Turkey Pumpkin Chili (Thick, Hearty & Mild!)

Recipe

This turkey pumpkin chili is thick, hearty, and loaded with ground turkey, beans, and sweet potatoes. Pumpkin purée adds richness and mellows the spices.

This turkey pumpkin chili is thick, hearty, and loaded with ground turkey, beans, and tender sweet potatoes. The pumpkin purée adds richness and mellows out the chili spices, making every bowl satisfying without being too spicy.

overhead view of a bowl filled with turkey pumpkin chili topped with a little sour cream and chives

The Turkey Pumpkin Chili I Make Every Fall

Laura fuentes holding a skillet of food standing in front of a blue door

Once fall rolls around, I find myself making chili almost every weekend, so it’s nice to have a little variety in our chili rotation. This turkey pumpkin chili is also my excuse to use up all those cans of pumpkin I obsessively buy every time I go to the grocery store. I can’t help it. And yes, I know it’s a problem.

I love finding tender pieces of sweet potato in every bowl, and how the pumpkin blends right into the tomato base, making the chili richer and balancing the spices without making it taste like pumpkin pie.

Ingredients

This recipe has everything you’d expect in a hearty chili: ground turkey, kidney beans, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and plenty of chili seasonings. I also add sweet potato for a little natural sweetness and pumpkin purée to thicken the chili and mellow the spices. Broth brings everything together as it simmers.

How to Make Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Sauté the vegetables.
Cook the onion, bell pepper, and diced sweet potato in oil until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and spices and cook until fragrant.
Brown the turkey.
Add the ground turkey and break it apart as it cooks until no longer pink.
Add the pumpkin and beans.
Stir in the kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato purée, pumpkin purée, and broth.
Simmer.
Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the chili has thickened. Add a little more broth if needed.

overhead view of a bowl filled with turkey pumpkin chili topped with a little sour cream and chives, another bowl in background

Laura’s Tips for Great Chili

What does chili with pumpkin taste like?

Pumpkin chili tastes like a hearty, savory chili, not pumpkin pie! The pumpkin purée thickens the tomato base and balances the heat from the chili powder and cayenne. The sweet potatoes add a little sweetness, while the turkey, beans, and spices keep it tasting like chili.

Can I make it without sweet potatoes?

Yes. You can leave out the sweet potatoes if you prefer a more traditional chili. The pumpkin purée will still give the tomato base a thick, rich consistency. Start with less broth and add more as needed.

How do I store and freeze this chili?

Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, let it cool, then transfer it to freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months. I like freezing chili flat in bags so they’re easy to stack. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed.

More Chili Recipes

Try my white chicken chili, or my chili with vegetables and no beans. Both are reader favorites and worth adding to your dinner rotation.

Always See My Recipes In Google

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 45

This turkey pumpkin chili is thick, hearty, and loaded with ground turkey, beans, and sweet potatoes. Pumpkin purée adds richness and mellows the spices.

5 from 10 votes

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 large sweet potato, diced into ½″ pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds ground turkey
15 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz can diced tomatoes, with liquid
15 oz tomato puree
15 oz pumpkin puree
1 ½ cups beef broth, more if needed

Instructions

Prep:

Dice the onion, bell pepper, and sweet potato into ½-inch pieces. Mince the garlic.

Sauté:

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and sweet potato. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Brown:

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground turkey. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spatula, until it's no longer pink.

Simmer:

Add the kidney beans, diced tomatoes with their liquid, tomato puree, pumpkin puree, and beef broth. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the chili has thickened.