Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili

This slow cooker pumpkin chili is packed full of pumpkin puree, spicy Italian sausage and lots of beans and vegetables. This hearty soup is perfect for cold winter nights.

Sometimes I go to write a post and my brain goes blank.

Should I just talk about the dish? Should I talk about my day? Should I make up some totally amazing story just because I have nothing to write about?

I just tried asking my husband what to write about and he responded with this “The peanut. It’s neither a pea or a nut.”

Well, that was helpful. Thanks.

I guess today we will go with talking about the dish.

I hope you’re not sick of pumpkin just yet because if you were it would be awkward to explain that this dish does, in fact, contain pumpkin.

I know it might sound odd to add pureed pumpkin to your chili but I swear it’s delicious! It brings a nice punch of nutrients and squashy flavor.

Squashy flavor. That’s a thing…right?

Instead of your typical beef chili, I opted to instead use spicy Italian sausage. Mostly because I love sausage but also because I love the spiciness.

If you’re not a fan of heat you could easily use sweet Italian sausage or any other (non-breakfast style) flavored sausage.

Oh, and if you want it more spicy load this baby up with as much heat as you crave. I may or may not have drizzled my bowl with a little sriracha.

Oh, and this delicious slow cooker pumpkin chili is made in the slow cooker. Hello, easy!

Love this Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili?

Try my Ground Pork Chinese Chili, Slow Cooker Beef Chorizo Taco Chili, Turkey Wild Rice Chili, Short Rib Chili, Buttermilk Cornbread Topped Chili, Chipotle Ground Turkey Chili or my Easy Vegetable Chili. Trust me, you’ll love all these delicious chili dishes! It’s impossible to pick a favorite! 

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili

This slow cooker pumpkin chili is packed full of pumpkin puree, spicy Italian sausage and lots of beans and vegetables. This hearty soup is perfect for cold winter nights.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes with chiles
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Shredded cheese, for topping
• Chopped cilantro, for topping
• Corn chips, for topping

Adapted from Whole Foods

Directions:

Remove sausage from it's casing and brown in a skillet over medium heat.

Add browned sausage to a 6 quart slow cooker with onion, bell peppers, garlic, black beans, kidney beans, pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, beef stock, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, allspice, chipotle chile powder and salt.

Stir to combine and cook on high for 4 hours and low for 6-8 hours.

If desired, serve with a sprinkling of cheese, cilantro and corn chips.