If you’re looking for the perfect meal for a chilly autumn evening, this pumpkin chili will hit the spot. Full of warm spices and protein, the ground beef pairs perfectly and unexpectedly with pumpkin and cinnamon to make a dish that will satisfy your fall food cravings! 

And if you want to elevate the autumn vibes experience, serve the soup in a big pumpkin! So much fun and the kids and adults alike love it. Scrape off bits of the cooked pumpkin from the inside and add it to the soup for extra flavor.

Reasons to make this pumpkin chili:

• Because its’s the perfect fall dish! Warm and cozy and full of protein. 
• It’s fast to throw together. A quick delicious homemade meal. Make a pan of skillet cornbread to go with it and you’ll make everybody happy. 
• If you decide to serve it in a pumpkin, you’ll make the best fall memories for your kiddos. They’ll never forget when mom served the chili in a pumpkin. 

How to Prepare the Pumpkin for Chili:

Step One:

Pick a nice round pumpkin. Wash it and dry it off. 

Step Two: 

Using a large, sharp knife, cut the top off in a circle around the stem. Remove the seeds and strings from the inside of the pumpkin. Save them to roast for a snack or feed them to your chickens!

Step Three:

Drizzle the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 

Step Four:

Place on a baking pan or large cast iron skillet and bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour or until soft. You don’t want it falling apart and sagging, it needs to held its shape still. You can prick it with a fork along the top or in the inside to see if it’s soft. 

Step Five :

Ladle your prepared soup into the pumpkin and place the lid on it until ready to serve. If your husband is nearby, have him pour the chili into the pumpkin for you. Much faster!
I like to set the filled pumpkin in the middle of the table. It makes a beautiful centerpiece! 

I doubled the recipe for the amount of chili shown in the pictures. I got the inspiration for this pumpkin chili from The Pioneer Woman. She’s amazing and her food is always delicious. Here’s the link to her recipe: Pumpkin Chili.

So just prepare your pumpkin and while it’s baking in the oven, make the chili and cornbread. Set the table, gather the family, and make some beautiful autumn memories together. 🍂

Lots of Love, 

~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

”A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

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Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin chili is perfect for chilly autumn evenings! Full of all the classic chili flavors with a hint of cinnamon and pumpkin.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Chili, dinner, Ground Beef, Pumpkin, soup

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 15-oz cans fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Cornbread shredded cheddar cheese for garnish, sour cream, and roasted pumpkin seeds if desired

Instructions

• In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the ground beef and season with a little salt, pepper, garlic powder.
• After cooking a couple minutes, add the chopped onion and bell pepper. Keep sautéing until beef is cooked and veggies are softened.
• Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon.
• Stir in the tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, pumpkin puree, and chicken broth.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve with cornbread, cheese, sour cream, and roasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

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