of my love for pumpkin. I used all low sodium ingredients and only added 2 tbsp of sugar because I was afraid of it being too sweet. Not bad but just not my taste.

Delicious, easy to make. I used ground turkey seasoned with a little taco seasoning and the entire can of pumpkin puree. My family and friends loved the chili. I plan to make this often. Thanks for the recipe!

Wonderful!! Everyone is so nervous to try it, but once they do the immediately want the recipe. Tastes fantastic with greek yogurt.

I would give it more stars if I could, trust me! It was absolutly the best chili I have ever had. I've already given this recipe to my sister and a friend from work, who say they will always make this chili over any other kind of chili from now on. I only chopped the onion and bell pepper instead of dicing them as I like chili on the chunkier side. Also, I substituted ground turkey for the hamburger meat. Incredible flavor, slightly sweet, thank you for this recipe!

Wow! Sweet yet thick and hearty chili! This is a perfect winter warm up recipe, my whole family loved it! I followed another users suggestion and used V8 instead of tomato juice and it was super yummy!

This chili came out great! I won "Most Unique Reserve Champion" with this chili during our annual chili cook-off this year. I did tweak the recipe a bit. I added two cans of black beans, doubled the chili powder, added 2 tbls. each of white ground pepper and cayenne pepper, and doubled the pumpkin pie spice. This chili hits you with a nice sweet flavor followed by a little heat. Perfect! I will definitely be using this recipe again!

When we were getting tired of the same old chili last fall, this was the perfect solution. It is chock full of veggies.

My VERY picky family loved this chili. They still don't know what was in it, but said it was the best homemade chili I've ever made!

This is better than the version of Pumpkin Chili from another source that I have been making. I left out the tomato juice and used 4 14-1/2 oz cans of diced tomatoes; put a full 2 cups (equal to one can) of pureed pumpkin, added LOTS more chili powder, and used minced hot banana peppers instead of bell peppers. Added black beans too. What I gleaned from this recipe was using pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar--my other recipe didn't include that, and I really think that was a good flavor, sweetness to balance the hotness.

What a unique, even bizarre chili, but it sure was good. I wouldn't let my wife near the kitchen while I was preparing it, for fear she would run and hide. But she loved it as did our notoriously picky twelve year old. I did add a few diced jalepenos, but beyond that, I stuck to the recipe.

The chili was awesome! I added some corn, white kidney beans and black beans. Used Tomato Sauce instead of Juice and petite diced tomatoes with green chilies. I did not use hamburger but stew meat instead. After about 4 hours in the crock pot the beef was very tender. The substitution of diced tomatoes with green chilies made it a little hot for my wife. I, however, thought it was just spicy enough. I served it with a dollop of sour cream and a side of corn chips. I would recommend this recipe wholeheartedly! After 2 bowls I am full, happy and now sleepy.

Turned out a bit bland, could not taste the pumpkin at all, and definitely not enough chili powder. Still, a good place to start from.

This chili turned out pretty good! I followed the advise of other reviewers and used a full 15 oz can of pumpkin and I also used turkey meat instead of beef. I chopped up a couple of jalepeno peppers and only used about 30 oz of tomatoe juice. Doubled the amount of pumpkin spice and also added a couple teaspoons of cummin. Don't forget to use SALT!!

I loved this chili. It is great as-is. I wouldn't change a thing. It has an earthy, homemade taste that I love!

After a few modifications, as recommended by other reviews) I thought this dish was great! I added: 2 cloves garlic, 16 oz pumpkin puree, 2 cans black beans, and double chili powder. I am vegetarian so I nixed the meat all together. While everyone loved the dish, next time I will leave the pumpkin a little on the chunky side for texture (I made it fresh). The puree made the chili taste like the beans were mashed, which I guess is a matter of textural taste. Anyways, I am looking forward to making this again! It was fast and easy to make as well!

I am a chili purist, but this was very good. Use the basic recipe but feel free to add to it as your taste dictates. I used V8 instead of tomato juice for added flavor. I also used orange and yellow peppers instead of green for color. Don't be afraid to add a variety of beans(black,kidney,chili,etc.) Definitely season to taste. I used a package of chili mix and pumped it up with cayenne, cumin and chili powder. Sweet with a little bite. Oh, brown sugar works great too. I was hesitant at first but will definetly do this again. Thanks for a fun and yummy recipe!

This is a winner. I too changed just a couple of things. I used more pumpkin, almost a whole can, and added cayenne pepper for a kick. I didn't have tomato juice on hand but had bloody-mary mix and it worked just great! YUM.

The first thing my husband said after tasting this recipe was "you put something weird in your chili, didn't you?" He prefers my regular chili recipe - I thought it was okay. I tried it because I love different pumpkin recipes. I substituted pinto beans with jalepenos for the kidney beans. The big surprise was that my picky 5 year old son ate 2 servings.

This chili is great and customizing makes it better.I used orange bell-peppers bc it visually gave the idea of pumpkin.I added cumin and used brown sugar to give more authentic pumpkin pie taste. The whole recipe is nothing without the pumpkin pie spice-that is the main distinguishing flavor. In fact the pumpkin puree does nothing for flavor only texture. People want to know there really is pumpkin in the chili. I entered this in a competition and won a prize- tasters like the originality, seasonality (in Oct.), and different flavor from others:-)

Delish; I make this every year for Halloween using black beans instead of kidney beans and a 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree. I increase the chili powder to 2 tablespoons, and decrease the white sugar to 1 - 2 tablespoons or to taste.

We have had an annual chili party at our farm for 28 years. We cook three kinds of chili, 15 gallons of each in cast iron kettles over an open fire. We serve one kettle of hot spiced, one kettle of mild spiced, and one kettle of a specialty chili. Each year has been a different specialty recipe with this year being this Pumpkin recipe. We had over 125 guests and the Pumpkin received the most compliments of any specialty chili we have featured. It was curiously delicious and very appropriate for the Fall season. Our rule is to never repeat a recipe but that may have to change!!

I love pumpkin and always try to find new ways to use it. This was a totally "Stick to your ribs" dinner. I made corn bread muffins to go along with this.

I enjoyed trying this chili recipe, but it required lots of doctoring on the spices to overcome the blandness of all of that tomato. My falt, a recipe calling for 48 oz tomato juice and an additional 28 of whole, I should have known better. On the upside, it does make a ton of chili, and it is certainly mild enough for the kiddies. Next time I might consider subing a pound of the ground beef for some spicy italian sausage, and definitely cutting back on the juice for a little thicker chili. Like others I did double the chili powder, added cayenne pepper, tripled the pumpkin, and added cumin & a pinch of clove. I added more pumpkin pie spice, too, but the pumpkin flavor was lost. My hubby loved this. Thanks for your submission.

I took this to a chili cook off at my office (without trying it first). Used balck beans, added 2 cans of pumpkin and omited the sugar. It was a hit! After everyone took a tiny first bite....I only had an empty cockpot to bring home.

This is great stuff! I'm making it right now for a Halloween-themed potluck contest and it's so good I'm not waiting for the results to post my review. Who would have thought a chili with such an unusual ingredient would come out so good. I was leery of the pumpkin pie spice too but it really blends in well. Of course I did a few things differently. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef (DH doesn't eat beef), doubled the amount of pumpkin and chili powder, and added garlic, cumin and a little cayenne pepper. In my opinion, there's no way sugar could possibly improve this dish (to the contrary!) so I eliminated it entirely. I'll make it exactly the same way next time cuz there definitely will be a next time. UPDATE: I've now made this several more times and it comes out great every time. It even inspired me to come up with my own dish, a coconut-pumpkin curry with shrimp....delicious!!

Delicious! I followed the directions exactly and I was worried that it was going to be too sweet. Luckily my fears were quickly proved wrong with the first bite. The pumpkin flavor is subtle and just enough to make this the perfect fall dish. I will definitely be making this again!

Love this recipe. I was hesitant at first, but brought it to a family party. Everyone loved it, expecially my super picky brother. It is so unique! I kept everything exactly the same as written.

I am from oklahoma and I have had different chili but this is far the best chili I have ever had.My family loves it and I will keep this recipe for many years to come!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you.

3.5

Delish! I had pumpkin pie filling that I wanted to get rid of and used this along with 3T or so extra cumin (omitting the sweeter spices called for in the recipe). The substitution made me nervous but it still turned out great!

This is a very good chili recipe, and the pumpkin flavor is not obvious or overpowering.

This was fantastic. I added a tsp of cumin and cayenne respectively and the whole can of pumpkin puree (therefore omitting the need for the sugar). There was no overtly pumpkin taste but the chili was much more filling. I will definitely make this again.

Awesome recipe! I added carrots and black beans (instead of kidney) and it gave it has a very festive appearance. I made four servings and changed/reduced the white sugar from 2 TBSP to 2 tspn of brown sugar. I WILL be using this one again.

Great chili; left it in the crock pot and went down the the Circleville Pumpkin Show. It was nice to come home to. I used 1 can of kidney beans and also cooked some black beans. I didn't measure the pumpkin but I'd guess I added more like 1 cup.

For cooks who may not have "pumpkin spice", an acknowledged substitute is to mix 1/4 cup cinnamon with 1 Tbsp each of ground ginger, nutmeg, and ground cloves. I used clamato in lieu of tomato juice and it tasted just fine. Sprinkle some cheese and a parsley sprig across the top for garnish. Delicious!

Too sweet. I think next time I will try it without the sugar because I liked the other flavors- then maybe it would be a five star.

This was a good hearty chili, but the Pumpkin Spice flavor was a bit too much for me. I reduced this spice by half and it still overpowered the rest of the ingredients. However, I really enjoyed the addition of the pumpkin puree'. I also added a beef bullion cube to round out the flavor of the chili. If you are looking to try something different, then this is for you.

This is the best! I love it. The only thing I did differently was use a red bell pepper instead of a green one, but that is because I don't like green peppers! This is very good, my family enjoyed it!

I love this recipe. I've made it a few times now...sometimes as written, sometimes with additions. I always tend to add at least a 1/2 tsp of cayenne and use spicey v-8 juice, as I like a kick. Last night I added a 1/2 cup of peanut butter to it and it gives it such a rich taste. Probably not an addition for everyone, but I'm loving it.

I love this recipe for the Fall! It make a lot of chili - but it's good, & freezes well! Thanks for sharing!!!

Served this at a party and everyone loved it! A great mix of chili favors with a great taste of pumpkin.

This turned out amazing! I added a can of green chilies, used 2 green bell peppers, lots of garlic, and lots more chili powder. You can't really taste the pumpkin but it's still soooo good! Better the next day too.

I made this for a party at work and it was a huge hit!!! I made a few substitutions as other people have done as well: I only used 1 pound of ground beef, and added 2 cans of black beans I used 2 Tbsp chili powder and added 1 tea cumin and 1 tea garlic salt Only used 2 Tbsp of sugar I like my chili a little on the thicker side so I used 2 15 oz cans of tomato sauce and 2 cans full of water. Will be making this again!!!

Not as spicy as I like, but tasty! Our dinner company loved it. Served it in a pumpkin in honor of Halloween.

Good but missing some heat. I like sweet in savory dishes but even this was a little too sweet for me. If I try again, I will leave out the sugar and add some chili powder. As for the pumpkin, you really couldn't taste it but it added a lovely creamy texture. Makes me want to try pumpkin puree in other stews/soups!

I give the spices some love in this recipe and gobble it up! I use the whole can of pumpkin too and only one can of beans. It's great!

Wow. Pumpkin adds an intriguing and mysterious flavor to chili! This is what my chili has been missing for so long. With pumpkin, you don't need lots of spice, nor lots of seasoning, to make it taste good. Normally I add a lot of cheese and corn chips to my chili--not this time. You can't tell that you're eating pumpkin. All you know is that this is the best chili you have ever tasted. Disclaimer: our chili did not precisely follow this recipe. But pumpkin belongs in chili, as much as beans and tomatoes do.

This was okay. I probably won't make again. Left a strange flavor in your mouth afterwards

This is my new favorite chili. I did modify it by increasing the amount of chili powder to 2 tbsps, I added 2 tsps of cumin, substituted brown sugar for white sugar, and used the easy pumpkin puree which already had the pumpkin pie spices added to it. I also took the advice of another poster and added 2 cloves of garlic. It is a little bit on the sweet side, but it's an unique twist that brings something special to table. Thanks for such a great recipe. Well done!

I took this to work and everyone LOVED it (as did I). We all kept going back for more. A definite keeper in my book! Matter a fact, I’m going to make it again for a party next weekend. Here are the changed I made. I didn’t have regular Chili Powder so I used Chipotle Chili Powder. 1 lb ground beef & 1.25 lbs ground turkey 19 oz can Black beans & 27oz can Kidney beans 32 oz V8 juice Full 15 oz can pumpkin puree 1 Tbsp White Sugar & 1 Tbsp (heaping) Brown Sugar 1 ½ Tbsp Cumin 2 cloves Garlic minced Salt & Pepper I also seasoned my meats while browning with a little extra of all spices so that all fla

This is a really good recipe, but it should say season to taste because it is pretty bland. I like to add salt and pepper, and more pumpkin pie spice.

I thought this sounded interesting, so I tried it. It was easy and tasty. The flavors blended well. It freezes well, too.

This chili was awesome of course I changed it more to be healthier and to include what I had on hand. I used dried beans. black and red kidney. I added the 3 Tablespoons of Cumin, and only used 1 Tbls of sugar. Added about 3 Tbls of sirachi chili sauce and biggest change was I used fresh butternut squash instead of canned pumpkin. I just cut it in half, microwaved it cut side down until soft and the mashed and added to the chili. The consistancy was wonderful. Also served with Jasmin rice and RF sharp cheddar. Awesome will def make again.

I was very excited to try this seasonal chili. My husband liked it, but i was not ecstatic about it. I feel like there could have been more ingredients to give the chili a less soupy feel and the recipe could have called for more pumpkin! I'll make again, but i'll add more beans, some cut pumpkin and more vegetables!

This is the definition of fall, it smells so delicious, and tastes great too. It is very mild, but flavorful. I didn't add any sugar and don't know that I would. If you are looking for your "typical" chili, don't try this, but if you want something different and fun, this is it!

Pretty good, although I feel that it needs some pasta or something to go with it, it was very liquidy.

Don't use all of the tomato juice. The pumpkin taste is not very strong, so don't be afraid. The chili is pretty sweet, so use less sugar if you don't like sweet chili. Pretty good overall.

Loved this recipe!! It has great flavor! Really glad I tried it.

This is delicious. I entered this in a chili contest and won! I added a bit of orange juice (1/4 cup?), a bit more pumpkin, and almost doubled the seasonings. I added 1 t. of cumin, and a sprinkle of ginger too. I love this recipe.

It was different, I'm not sure I would make it again. It needs something.

This is an amazing recipe!! However, I had limited ingredients so instead of using tomato juice, we used a small can of tomato paste and added 2 cans of water to it and it turned out FABULOUS! People are always asking me for this recipe! Its great!

I doubled the pumpkin because I really like pumpkin, but other than that this recipe is just perfect! What a delicious and different cozy comfort food. Perfect for warming up a cold evening!

I'm afraid I have to weigh in on the side of "too sweet." The recipe was certainly very easy and it makes a TON! Our palate for chili runs to the spiced not the sweet, so I had to add 2 more tablespoons of chili powder, some cayenne and cumin... about a teaspoon each. The pumpkin is a fine idea for a thickener but I would leave out the pie spice, as recommended by other reviewers, and cut back on the sugar.

We really enjoyed this, but I did make a few changes... One can of tomato sauce instead of 46oz of tom juice, a full 15oz can of pumpkin, a rounded tablespoon of cumin, reduced the sugar, a full tsp of crushed red pepper flakes, and put a nice pinch of salt in. It had a nice, thick consistency this way and wasn't quite as sweet as it could have been. Next time we make it, I am thinking about roasting some jalopenos and adding those in - the chili could definitely use some heat :)

This was an amazing way to use the leftover pumpkin from my pumpkin pancakes. I added some cumin and nutmeg and a little more pumpkin than the recipe called for. I didn't have kidney beans or green peppers or pumpkin pie spice, so I used black beans, a red pepper and a combo of cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. My boyfriend has requested that I make it again soon.

This was a Big hit at a chili cook-off I just participated in, we had people from all over the place asking if this was the pumpkin chili booth they'd been hearing about. I added a little cayanne and cummin just to give it some heat and chili flavor but it's good either way.

This was not as awesome as it sounded. I will probably try again using the incredible Boilermaker Tailgate Chili as a base instead.

Yummm.. Made it just like it called for except I used Rotel tomatoes.m Will make again.

Absolutely delicious, and very simple

Tried this recipe and used ground turkey instead of beef. Got rave reviews from my husband and a thumbs up from an accomplished cook-friend. This has been added to our permanent chili rotation.

A subtle, pleasant alternative to the chili I grew up with; this is the first chili I've made on my own (sad--I've been on my own for years!) and I will definitely make it again. I used a whole 29 oz can of pumpkin and doubled the chili powder. Next time I think I will use more beef and fewer beans.

Came out think and dry. Not a big hit at the party I brought it to.