Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

tasty pumpkin chili

(2 ratings)
Recipe by
Wendy Rusch
Cameron, WI

I won 2nd place in a pumpkin recipe contest with Country Woman Magazine, with this recipe! Featured in the Oct/Nov 2013 issue. YAY ME!!! :o) I've seen a few pumpkin chili's out there and always wanted to try one...well, I finally decided to give it a whirl! I must admit, I was very pleasantly surprised by the flavor! :o) I decided to serve it over polenta, which made it alllll the better!!! :o) My polenta recipe is inspired by Stephanie Dodd's polenta. http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/side/other-side-dish/polenta.html?p=1

(2 ratings)
cook time 1 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For tasty pumpkin chili

  • CHILI
  • 1 Tbsp
    vegetable oil
  • 1 lb
    ground beef or turkey
  • 1 md
    onion, small dice
  • 2
    ribs of celery, small dice
  • 1 clove
    garlic, minced fine
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 - 29 oz
    can tomato sauce
  • 1 - 14.5 oz
    can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 - 15 oz
    can 100 % pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 Tbsp
    sugar or honey
  • 1/4 tsp
    cayenne or to taste
  • 1 Tbsp
    chili powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 - 15 oz
    can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • POLENTA
  • 1 1/2 c
    milk
  • 1/2 c
    cream
  • 1/4 c
    butter
  • 2 tsp
    sugar
  • 3/4 tsp
    salt
  • 3/4 c
    cornmeal

How To Make tasty pumpkin chili

  • 1
    In a dutch oven, or 4-6 quart pan over medium high heat, add oil, when hot add beef, onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper cook stirring occasionally until beef has browned. When beef is no longer pink, add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, cayenne, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir all together, cover and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes, then add black beans and cook another 15 minutes or so.
  • 2
    In the mean time prepare polenta. Spray or butter an 8x8 or 9x9 pan, set aside. In a 2 or 3 quart pan, bring milk, cream and butter to a boil, then add in sugar and salt. While boiling, slowly add in cornmeal whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Allow to cook for a few minutes or until texture is smooth like cream of wheat, add 1/4 c more cream if desired at this point to make even creamier. Pour into prepared 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Allow to sit 15 minutes or so...it will firm up enough to cut into squares. The chili will warm your polenta back up, or you can warm it in the micro wave.
  • 3
    Place a square of polenta in your bowl, and spoon chili over top. This is good with a sprinkling of parmesan too! I just didn't think of it before I took the photo! lol
  • 4
    ***If you have a higher fat ground beef, you can drain the oil from it if desired after frying and before adding remaining ingredients.
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