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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 nor 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!
More chili recipes
- Craving an easy and fast chili? Try my Instant Pot Ground Chicken Chili.
- Want your chili and cornbread all in one? Try my Buttermilk Cornbread Topped Chili.
- Need a little spice in your life? Try my Chipotle Ground Turkey Chili.
- Is slow cooking your thing? Try my Slow Cooker Beef Chorizo Taco Chili.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili
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
Instructions
- Remove sausage from its 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.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is seriously one of the best chili recipes I’ve seen – I bet the pumpkin adds a hint of natural sweetness! YUM!
Your photos are absolutely stunning! It makes me want to eat the chili right from the screen. Looks sooo good and the perfect comfort food for the cooler months!
this chili looks incredible!! Your photos are gorgeous. I love the addition of pumpkin in this chili…so hearty with the sausage and beans too. Great recipe!
That sounds fantastic. I’ve only added pumpkin to chili a couple times, but it has always turned out very well.
What a fabulous pot of chili!! Love!!
This is perfect for this next week ahead and Halloween! Love it!
Hahahah – your husband’s comment literally made me L-O-L!! Great recipe, this year, I can’t get enough pumpkin!!
Love spicy Italian sausage and love that you added some pumpkin for a perfect fall chili!
Bring on the squashy goodness! This looks amazing!
Well, clearly, your husband is brilliant 🙂 and dude, when you have fritos on a gorgeous bowl of slow cooker pumpkin chili, you don’t need to write or say a word. Seriously, you could have just had the photos and the recipe card. . the photos speak for themselves. love love love this! you have now become my go-to blog for pumpkin recipes.