Turkey Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

Easy turkey pumpkin black bean chili is perfect for fall! Black beans and Rotel tomatoes give it a Southwestern kick, making this chili recipe a rich and tasty cold weather meal.

Two bowls of turkey pumpkin black bean chili garnished with shredded cheddar and sour cream.

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What do you do when your Thanksgiving guests have gone, your better half is snoozing in the easy chair, the kitchen fairy has left you with a sink full of dirty dishes and you have enough turkey to feed a small third world country?

While I can’t help you out with the dishes (might I suggest buying a bigger dishwasher or forcing your children, if you have any, into indentured servitude?),  I can offer up a suggestion on what to do with the pile of meat sitting in your fridge destined for a month’s worth of turkey sandwiches.  Make turkey pumpkin chili with black beans.

Ingredients and tools you will need

In addition to 2 1/2 cups of cooked and chopped turkey meat, you will also need:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano leaves
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin – make sure you are using pumpkin puree or 100% canned pumpkin and NOT canned pumpkin pie filling.
  • 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Large stockpot
  • Toppings of your choice
Collage of ingredients needed to make turkey pumpkin black bean chili.

How to make Turkey Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

Heat the vegetable oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for about eight minutes, or until the vegetables become tender. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Next, add the chili powder, cumin and dried oregano. You can use fresh oregano if you have it. Just keep in mind that dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh, so you’ll want to double the amount of fresh that’s called for in the recipe.

After that, add the beef broth. In addition, stir in the rinsed and drained black beans, pumpkin, turkey meat and diced tomatoes. You can use hot Rotel tomatoes to add a little heat. But if you don’t like the spice or have littles eating this, use mild.

Stir everything together, then bring the chili to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low, then simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the chili from the heat and season with salt and pepper to your taste. The chili will thicken slightly as it cools, so you may want to let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Instant Pot instructions

If cooking this in the Instant Pot, there is no need to sauté the vegetables beforehand. Reduce the beef broth to 1 cup. Combine everything in the Instant Pot and cook using the MANUAL setting for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.

Slow cooker instructions

There is no need to cook the vegetables beforehand. Reduce the amount of beef broth to 1 cup. Combine everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for six hours or on high for four hours.

Topping suggestions

After I’ve ladled the chili into individual bowls, I like to sprinkle a little shredded cheddar, sour cream and green onions over the top. My family also likes eating chili with corn chips. 

Other ideas include:

  • sliced black olives
  • diced purple onion
  • freshly squeezed lime juice
  • fresh or pickled jalapeños
  • diced green chilis
  • diced avocado
  • crackers
  • crumbled cornbread
  • tater tots
  • cilantro
  • tortilla chips
  • salsa 
  • Pepper Jack cheese

Storage, freezing and reheating

Storage. Within two hours, transfer the chili to an airtight container with a lid and store in the refrigerator. Consume within four days.

Freezing. Transfer leftover cooked chili to a freezer safe container. Be sure to leave a few inches of room at the top for expansion. You could also transfer the chili to freezer safe plastic bags, again leaving room for expansion. Press out as much air as possible, seal the bag and lay flat to freeze. Afterwards, the bags of chili can be stacked and take up less room. Consume the chili within six months.

Reheating. Allow the chili to thaw in the refrigerator completely before reheating. Pour the chili into a medium saucepan and reheat over medium heat until the chili is bubbling and heated through.

Frequently asked questions

Is this chili sweet?


No, as long as you use canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, this chili will not be sweet.


Can I use dried beans?


Acidic ingredients like the tomatoes can prevent uncooked beans from softening. Therefore, I recommend soaking and cooking the beans according to the package directions beforehand.


Can I use ground turkey?


Yes! You will need to cook the ground turkey beforehand.


Can I use a different type of meat?


Cooked chicken, ground beef, venison or pork would make great substitutions.


Can I use a different type of bean?


Pinto beans, kidney beans or Great Northern beans are suitable substitutions.


What if I can’t find canned pumpkin?


Sometimes canned pumpkin can be hard to find in stores when it’s not the season. A medium cooked and mashed sweet potato with the skin removed can be used instead. I would be careful using canned sweet potatoes as many of these are packaged in syrup.


Can I make this vegetarian?


Yes, omit the meat and substitute the beef broth for vegetable broth.

Easy turkey pumpkin black bean chili is perfect for fall! Black beans and Rotel tomatoes give it a Southwestern kick, making this chili recipe a rich and tasty cold weather meal.

What to serve with Turkey Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

Looking for more chili recipes? Check out this recipe for Cowboy Chili.

Two bowls of turkey pumpkin black bean chili garnished with shredded cheddar and sour cream.
Print Pin
5 from 2 votes

Turkey Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

Easy turkey pumpkin black bean chili is perfect for fall! Black beans and Rotel tomatoes give it a Southwestern kick, making this chili recipe a rich and tasty cold weather meal.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 347kcal
Author Lisa B.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 medium yellow bell pepper chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano leaves
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 ½ cups cooked turkey meat shredded, or 2 cups cooked ground turkey meat
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
  • 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat.
  • Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
  • Add in all remaining ingredients. Stir well and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
  • Chili will thicken as it cools. If desired, remove the chili from the heat and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Storage. Within two hours, transfer the chili to an airtight container with a lid and store in the refrigerator. Consume within four days.
Freezing. Transfer leftover cooked chili to a freezer safe container. Be sure to leave a few inches of room at the top for expansion. You could also transfer the chili to freezer safe plastic bags, again leaving room for expansion. Press out as much air as possible, seal the bag and lay flat to freeze. Afterwards, the bags of chili can be stacked and take up less room. Consume the chili within six months.
Reheating. Allow the chili to thaw in the refrigerator completely before reheating. Pour the chili into a medium saucepan and reheat over medium heat until the chili is bubbling and heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8.6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 581mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2.4g

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2 Comments

  1. I love pumpkin year-round! This sounds like an interesting chili, although I would make it without the turkey. I usually make mine with zuccini and yellow squash, but some fresh pumpkin might be a good idea as well.

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