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Living Well Mom

Simple, easy, and natural ways to care for your family.

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Easy Pumpkin Chili

By Erika in Dinner

dairy-free gluten-free pumpkinI was compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Jump to Recipe

Easy Pumpkin Chili is simple to make and a perfect hearty, filling meal the whole family will love during the chilly fall (and winter) months. Plus, it uses a favorite fall food – pumpkin – and the canned version makes it especially quick and easy while packing in extra nutrition.

This Pumpkin Chili recipe is also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free so it’s a perfect meal if you have food sensitivities or not. I love easy meals that everyone can enjoy together regardless of diet restrictions and this one definitely fits the bill.

hearty easy one-pot pumpkin chili recipe easy dinner this idea now...

As a busy mom of four, my favorite dinner recipes need to fit the following requirements:

  1. require no more than 30 minutes to make
  2. easy to make – no complicated steps to lose track of while the kids interrupt and preferably without a lot of chopping
  3. nutritious
  4. taste delicious!

Easy Pumpkin Chili hits the mark on every one of those items and it’s definitely one of my all-time favorite meals. My family loves it too! (Although I must add the two of my picky kids sometimes turn their nose up at this chili, but they do that with all chili recipes.)

You can make this chili from start to finish in 30 minutes or less. It’s also easy to make because it uses canned and frozen food and this actually increases the nutrition factor! That’s because canned pumpkin has antioxidants and higher levels of Vitamin A (540% of the recommended daily intake) compared to fresh pumpkin (26%). Canned tomatoes also have higher levels of an essential phytonutrient, lycopene, than fresh tomatoes.

As an added bonus, I think this Pumpkin Chili tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to settle in. It makes for great, easy-to-heat-up leftovers too!

easy one-pot pumpkin chili recipe

I prefer to use Red Gold, Redpack, or Tuttorosso (the same brand, just different labels) canned tomatoes. I toured one of their family farms last month when I joined the “Farm to Can” tour with Refreshingly Real and learned some interesting things about Red Gold Tomatoes and cans in general.

Erika Bragdon standing in front of a tomato field

Red Gold Tomatoes:

  • began in 1942 and is still family owned and operated four generations later
  • are all non-GMO (all tomatoes are actually non-GMO)
  • grown in the midwest (Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan) where it’s a perfect growing environment for tomatoes with weather that’s not too hot or too cold.
  • not organic, but use minimal pesticides and do regular random residue testing (all tests have come back with undetectable levels of pesticides, other than one fungicide which has always been well below the acceptable standard. Plus, this testing is done BEFORE the tomatoes are washed FIVE times.)*
  • use non-BPA and non-BPS lined cans
  • are preserved with steam, no preservatives
  • uses nothing artificial
  • has the industry’s highest possible certification for processing tomatoes, their facilities are the best in the industry, and they only process tomatoes
  • are gluten-free
  • their family brands include: Red Gold, Redpack, Tuttorosso, Sacramento, and Huy Fong licensed products (click here to find a store near you)

different kinds of tomato sauce

*A note about organic: I asked the Red Gold Tomatoes director of agriculture about why their tomatoes are not organic. He was honest and explained that it would be too costly and they would have a lot of crop loss. (Just to become certified organic, they would need to leave 4,000 acres of land completely empty for 3 years.) While I would personally love to see Red Gold Tomatoes offer an organic line at some point, I respect their answers and appreciated their honesty. I also appreciate that they do random residue testing (see above).

A man standing in front of a tomato plant

I now confidently buy Red Gold Tomatoes for my family. And they ARE delicious! (Try comparing them to other canned tomato brands – I did and was impressed to see consistent amazing quality with RedGold. With other brands, I frequently find tomatoes with green sections.)

tomatoes being washed

In addition to Red Gold’s quality, I learned a few things about canned food in general.

Did you know?

  • canned fruits and vegetables are fresh. In fact, canned produce often goes from the field to can within 4.5 hours where fresh produce often takes 21 days from the field to the store
  • canned produce does not require preservatives or additives and can be preserved with steam
  • cans are made from recycled steel now
  • canned food is actually packed when nutrition levels are the highest because they are canned at the peak of harvest.
  • 90% of canned food in America is now non-BPA and the remaining 10% will be there soon.

For more info on canned food, read my post: The Truth About Canned Food here.

Now that I know all those interesting facts, I readily use canned foods with my family often now. It makes my life easier, cooking time faster, and overall we’re eating more homemade, healthier meals now.

easy pumpkin chili dinner - one pot fast gluten-free dinner

Easy Pumpkin Chili

(Scroll down for the full printable recipe)

layout of printable recipe binder pages

Ingredients:

  • dash of Olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced (or use 3/4 cup frozen diced pepper for faster prep)
  • 1 onion, diced (or use 3/4 cup frozen diced onion for faster prep)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle powder, optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste (I use at least 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper)
  • 1 (15 oz can) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1 (15 oz can) black beans, drained
  • 1 (15 oz can) pinto beans, drained
  • 1 (28 oz can) diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 3/4 – 1 1/5 cups chicken broth

 bowls filled with different types of food on a table with a can of diced tomatoes in the middle

In a large pot over medium heat, brown the meat (you can use ground beef or ground turkey) with the bell pepper, diced onion, garlic cloves, and dash of olive oil.

A bowl filled with different types of food on a table

When the meat is browned, add the spices (chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, onion powder, chipotle powder.) Stir, then season with salt and pepper as desired. I like to use 1-2 tsp of salt and about 1/2 tsp pepper).

a bowl of food on a table with the ingredients to make easy pumpkin chili

Keep your chili on medium heat and add the canned pumpkin, drained black and pinto beans, and diced tomatoes. Stir well. Add the chicken broth. I usually use about 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, but you can use less if you prefer a thicker chili or more if you prefer a thinner chili.

Simmer and stir somewhat often over low-medium heat, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until you are ready to eat.

easy pumpkin chili one-pot dinner recipe

This chili works well as leftovers for the next day (or more).

 

Print

Easy Pumpkin Chili

easy one-pot pumpkin chili recipe
Print Recipe

A quick and easy, hearty, delicious meal the whole family will love during the chilly fall (and winter) months.

  • Author: Erika Bragdon
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 6-8 1x
  • Category: dinner

Ingredients

Scale
  • dash of olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced (use frozen for faster prep)
  • 1 onion, diced (use frozen diced onion for faster prep)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp chipotle powder, optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste (I use at least 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper)
  • 1 (15 oz can) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1 (15 oz can) black beans, drained
  • 1 (15 oz can) pinto beans, drained
  • 1 (28 oz can) diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Instructions

Over medium heat, brown the meat with the pepper, onion, and cloves with the olive oil in a large pot.

Add the spices (chili powder, cumin, onion powder, cinnamon, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper).

Add the pumpkin, beans, and diced tomatoes. Stir well.

Simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until ready to eat.

Notes

Please note that all nutrition calculations are estimated and may vary depending on the brand, quantity, how accurate your measurement is, etc.

Keywords: chili, gluten-free dinner, one-pot dinner, dairy-free, gluten-free

Can you freeze Pumpkin Chili?

Yes! Here’s how I recommend you do it.

Use quart-size zippered freezer bags. Spoon chili into each bag. You should be able to seal it without making a mess. Seal it, gently squeezing the air out of the bag as you shut it. Lay it flat as possible and freeze. This will help keep your chili from getting freezer-burned and save space in your freezer.

Defrost by laying on your counter on a cookie sheet or putting in your refrigerator overnight. Simply reheat and enjoy!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this delicious Pumpkin Chili. Maybe it will become a favorite fall staple that’s quick and easy, nutritious, filling, and delicious for your family too!

ingredients to make easy pumpkin chili

A special thank you to CMI (Can Manufacturers Institute), Refreshingly Real, and Red Gold who invited me on this Farm to Can tour and opened their doors to this skeptical blogger and mother. I appreciate your honesty and willingness to answer difficult questions! This post is sponsored by Refreshingly Real. All opinions are absolutely my own and were not influenced by the sponsor. 

Dear mom, I have so much more I’d love to share with you…

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    *Note: ↑ this form does not give you a freebie. If you are looking for a free printable or other freebie, scroll back up to the rest of the post and use the other form.

    Filed Under: Dinner, Fall, Recipes, Seasonal Tagged With: dairy-free, gluten-free, pumpkinPublished on October 22, 2018

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    About Erika

    Erika Bragdon is a second-generation homeschooling mom with 3 kids at home and 1 in college. She lives in the beautiful hills of New Hampshire on a small farm and loves writing, baking, nature, and sharing flower essences and more natural solutions with moms.

    Comments

    1. Rhonda says

      November 3, 2018 at 2:14 pm

      Looks delicious!

      Reply
    2. Christina Moore says

      January 5, 2019 at 8:47 am

      I have been trying out pumpkin chili dishes from different recipes, and none work well for my kids. Until one morning, while hovering the Internet, I bumped into your page and found this one. I love the punk this recipe gives me every bite. You’re such a talented cook.

      Reply
      • Erika says

        January 7, 2019 at 1:24 pm

        Thank you, Christina. You are so kind! this comment made my morning. 🙂

        Reply

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    Erika Bragdon sitting on a bench drinking a drink out of her mug

    Welcome! I’m Erika and I’m the creator behind Living Well Mom.

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