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This turkey pumpkin chili recipe is fast, healthy, and easy to make. It’ll warm you right up this fall! 

You may enjoy my Easy Cincinnati Chili next for another creative chili recipe.

close-up of turkey pumpkin chili

Well, it’s October, and you know what that means. People go crazy for pumpkin. Like I say every year, I’m not a big pumpkin fan. I don’t do PSLs. I don’t even like pumpkin pie. With that said, this blog isn’t about me… it’s about what you guys like. And to tell you the truth, I am actually pretty ok with many savory pumpkin recipes. This chili isn’t in-your-face pumpkin, but it is really tasty.

I have more turkey chili recipes on my blog that you may enjoy, including this Turkey Sweet Potato Chili, my Turkey White Bean Chili, this Instant Pot Turkey Chili, and my Crockpot Turkey Chili.

pumpkin chili in a yellow pot

This turkey pumpkin white bean chili is pretty forgiving. You could easily throw in extra veggies from your fridge if you have some, and if you’re looking for a way to use up pumpkin puree, you don’t need to be totally exact with how much you add. A little more definitely would not be a problem. You could also add more ground turkey than I suggest if you want even more protein in here. Change up the variety of beans if you wish. It’s all good!

Because chili tends to taste even better a day or two later, this is the perfect meal prep recipe. Make a batch on the weekend and enjoy the leftovers all week!

How to make turkey pumpkin chili

  1. Sauté your onion in a soup pot;
  2. Add the turkey in and “brown” it;
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes;
  4. Serve it up and top with your favorites! (Full instructions and ingredients are in the recipe card below)

Super easy and quick.

ground turkey pumpkin chili in two bowls

Pumpkin chili topping ideas

  • Chopped avocado
  • Cilantro
  • Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • Mexican cheese blend (or use grated cheddar)
  • Tortilla strips/chips

A few recipe notes:

  • When reheating the chili (either from frozen or refrigerated), you may need to add a bit more liquid (I suggest just adding some chicken broth).
  • If you don’t want the chili to be spicy, omit the cayenne pepper. 

If you like savory pumpkin recipes, try my Pumpkin, Mushroom, and Spinach Pasta, this Pumpkin and Cauliflower Soup with Ginger, or this Pumpkin Mac and Cheese.

canned pumpkin chili topped with sour cream, cheese, and scallions

Will you make this easy pumpkin chili? Are you into pumpkin season?

Questions? Let me know in the comments below.

close-up of turkey pumpkin chili
5 from 6 votes

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

By Natasha Bull
This turkey pumpkin chili recipe is fast, healthy, and easy to make. It'll warm you right up this fall! This turkey pumpkin chili recipe is fast, healthy, and easy to make. It'll warm you right up this fall!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients 

  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey (I used turkey thigh)
  • 1 small green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 (14 fluid ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 (14 fluid ounce) can white (cannellini) beans drained
  • 1 (14 fluid ounce) can red kidney beans drained
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Garnish (optional): Mexican cheese blend, cilantro, sour cream/Greek yogurt, avocado, etc.

Instructions 

  • In a soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion with the olive oil for 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and ground turkey and continue cooking, breaking the meat up with your spoon, for another 5 minutes.
  • To save time, during steps 1 and 2 I like to prep the other ingredients since you only need to stir periodically.
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and give it a good stir. Increase the heat to high, and just when it starts to boil, reduce the heat so it's simmering. Cook the chili for 10-15 minutes, stirring periodically.
  • Serve as-is or with desired toppings.

Notes

  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 498mg, Potassium: 1094mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 11461IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 127mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

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22 Comments

  1. I made this last year. At the time I made this I was recovering from COVID. I couldn’t smell the savory spices, so it ended up tasting a
    little sweet. I’m going to try it again this year.

    Reply

  2. Pumpkin in chili? First thought was nahhh…. Was I wrong on that! This is the best from scratch chili I have made! Love everything about it – flavor, texture even how it looks. Will be making again & again!

    Reply

  3. Hello!

    This is my second time making this chili (I think it’s delicious!) I made this chili tonight (meal prep) and wanted to know how long it will keep in the fridge this week? Also how long will it keep in the freezer?

    Thank you in advance!

    Reply

    1. Hi, so freezer generally you want to use up within 3 months for best freshness, but you can for sure go longer. Fridge 3-4 days to be safe.

      Reply

    1. I hope you enjoy it, Kerry! For the nutrition info, it’s 1/6 of the recipe… not sure what exactly what works out to in cups/grams/etc.

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I’ve made this twice in the last month and doubled the recipe. But without the chili or cayenne and used garbanzo beans instead of kidney because we didn’t have any. It’s a keeper!

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    So good! I would suggest adding an extra cup of broth, 1/2 to 1 tsp of dark brown sugar, a tbsp or two of tomato paste, and an extra 14 oz of beans. Perfection.

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    My family loved, loved, loved this chili with cornbread baked in the cast iron skillet! I printed up the recipe, put it in a page protector and in my Meal Planner it goes! I love pumpkin and was so happy to find this recipe. Thank you Salt & Lavender!

    Reply

  9. I’m going to make this tomorrow in a crockpot with the addition of some cinnamon and maybe a pascilla or jalapeño chile pepper. Can’t wait to try!

    Reply

  10. 5 stars
    This chili is delicious! I made it last night for my family and they loved it too. I’ve never cooked with pumpkin before (besides sweets) so I didn’t know what to expect. It still tastes like chili but more rich and creamy. I can’t wait to have some of the leftovers tonight. I’ll definitely make this again.

    Reply