The Best Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin and butternut squash chili = the best Fall chili ever! Completely vegetarian, thickened with cornmeal, warmly spiced with molasses and cinnamon, this chili is a bowl of Fall comfort food. It takes a bit of time but it’s worth every minute. Bonus: majority of the cooking is hands off! This recipe is simple, a crowd please and heart warming. Go make it! [340 calories, 57.9g carbs, 6.6g fat, 9.6g protein]

I know that a traditional chili is usually focused on the meat with a minor focus on beans. This chili is a flip on that tradition. It is completely vegetarian! And the focus here is fall squash in the forms of pumpkin and butternut! I use an entire can (16 oz.) of pumpkin to keep things nice and easy, especially since were dicing and using half of a large butternut squash. Dicing squash is serious business folks. I still mourn the loss of my favorite green knife that broke in half while I was cutting open a spaghetti squash.

The next great thing about this topping is that you can serve yourself a generous helping and the calories are still so low! So load up on toppings! I like to add a bit of corn chips (fritos for life!), sour cream, cheddar cheese, and then go to town with all the low cal veggies! Cabbage, radish, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, and pickles, etc! The sky (or the rim of your bowl) is the limit here people.

My pumpkin chili is my ode to fame. This is something I have made every year for the past 3 years. It is just so good! I thicken it with cornmeal which adds this subtle corn flavor. I add brown sugar, molasses, and cinnamon to sweeten and warm it up. These three ingredients add another layer to this chili. Beans and canned tomatoes give it more oomph and filling power. Every ingredient plays a role here. However, you can sub some. I love using turnips but you can just as easily swap them out for sweet potatoes or even regular potatoes. You can also easily swap out the butternut for another solid squash.

On another note, this recipes makes so so so much! You can easily freeze extra for later on, just fill up a ziploc bag and freeze it flat. Thaw in the fridge and serve hot. However I have to admit that I usually never get to freeze leftovers because there usually aren’t any! This is a chili that people go back for more, and more, aaaand more!

With every recipe I post I hope that my readers try them because I do truly enjoy them all but this recipes is so special to me, if you had try just one then this would be the one!

This recipe was adapted from a similar recipe at The Kitchn.   I have made many changes.

5 from 1 vote

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The Best Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin and butternut squash chili = the best Fall chili ever! Completely vegetarian, thickened with cornmeal, warmly spiced, this chili is a bowl of Fall comfort food. 

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Snack, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chili, fall, pumpkin, squash, vegetarian, veggie

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes

Servings 8 bowls

Calories 340 kcal

Author Lillian

Ingredients

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 large white or yellow onion big dice
• 1 large bell pepper big dice
• 1 large butternut squash big dice
• 1 large turnip big dice
• 2 tbs butter
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 16 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1-2 tbs tomato paste
• 4-6 cups vegetarian broth can sub chicken
• 1 can (28-30oz) diced tomatoes do not drain
• 4 tbsp chili powder I use a pre-made packet
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt always add more salt to taste!!!
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tbs brown sugar packed
• 1-2 cups corn kernels
• 1 can (15 oz) red beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) white northern beans drained and rinsed

Toppings!

• Fritos corn chips
• cornbread
• sliced cabbage
• sliced onions
• sliced radish
• shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• sour cream

Instructions

1. Heat up a large 6 quart pot to medium high heat and add olive oil and onions and bell peppers. Sautee until edges turn dark and crisp, about 7-10 minutes. Add turnips and butternut squash, cook another 5 minutes. Add butter, melt and add cornmeal, mixing everything together for 1-2 minutes. Add water and let mixture thicken. Lower heat, then add pumpkin puree, tomato paste and vegetarian broth, all the seasonings, molasses, and brown sugar.

2. Let simmer for at least 1 hour. The flavors continue building as it simmers. I usually simmer mine for close to 3 hours. When you are getting ready to serve, add the beans and corn and cook for just another 30 minutes. This helps the beans and corn retain their texture, especially the beans. Serve hot with plenty of options for toppings.

Recipe Notes

I make this on the stove top because this is one my favorite recipes and I like to be hands on. You can definitely make this in the slow cooker, just cook on high for 6 to 8 hours.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from The Kitchn. I have made many changes to the original recipe.

You can omit the turnip or replace it with more butternut squash or even sweet potato but I simply love turnips, and they don't get enough attention so I love using them here.