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.