Dutch Oven Pumpkin Chili brings together classic chili ingredients with canned pumpkin and warming spices, all in one pot. The pumpkin adds a rich, creamy body to the chili without tasting like dessert. If you have never tried adding pumpkin to your chili, you are going to be surprised at how good this is.
Looking for delicious sides to serve with pumpkin chili? Give our Skillet Creamed Corn Cornbread or Southern Cornbread a try. You may also enjoy loading up a Dutch Oven Baked Potato with this delicious chili.
Quick Look at this Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Dutch Oven Pumpkin Chili
- 🕒 Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes (10 min prep, 10 min cook, 60 min simmer)
- 👪 Serves: 8 people
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: ground sausage, canned pumpkin puree, black beans, white beans, diced tomatoes, pumpkin pie spice
- 📖 Dietary Info: Check chili mix packet for gluten. Can be made GF with homemade spice blend.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A warming, one-pot fall chili where pumpkin adds creamy body and depth without tasting like dessert.
Summarize and Save the Recipe
Jump to:
- Quick Look at this Recipe
- Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Chili Recipe
- What Makes This Pumpkin Chili Different
- Ingredients and Process
- Variations
- Expert Tips for the Best Pumpkin Chili
- What to Serve with Pumpkin Chili
- How to Store and Reheat Pumpkin Chili
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Delicious Recipes
- Get the Recipe
Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Chili Recipe
- One-pot comfort. Everything goes into the Dutch oven. Brown the sausage, build the flavors, simmer, done. No extra dishes, no fuss.
- Pumpkin without the "pumpkin taste." The canned pumpkin adds silky body and nutrients, but you will not taste pumpkin pie. It deepens the chili the way tomato paste does: quietly, in the background.
- Cast iron makes it better. The Dutch oven's heavy walls hold steady heat for that low-and-slow simmer, building layers of flavor you cannot get from a thin-walled pot.
- Feeds a crowd. Eight generous servings that reheat beautifully the next day. Arguably even better on day two.
What Makes This Pumpkin Chili Different
If you are wondering whether pumpkin chili tastes like pumpkin pie, the answer is no. Not even close. The pumpkin does not lend itself to a particular flavor in this recipe. Instead, pumpkin acts as a flavor enhancer, deepening the overall taste the same way tomato, soy sauce, or salt do to food. It adds richness and body without announcing itself.
The pumpkin pie spice blend (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, clove) gives the chili a warmer quality, but not spicy warmth. Think cozy, not fiery. There is a slight sweet note from the brown sugar, but it is subtle and completely optional.
What really sets this apart from regular chili is the combination of ground sausage with those warming spices. Sausage brings herby, savory depth that ground beef simply cannot match. If you enjoy our Dutch Oven Awesome Chili, this is the fall version that takes things in a whole new direction.
Ingredients and Process
A few ingredient notes before you get started. Make sure you grab canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling has added sugar and spices that will throw off the flavor. You also want a standard chili mix packet, though you can easily make your own blend (2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon each cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder, plus half a teaspoon each of paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper) if you want to keep things gluten-free.
Ground sausage is the star protein here, but ground beef, ground turkey, or a combination all work. Hot Italian sausage will add more kick if you want to turn up the heat.
For the complete ingredient list with measurements and step-by-step instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Brown the sausage. Crumble the sausage into the heated Dutch oven with oil and cook for a few minutes.
- Step 2: Add the veggies. Stir in the diced onions and bell peppers and cook until they begin to soften.
- Step 3: Bloom the spices. Sprinkle in all the seasonings and stir well. The fat from the sausage helps the spices release their full flavor.
- Step 4: Build and simmer. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, and cilantro. Simmer covered for an hour.
Variations
- Meat swaps. Use lean ground beef or ground turkey instead of sausage to keep things lower in fat. Omit the meat altogether for a hearty vegetarian version.
- Bean options. Pinto beans can stand in for either the black or white beans. You can also add kidney beans for a more classic chili look, or skip the beans entirely for a lower-carb option.
- Turn up the heat. Swap a bell pepper for jalapeños or habaneros. Add a half teaspoon of cayenne or chipotle powder with the other seasonings for a spicier bowl.
- Fresh pumpkin. Use a sugar pumpkin (also called pie pumpkin). Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast cut-side down at 400°F for about 45 minutes. Scoop the flesh and blend until smooth. You will need about 3.5 cups to replace the canned puree.
- Slow cooker. Brown the meat on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add all ingredients except the beans. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in the undrained beans during the last 30 minutes.
- Pressed for time? Allow it to be on a full simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, then serve. The flavors will not be as deep, but it will still be delicious.
Expert Tips for the Best Pumpkin Chili
- Bloom your spices. Add the seasonings to the rendered sausage fat and stir for 30 to 60 seconds before adding any liquid. This releases the essential oils in the spices and distributes them evenly through the chili. Your kitchen will smell incredible.
- Remove from heat before adding tomato sauce. Hot fat plus tomato sauce equals splatter. Pull the Dutch oven off the burner, stir in the sauce, then return to heat. Trust me on this one.
- Do not drain the beans or tomatoes. That starchy, savory liquid thickens the chili naturally and adds flavor you do not want to lose.
- Give it the full hour. You can eat this pumpkin chili in 30 minutes, but an hour of low simmering melds the spices and deepens everything considerably.
- Even better the next day. The flavors continue to develop overnight. Make this on Saturday, eat it on Sunday.
- Taste and adjust before serving. The pumpkin and brown sugar can dull the salt perception. You may need more salt than you think.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Chili
Load this up on a baked potato, serve it alongside a thick slice of cast iron cornbread, or just eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon. Here are some of our favorite pairings:
- Skillet Creamed Corn Cornbread
- Southern Cornbread for a no-sugar option
- Cast Iron Sweet Cornbread
- Dutch Oven Baked Potatoes loaded with chili
- Cast Iron Garlic Bread for dipping
Top it off with sour cream, shredded cheddar, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, or a handful of oyster crackers.
How to Store and Reheat Pumpkin Chili
- Fridge. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavor actually improves overnight.
- Freezer. Portion into freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Lay bags flat on a cookie sheet to freeze, then stack them once solid to save space.
- Reheating. Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of broth. The chili thickens as it sits, so a little liquid brings it back. Microwave works in a pinch, but stovetop tastes better.
- Make-ahead. Cook the chili fully, let it cool, and refrigerate. Reheat gently on the stove the next day for even deeper flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all. The canned pumpkin puree adds creamy body and a subtle richness, but the savory spices, tomatoes, and sausage completely dominate. Most people cannot even identify the pumpkin as a separate flavor. Think of it like adding tomato paste: it deepens everything without being the star.
Yes. Use a sugar pumpkin (also called pie pumpkin), cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast cut-side down at 400°F for 45 minutes until tender. Scoop the flesh and blend until smooth. You will need about 3.5 cups of puree to replace the 29 oz can.
Make a quick homemade blend: 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon each of cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder, plus half a teaspoon each of paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. This also makes the recipe gluten-free since many commercial chili mix packets contain wheat-based thickeners.
Yes. Brown the sausage on the stovetop first (a Dutch oven or skillet works), then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add all ingredients except the beans. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in the undrained beans during the last 30 minutes.
Swap one bell pepper for a diced jalapeño or habanero. You can also add half to one teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chipotle powder with the other seasonings. A few dashes of hot sauce at serving time works too.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months. The flavor actually improves overnight, so leftovers are a bonus.
More Delicious Recipes
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Get the Recipe
Pumpkin Chili Recipe
Equipment
- 5 qt. Dutch oven or larger
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs ground sausage
- 1 cup onion diced
- 3 bell peppers diced (green yellow, and red)
- 1¼ oz chili mix packet
- ½ teaspoon salt +/-, to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper +/-, to taste
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (3 teaspoon fresh)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 28 oz tomato sauce
- 10 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies do not drain
- 4 oz diced green chilies do not drain
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar +/-, to taste
- 29 oz pumpkin puree not pie filling
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 15 oz black beans do not drain
- 15 oz white beans do not drain
Optional Ingredients for garnishing
- cilantro
- cheddar cheese
- jalapeños
- sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the Dutch oven over medium hight heat.
- Once hot, add the oil and crumble in the sausage, cook 3 minutes, stirring.
- Add the onions and bell peppers, cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Drain any excess renderings.
- Sprinkle in the chili mix, salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, and pumpkin pie spice, stir well to completely combine.
- Remove from the heat and pour in the tomato sauce, stir.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, green chilies, brown sugar, and pumpkin; stir to combine.
- Return to heat.
- Bring to a simmer, taste for seasoning.
- Add the cilantro and beans, stir gently.
- Bring to a high simmer, stirring frequently.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with the optional garnishes and enjoy.
Notes
- Bloom your spices. Add seasonings to the rendered sausage fat and stir for 30 to 60 seconds before adding liquid. This releases the essential oils and distributes them evenly.
- Remove from heat before adding tomato sauce. Hot fat plus tomato sauce equals splatter. Pull the Dutch oven off the burner, stir in the sauce, then return to heat.
- Do not drain the beans or tomatoes. That starchy, savory liquid thickens the chili naturally.
- Give it the full hour. You can eat it in 30 minutes, but an hour of simmering deepens every flavor.
- Even better the next day. Make it ahead and reheat for deeper flavor.
Slow Cooker Directions:
Brown the meat in a skillet on the stove top. You can add the vegetables and seasonings as well. Or they can be added to the slow cooker separately. Add the cooked meat to the slow cooker, add all the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the beans. Stir well. Cover. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours. The last half-hour of cooking, stir in the beans and finish cooking.Storage:
Fridge: up to 5 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low with a splash of broth.Nutrition
Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
D says
Great Chili Recipe!
Ned Adams says
Thank you!
Dina and Bruce says
Ned, this was SO AMAZING! I would have never thought to put pumpkin in chili. The flavor was perfect! Making it again soon!
Chef Mimi says
This is wonderful. I always used to stick pumpkin purée in foods I cooked for my kids, like soups, stew, sauces, etc. Just for the health purposes, but everything always tasted better, too!
Anjali says
This is the perfect chili recipe for fall! I love the sweet and spicy flavors from the pumpkin combined with those classic chili spices - delicious!
rebecca says
I really like the addition of sausage in this recipe. yum!
Sara Welch says
This was such a delicious bowl of pure comfort! Loved all the flavors and textures; easily, a new favorite chili recipe!
Andrea says
I love all the flavors and textures in this hearty and comforting chili. It looks and sounds fantastic.
kushigalu says
This pumpkin chili looks amazingly delicious. Thanks for the recipe.