Chipotle Bourbon Pumpkin Chili
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This pumpkin chili is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. It’s warm, loaded with good-for-you ingredients, and full of flavor. Plus, it’s an easy-to-make recipe that all goes into one pot, and it’s ready in an hour!
We’re not exaggerating when we tell you this pumpkin chili might be our favorite chili recipe yet. It’s completely vegetarian yet has a flavorful, rich, and creamy broth with soft chunks of butternut squash, chewy corn, and lots of beans.
You definitely don’t need any special skills or tools to make it, and most of the cooking time is hands-off. It’s made with mostly pantry ingredients, and all you need is one big pot or Dutch oven.
Bourbon is one of the not-so-secret ingredients we add to the broth for depth of flavor. Most of the alcohol cooks off, and what’s left is a rich, deep flavor that marries nicely with the mild heat and smoky chipotle peppers.
Whether you love or loathe the change of seasons, you can look forward to cozying up with this warming one-pot chili with pumpkin. It’s perfect for fall or winter weeknights, and it’s a great recipe for meal prep. It’ll feed you for a few meals, and it freezes beautifully.
Pumpkin chili ingredients
This pumpkin chili recipe calls for straightforward ingredients that you’re likely to have in your kitchen already. Here’s everything you need:
- Bourbon – you won’t taste the bite of bourbon, but it adds a depth of flavor to this chili. If you don’t drink alcohol, simply omit it.
- Canned pumpkin – while this might seem like an odd chili ingredient, it makes the broth rich and creamy and it doesn’t overpower the broth at all.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo – I always keep a jar of chipotle peppers in my fridge. After opening a can, I puree them which makes them easy to use whenever I want a touch of smokiness – like in this chili.
Storing and freezing instructions
How long does it keep in the fridge? Store any leftovers in your refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you don’t think you’ll finish it in that amount of time, freeze it for later!
Can I freeze chili with pumpkin? Definitely! Chili is one of those make-ahead meals that freezes beautifully. Store it in an airtight container or reusable silicone bag (we love these Stasher bags) and store it in your freezer for up to 3 months!
What to eat with pumpkin chili
One of the (many) things we love about chili is that it’s a complete one-pot meal. It’s hearty and satisfying on its own, but we often serve it with some crunchy tortilla chips or our cheesy chili zucchini cornbread to dip in the delicious broth.
Of course, it pairs well with other Mexican foods like pumpkin spice tacos, bbq chicken quesadillas, corn salad, and a refreshing fizzy lime margarita to wash it down!
Pumpkin Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium red pepper (diced)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ cup bourbon
- 14 ounce can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 19 ounce can of kidney beans
- 19 ounce can of navy beans (or a combination of your favorite beans)
- 1 small butternut squash (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers pureed with adobo sauce
- 2 cups frozen corn
- Chives or green onions and cheddar cheese (to serve)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until it is soft and brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper and continue to cook until the red pepper is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, and sea salt and let it cook for 1 minute more.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 medium red pepper, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons sea salt
- Add the bourbon and bring the pot to a boil. Add the canned pumpkin, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, navy beans, butternut squash, pureed chipotle peppers and 2 cups of water and stir the pot well. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and let the chili simmer for 30 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender. Add the corn to the pot and let it cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt.½ cup bourbon, 14 ounce can of pumpkin, 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 19 ounce can of kidney beans, 19 ounce can of navy beans, 1 small butternut squash, 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers pureed with adobo sauce, 2 cups frozen corn
- Serve the pumpkin chili with some minced chives or green onions and a little cheddar cheese on top.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More vegetarian chili recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our chili recipes!
I attempted a double batch and unfortunately it came out very soup like rather than chili. What would recommend to remedy that?
I would suggest simmering it with the lid off for a little while. The liquid will evaporate. 🙂
Could you swap beer for the bourbon?
Absolutely you can!
Love the chili had to put beef for the men in my family !
I bet it was delicious with beef!
Do you think I could swap sweet potato and peppers for the butternut squash and corn without losing the overall taste?
Absolutely you could. This recipe is very flexible. I’d add the red peppers near the beginning just after the onions. 🙂
Can you make this in a crock pot?
Yes, I think it would work well in a crockpot!
Made this chili and won my families Chili cook-off!!! Great receipe and the bourbon is such a great addition!! Thanks for the inspiration!
You are so welcome! I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
Can you make this without the squash and add in ground beef?
Absolutely you can!
Really want to make this! But over here I can’t get hold of canned pumpkin or Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.. Do have smoked paprika powder and liquid smoke.
Can I make that work? Any suggestions?
I bet that a little smoked paprika and a few drops of liquid smoke would be enough to give it that smoky flavor. Since the canned pumpkin adds texture to the chili, try mashing a little of the butternut squash to mimic the canned pumpkin. 🙂
Delicious! 5 minutes of prep time? HA! Are you buying your onions already minced? And cutting that butternut squash took some serious time too. But it was really delicious and I’ll make it again. Thanks!
I chop everything as I go! Start with the onion and get that cooking. Move onto the garlic and peppers. Then cut up the squash while the other things are cooking. It’ll all come together at the right time!
Totally random question, but your description says pieces piece of roasted butternut squash, but the recipe doesn’t call for roasting it before adding to chili. I love roasted butternut, but wondering if it’s worth that extra step if its added to the chili?
Well, that’s a bit embarrassing! My fingers must have spazzed out and written roasted cause so often it’s what I write before butternut squash. Going to fix that now!
Haha, the words roasted and butternut do pair perfectly, so understandable! 🙂 Thanks!!
Just wondering how many cups would equal a small squash? I froze a bunch of squash when it was in season. Thinking 3 cups for this recipe?
I Can’t wait to make this it sounds and looks amazing!!
Thanks
3 cups would be perfect!
Used half the amount of pumpkin bc I’m not a big fan. Chili is delicious! Added some Hungarian paprika, fresh jaleono.
Really good and recommend.
I’m so happy you liked the chili! And good call on the jalapeño!
What is the serving size – need to see if it will be filling enough for your given calorie information It sounds delicious!
This recipe makes a generous amount for 4 people, but can easily serve 6 well if served with bread or a side salad. 🙂
This looks delicious! Can this be made with meat?
Absolutely it can! Just add some ground beef, pork, or chicken after step #1 and let it cook before continuing with the recipe. 🙂
Thank you!
What would be your recommendations if I made this in my crockpot? Just put everything in (w/o stove top cooking prior) and for how long?
That’s a bit of a tough one as crock pots cook a little differently that stove tops. I would start by following the step 1 directions and then put everything into the crock pot in step 2. Also, I wouldn’t leave it for more than 4 hours without being able to check on it. Prob best to experiment with turning this into a crock pot recipe when you’re home on the weekend!
Did it end up working out in the crockpot?
I was going to ask for advice to make it this way too!
Do I need to drain the beans and tomatoes?
Do drain and rinse the beans, but not the tomatoes. 🙂
When I see two of my very favourite words in the name of a recipe, I just KNOW it’s going to be great. And I’m not talking about pumpkin OR chili. Chipotle and bourbon. Oh yes!
Those my favourite words too!