two bowls of chili overhead with text overlay

Pumpkin Chili with White Beans is coziness in a bowl. Made with canned pumpkin, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and red bell pepper, it makes for a hearty lunch or a warming dinner. This super easy recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

close up of bowl of chili with avocados and pepper

Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin. Sometime in the past few years, pumpkin fever gripped the U.S. It starts to make an appearance on grocery store store shelves in August, in the form of cookies, sauces, dips, and, yes, lattes.

While I won't go out of my way to get the latest and greatest pumpkin product, I do enjoy a little pumpkin here and there. I like to have a few cans of puree on hand, in case a craving hits.

Pumpkins are packed with vitamins and minerals, so I'm okay with pumpkin craze. It also contains L-triptophan, which is known for alleviating depression and triggering feelings well-being, making them the perfect food to fight the blues that start to set in once Daylight Saving Time ends.

This chili contains a big dose of pumpkin, but you wouldn’t know it unless you saw the chef in action — or you made it yourself – as pumpkin doesn't have much flavor. (Sorry for the spoiler, but the "pumpkin flavor" everyone knows and loves usually comes from cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.) I usually use tomato sauce as a base when making chili, but in this recipe I used pumpkin to give the dish a fall feel, and to give it a little nutrition boost.

vegetable stock, white beans, onion, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepper, pumpkin

How to Make Pumpkin Chili with White Beans

This recipe is super easy to make!

First you sauté the onion in the oil for 5 minutes.
Then you add the pepper and garlic and cook if for 5 more minutes.
Next you add the pumpkin, diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, beans, and spices. You bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for about half an hour.
Your chili is done! Serve it topped with sliced scallions and chopped avocado.

When you're buying canned pumpkin, make sure you purchase pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

How to Customize your Chili

It's easy to make this recipe your own!

You can add more vegetables to give it a little oomph. Try adding diced butternut squash or sweet potatoes. You can also add carrots and more bell peppers.
If you like spicy foods, you can add a little cayenne or red pepper flakes.
You can use red kidney beans, black beans, or pinto beans instead of white beans.
If pumpkin puree isn't available, you can use sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree instead.

Pumpkin White Bean Chili is perfect for dinner with a side salad or some roasted brussels sprouts. It also makes a deliciously filling lunch. It comes together super quickly, so it's a great meal for busy days. It can also be made in advance and frozen. Just defrost it and reheat it when you're ready to eat.