Turkey Pumpkin Chili
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This recipe for ground turkey pumpkin chili is easy to follow and delivers a deliciously satisfying one-pot meal. It’s packed with lean protein and tender veggies, all wrapped up in the warm spices and flavors of fall. Nothing smells better as it simmers away!
This beautifully sunset-hued pumpkin chili with ground turkey is a new favorite way to usher in autumn. Each bowl is cozy, delicious, full of fall spices—and more nutrient-dense and satisfying than many typical comfort foods. We love the mix of lean ground turkey, creamy pumpkin and beans, fresh sweet potato and bell pepper, all wrapped up with aromatics and spices that smell every bit as good as they taste.
Adapted from a slow cooker vegetarian pumpkin chili I’ve loved for a few years now, this stovetop version is still pleasingly low-maintenance. It’s just lovely to know this is bubbling away while you monitor homework, finish up a late meeting, or just relax on the couch.
Despite the inclusion of pumpkin and sweet potato, this chili maintains a distinctly savory edge and goes well with all the traditional chili toppings you love. Our household favorites are avocado, cheese, and corn chips. For the complete experience, my buttermilk cornbread and apple kale salad are must-haves on the side.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Ground Turkey Chili
- Classic, rich chili flavor and texture
- Full of colorful veggies and all their goodness
- Lots of lean protein from ground turkey and beans
- Quick and easy—everything cooks in one pot with just a few minutes hands-on
- Great for meal prep—makes a big batch and reheats beautifully
- Adaptable to different types of beans or veggies, depending on what’s in your fridge
Ingredient Notes
Pro Tip
Don’t automatically shy away from the jalapeño! If you take out the white inner ribs and the seeds, it just adds a bit of oomph—by no means overwhelming heat.
Build Layers of Flavor All in One Pot
A key to imparting the most flavor into this chili is to strategically add ingredients all to the same pot, which allows each layer to season and build upon the next.
After approaching this a few different ways, I found it works best to sauté the vegetables first, because they need plenty of time to soften and meld.
You can then push the veggies to one side of the pot and use the remaining space to brown the ground meat.
For maximum flavor, always season turkey and other ground meats while they cook—not after they are browned! This helps them absorb the most flavor.
Use a Large Pot!
For this recipe to work as smoothly as possible, it’s important to use a large Dutch oven, stockpot, or other pan. You don’t want to get halfway through and realize you’re out of room to add the remaining ingredients! I find a 6 quart Dutch oven is functional; a 7.5 quart Dutch oven leaves plenty of room to stir.
Once the turkey is well-browned, stir in the remaining ingredients and celebrate: all the real work here is done.
Simmer To Thicken To Taste
Whether you like your chili nice and thick or in more of stew-like consistency, with lots of liquid, you can easily make this recipe work for you.
After stirring everything together, keep the lid over the pot for an initial 10-15 minutes, just until you can easily poke the sweet potatoes with a fork, so you know they are nice and tender.
You could actually serve the chili at any time after this, but its consistency will most likely still be a bit thin. Leave the lid off and let it bubble uncovered until it thickens as much as you like. For me, this is usually another 10-20 minutes at a gentle simmer.
Don’t Skip the Seasoning Check!
Be sure to sample and season to taste! If you find a meal bland—especially one that already incorporates a lot of spices and aromatics such as garlic and onion—you probably just need to add salt a pinch at a time until it suits your tastebuds. When added properly in moderation, salt brings all other flavors to life.
Perfect Pairings for Pumpkin Chili
This pumpkin-turkey combo tastes very like a classic chili and goes with all of your favorites—toppings are half the fun, so include them in the plan! A few ideas:
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Corn chips, tortilla strips, or pumpkin seeds—something crunchy!
- Shredded or crumbled cheese. We like cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Cotija.
- Finely chopped red onion or sliced jalapeño
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Cornbread, biscuits, and a robust salad to make it an event
Make it a full fall extravaganza by pairing this chili with a very autumnal wild rice salad with butternut squash.
More Tasty Chili Recipes
- Blue Ribbon Beef Chili
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili (vegetarian)
- Easy Red Chicken Chili (with ground chicken)
- White Bean Chicken Chili (with shredded chicken)
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-large sweet potato peeled and diced
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 1 or 2 bell peppers any color, diced
- 1 jalapeño ribs and seeds removed, diced very small
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 and ½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 (15 ounce) cans beans, such as pinto, kidney, or black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- topping ideas: avocado, cilantro, red onion, cheese, sour cream, corn chips, cornbread, etc.
Instructions
- Warm olive oil over medium-high heat in a very large Dutch oven or stockpot.1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- When the oil starts to shimmer, add the sweet potato, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.1 medium-large sweet potato, ½ medium yellow onion, 1 or 2 bell peppers, 1 jalapeño
- Push the veggies to one side of the pot. In the other side, add the ground turkey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Break up the meat with a spatula and cook for another 4-5 minutes.1 pound lean ground turkey, 3 cloves garlic, 3 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, kosher salt and black pepper
- Once the turkey is well-browned, add the broth, diced tomatoes (with their liquid), beans (drained and rinsed), and pumpkin puree. Stir everything together very well.1 and ½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, 2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, 2 (15 ounce) cans beans, such as pinto, kidney, or black beans, 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are nice and tender, then remove the lid. Let the chili bubble, uncovered, for another 10-20 minutes, until it thickens to your desired consistency. Sample and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve as desired with all the toppings you love. Enjoy!topping ideas: avocado, cilantro, red onion, cheese, sour cream, corn chips, cornbread, etc.
Notes
- Serving Size: This recipe yields 6 medium-sized servings for my family. If you’re mainly feeding kids or adding several sides, it may stretch to 8 helpings.
- Meal Prep/Storage: Make a big batch and store in the fridge, reheat in the microwave or in a small saucepan as desired. It will keep well for 4-5 days if tightly covered.
- Cookware: For this recipe to work as smoothly as possible, it’s important to use a large Dutch oven, stockpot, or other pan. A 6 quart Dutch oven is functional; a 7.5 quart Dutch oven leaves plenty of room to stir.
- Crockpot: This vegetarian pumpkin chili is similar to this recipe and designed to be made in the slow cooker.
- Turkey: Substitute ground chicken or ground beef if you like.
- Sweet Potato: Swap in butternut or another type of squash if you prefer.
