It’s my birthday! And I made you some chili! It’s got pumpkin in it. ❤️ Because it’s October and I can’t stop with the pumpkin food. But this time I brought it to you in savory form, to switch it up a bit. Gives me more ways to eat pumpkin. As if breakfast, snack and dessert weren’t enough, now it’s dinner too! Happy birthday to me! This may be the extent of my celebration… cause, you know, I’m a mom with two little kids and it’s hard to do much else. At least this year it is. But I can kick back tonight with this vegetarian pumpkin chili and feel warm and cozy and festive! This is light but filling - the beans help bulk it up and it’s got so much flavor from the pumpkin (both in puree and beer form), the chilies and the seasonings. It’s also vegan and gluten-free (check your beer) and dairy-free, so it works for most everyone! So let’s get cooking! Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up for this recipe. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Recipe Notes:
Beans: I use white Northern beans in this recipe, but I think it would work well with cannellini beans too. You could even try black beans for a different flavor. Pumpkin: Be sure you use pure pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. Beer: You can substitute a regular beer or another 1 ½ cups of vegetable broth for the pumpkin beer if you’d prefer or if you need it to be alcohol-free. Want to make it spicy? You can add a chopped jalapeño with the onion or stir in some red pepper flakes with the other seasonings. You can also serve it with sriracha or hot sauce. Method: You can also make this in the slow cooker. Add all of the ingredients and let it cook for 3-4 hours on low.
We find it’s hearty enough on its own but you could certainly add some cornbread, biscuits or crusty bread - whatever you fancy. My cheesy cornbread muffins or jalapeño cheese drop biscuits would be great! Oyster crackers also seem to go with any chili. And while this really is very flavorful all on its own, you know I want to share some topping ideas for you! Can’t help myself when it comes to thinking about toppings!
Topping Ideas:
Shredded cheese: cheddar, Monterey Jack or pepper Jack would all be great Sliced or diced avocado (or a dollop of guacamole) Sour cream or Greek yogurt Sliced green onions or chopped fresh cilantro Pickled jalapeños or pickled red onions Hot sauce or sriracha Oyster crackers
Last thing, what to do with any leftovers. Once cooled, leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 4-5 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight and then reheat. I hope you give this vegetarian pumpkin chili a try soon. It’ll warm you up on a cold night. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn P.S. You should also check out my vegetarian quinoa chili and my white turkey chili for more healthy, delicious chili in your life. Beans: I use white Northern beans in this recipe, but I think it would work well with cannellini beans too since both have a good creaminess to them. Pumpkin: Be sure you use pure pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. Beer: You can substitute a regular beer or another 1 ½ cups of vegetable broth for the pumpkin beer if you’d prefer or if you need to make this non-alcoholic. Want to make it spicy? You can add a chopped jalapeño with the onion or stir in some red pepper flakes with the other seasonings. You can also serve it with sriracha or hot sauce. Method: You can also make this in the slow cooker instead of stove top. Add all of the ingredients and let it cook for 3-4 hours on low. Leftovers: Once cooled, leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 4-5 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight and then reheat.
