Turkey Pumpkin Chili

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

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.

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.

Pumpkin chili topping ideas

• Chopped avocado
• Cilantro
• Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Tex-Mex 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.

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

Questions? Let me know in the comments below.

5 from 1 vote

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Turkey Pumpkin Chili

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!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword easy pumpkin chili, turkey pumpkin chili

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6

Author Salt & Lavender

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): Tex-Mex cheese blend, cilantro, sour cream/Greek yogurt, avocado, etc.

Instructions

1. In a soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion with the olive oil for 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and ground turkey and continue cooking, breaking the meat up with your spoon, for another 5 minutes.

3. To save time, during steps 1 and 2 I like to prep the other ingredients since you only need to stir periodically.

4. 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.

5. Serve as-is or with desired toppings.