Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili (No Beans)
Hearty, warming, and simple to prepare, Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili has no beans, is packed with pumpkin, and is a new fall classic that you’ll want to make all year round!
Let me introduce you to my new favorite way to add vegetables to your dinner: Pumpkin Paleo Chili!
The addition of canned pumpkin makes this one-pot wonder super simple to prepare, and packs in all the veggie goodness of the orange squash.
The truth is, you can’t really taste the pumpkin all that much, but it is definitely there in the background adding plenty of body and richness to this hearty, beanless chili.
If you’re wondering about putting ground beef or turkey into the slow cooker without browning it first, I’ll share that I tested this recipes both ways and found that the browning step wasn’t completely necessary, especially if using lean ground meat.
There is always a flavor benefit to browning meat first, but honestly in my own life that extra step is sometimes just too much. So, since I strive to keep Real Food Whole Life recipes as streamlined and simple as possible, everything just goes in the slow cooker and you’re good to go.
Keep in mind that every slow cooker is different, so you may need to adjust cooking times depending on the heat level of your specific slow cooker. At the end of the cooking time you want a very thick, rich looking chili, and the meat and onions should be cooked all the way through.
I like stirring an extra cup of pumpkin in at the end to freshen up the flavor, along with extra salt and a bright squeeze of lime juice. Feel free to adjust these seasonings to your taste.
This is definitely a simple, one-pot wonder that’s sure to become a fall-inspired favorite all year round. Now, let’s make some Slow Cooker Pumpkin Paleo Chili!
RECIPE & KID-FRIENDLY ADAPTATIONS
1 | Top with grated cheese and sour cream if dairy if part of your family’s diet.
2 | Encourage each member of your family to customize his or her bowl of chili with whatever toppings he or she prefers.
3 | Ground turkey or ground beef both work in this recipe. If using beef, be sure to look for a lean (5% fat) option to keep the chili from getting greasy.
THIS RECIPE IS . . .
Dairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreePaleoWhole30
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili (No Beans)
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium yellow, orange or red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- 2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey, or 5% lean ground beef
- 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 cups pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Chopped scallion and cilantro for serving, optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Add the onion, pepper, garlic, meat, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups pumpkin puree (about 1 [15-oz] can) to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring until well combined.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8, or until the onions are very soft and the meat is cooked through.
- Uncover, add 1 additional cup pumpkin, 1 teaspoon salt, and lime juice, stirring to combine. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary. Serve with scallion and cilantro if you like.
Thanks for this! It turned out great, but I’m wondering if broth or water is missing from the list? I ended up adding about 2 cups of chicken broth to thin it out to the consistency pictured. Also threw in some diced carrot for good measure 🙂
Hi Alycia, I don’t typically add any extra broth or water, but some slow cookers cook a lot hotter so yours may have reduced down to a thicker consistency. Good idea to add broth and love the idea of adding carrot!
Hi! Is there any substitute for the tomato paste? Unfortunately, i am allergic to tomatoes…
Thanks
Katie, hmmmm, I’m not sure what I’d suggest in place of the tomato paste. It adds body and acid, plus a touch of sweetness. If you omit it you might be able to add some kind of acid (lime juice, for example) and maybe extra pumpkin? Let us know if you try it and it works out!
I made the chili this evening! Since I currently have a lot of strange allergies that I’m working through, I made some adjustments to the recipe… no onion or tomato 🙁 I didn’t even put 3 cups of pumpkin since I only had 1 can. I did add a can of black beans and a little fresh chopped spinach at the end of cooking. And I did top with cilantro. The color of the chili is different (I wish I could post a picture), but it is pretty delicious! The consistency is fine actually and I think I’ll add this to my recipe book! 🙂 Thank you for all of the hard work you put into this blog!
Katie, thank you so much for sharing your modifications, I know they will help others with allergies. So glad you made it your own!
Has anyone made this with ground chicken in place of turkey?
Lisa, ground chicken should work in place of turkey!
Made this last night with beef and on the stove instead of slow cooker (I waited too long to start dinner and wanted to drain the fat from the beef). I only had one can of pumpkin so added about a cup of water so it wasn’t too thick and some corn at the end bc I felt like I wanted more veggies. It was delicious and my husband loved it! Oh and I was out of chili powder so used some black pepper and topped with some mustard greens (which I don’t recommend ;p )
Love your recipes Robyn, please keep them coming!!
Lila, yay, so glad you adapted this one to make it work and that you enjoyed!
The texture came out mushy for me. Not my favorite recipe honestly. Too one note. If I used this again I would add sweet potato or butternut squash chunks to break up the texture.
Lacey, we do have a butternut and beef chili that is paleo and has more texture if you’re interested.
Delicious! I only used 1 pound of beef and added butternut squash. It is a perfect Fall meal! Also, don’t skip the lime when you are enjoying!
Yum, love that you made this one your own and used butternut squash! Happy you enjoyed, and thanks for leaving a review!
What is the serving size?
Hi Christina, this recipe makes about 6 servings. I’ve updated the recipe card to reflect that information. I hope you enjoy!
My whole family loves this chili. It is a go-to because it is so EASY and healthy!
Erika, yay, so happy to hear you’re enjoying this easy and healthy recipe. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!