Say hello to the ultimate pumpkin chili! This hearty vegan stew is packed with juicy pumpkin, lentils, and black beans simmered with pumpkin ale and warming spices.
Usually I make an effort to cram as much pumpkin into the season as possible. This time, I’m upping the ante and trying to do it all in one recipe.
Okay not really. I mean, I’m pretty sure I’ll have more pumpkin recipes this fall, but this one has a lot going on in the pumpkin department.
So what makes this pumpkin chili triple, you may ask? It’s got fresh pumpkin, canned pumpkin puree, and pumpkin beer.
When it comes to pumpkin chili, most recipes tend to use canned or fresh pumpkin. I couldn’t decide, so I went for both. The fresh is great because it adds juicy bits of sweetness, while the canned is great for thickening the chili up. So yeah, how could I limit myself to just one?
Also, I’ve come to the conclusion that beer always makes chili better. So why not use pumpkin spice ale? I did!
To make this chili you’ll need to start by sautéing some onion, garlic and bell peppers. Add your spices at the end. Next, in with the lentils, some broth and beer. Cook the lentils until they’re partially done before adding everything else. Tomatoes, pumpkin and black beans go in for the final simmer.
You can add some water if the chili gets too thick while it simmers. But want to know what’s even better? Apple cider! Totally not required, but it adds just a touch of sweetness that goes really nicely with the pumpkin and spices.
Tips for Making Amazing Pumpkin Chili
- Make sure to use a sugar pumpkin (sometimes also called pie pumpkin) for this recipe. These are smaller than the big carving pumpkins we use for Halloween, and they’re much better for cooking with.
- Don’t feel like cutting up a pumpkin? You can substitute butternut squash if you like. It’ll downgrade the chili to just double pumpkin chili, but whatever.
- Adjust the spice amounts to your liking. I like a lot of spices in my chili, so use less if you don’t. Also keep in mind that you can always start with less and add more spices when the chili is just about finished cooking.
- Don’t cook with beer? Substitute extra vegetable broth.
- And if you do use the beer, check with barnivore to make sure yours is vegan.
- And if you can’t get your hands on vegan pumpkin ale, just use your favorite vegan ale.
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Triple Pumpkin Chili
Say hello to the ultimate pumpkin chili! This hearty vegan stew is packed with juicy pumpkin, lentils, and black beans simmered with pumpkin ale and warming spices.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium red pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 (12 ounce) bottle vegan pumpkin ale
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup dried brown lentils
- 3 cups diced fresh pumpkin
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup apple cider (optional)
- Water, as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place it over medium heat.
Add the onion and pepper. Sauté until the onion becomes soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, cinnamon and cloves. Sauté for about 1 minute more, until very fragrant.
Stir in the beer, broth and lentils. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and allow it to simmer for about 25 minutes, until the lentils are almost done but still a bit firm.
Stir in the fresh pumpkin, beans, tomatoes, and pumpkin puree. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil.
Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes, until the pumpkin and lentils are tender. Thin with apple cider and/or water if the mixture becomes too thick during cooking.
Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust any other seasonings to your liking.
Ladle into bowls and serve.
How long did you have to bake the pie pumpkin for?
No need to bake! It cooks while simmering in the chili! :)
I made this today and it was a great success. A keeper for sure! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes:-)
Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Pat!
It brownish not nice like yours
What can I substitute for the bottle of pumpkin ale? I don’t know where to find it
You can use regular ale or another type of beer if that’s available. Otherwise, just go with vegetable broth. Enjoy!
Looking soo testy 😋
Thank you!
Do you think it would ruin it to add the whole can of pumpkin?
I don’t think so! If your nervous, you could always start with 1/2 cup, then wait until it’s almost done cooking and add the rest just a bit at a time. :)
Simply delicious. All of the flavors work together in balance so not one is prominent. This was the perfect meal for a chilly winter evening. Looking forward to enjoying the leftovers. Thanks for another great recipe.
Awesome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much Mimi!
Do you think this will work in a crock pot? I don’t want anything too mushy but want to make family potluck easier. Thanks!
I think it would work! I’d still add the ingredients in stages like the recipe specifies though – that part is important because the tomatoes can prevent the lentils from cooking. I’m also not sure as to the cook time in a crockpot, so you’ll probably just need to keep an eye on it.