A classic ground beef chilli recipe becomes a true one-pot dinner when enriched with fabulous golden pumpkin in season. An easy, adaptable recipe that’s perfect for both the oven and the slow cooker, with easy-to-follow notes on both.
Pumpkin beef chilli recipe
Pumpkin makes a delicious and nourishing addition to a classic minced beef chilli, enriching the dish with a subtle sweetness and soaking up all those fabulous flavours.
See also
- For a classic chilli without the pumpkin, try this slow cooker beef chilli
- Pumpkin chilli chicken is a little lighter but full of flavour.
I find that adding pumpkin is great way to get extra veg into a dish that is a favourite with committed meat eaters because it doesn’t dominate or get in the way. The golden chunks of pumpkin look gorgeous in the rich, dark red-brown beef chilli
Not only does it taste spectacular, but I find that you don’t need any extra vegetables on the side. Add more pumpkin or squash to make the beef go further if cooking for a crowd.
On the principle of what grows together goes together, pumpkin or squash is the perfect vegetable to bulk up a hearty beef chilli into a true one-pot meal. It produces a delicious chilli that doesn’t really need anything more than some good crusty bread.
That said, I like to serve some baked potatoes, rice or cornbread, along with a selection of toppings so that no two bowls are the same.
This recipe produces a well-rounded and fairly mellow chilli with a delicious smokiness and depth. The recipe is extremely adaptable and you can go for a fierce heat if you prefer. Just increase the spicing.
Why batch cook chilli?
We do love a good homemade chilli here. I make a big batch about once a month in autumn and winter, less often through the warmer months.
That is a lot of chilli, I know, but it’s easy, economical, full of lively flavours and satisfying after a brisk walk with the dog or a freezing cold day on the water.
Even though I cook for two most of the time, chilli is one of those dishes that is so much better to batch cook. No half cans nor fiddly amounts of spices, and no half packets of anything.
Chilli is a dish that wants to be cooked low and slow, and I generally find that you can’t do that well in small quantities. The dish is liable to dry out. Not only that, but it is not energy or cost efficient to have the oven on for a long time to cook a small quantity.
All of this is just fine. Chilli gets better with time, as the flavours have chance to meld. You can keep your pumpkin beef chilli in the fridge for a few days or freeze and reheat.
The quantities here serve 6 depending on how hungry you are. The recipe is flexible, so use a whole pumpkin if you want, and if your beef comes in a 450 g packet rather than 400 g, use the whole thing. Scale the recipe up to feed more or fill the freezer.
Why make pumpkin beef chilli
- wonderful pairing of warming flavours
- a true one-pot meal
- nourishing and satisfying
- perfect comfort food
Pumpkin beef chilli ingredients
- Beef mince/ground beef – I tend to choose 10–15% fat mince, as you really do need some fat for flavour.
- Pumpkin – half a smallish culinary pumpkin. Use the whole thing if you want to make the chilli go further and like plenty of veg. Other types of winter squash work too. You could use a butternut, a smallish blue crown prince or the sweet delicata but don’t use one of the large orange pumpkins sold for Halloween Jack o’ lanterns. They are too watery and lack flavour.
- Canned tomatoes – Cheap versions sometimes have a metallic tang, and can be thin, and in my opinion a false economy. Get the supermarket regular, not the bargain (unless you know they are good) and not the grandest range.
- Chilli beans – Texan purists may shake their heads at beans in a beef chilli but they’re good and they’re nourishing. I use the kidney beans that come in their own chilli sauce, which are one of my favourite cheat ingredients – perfect for chillies and soups. If you only have regular beans that’s fine – I’ll tell you how to tweak the recipe.
- Onion – one regular white onion – or two small, of a handful of shallots, or a red onion – it really does not matter.
- Garlic
- Peppers – sweet bell peppers, any colour but a countrast of two colours is better
- Spices/seasoning – smoked/chipotle chilli flakes, smoked paprika, ground coriander and cumin, dried oregano
- Tomato puree/paste
- Cocoa – whatever you normally use
- Pickled jalapeno chillies – hot and tangy
- Oil or beef dripping (not shown)
How to make pumpkin beef chilli – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this pumpkin beef chilli recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Start by preparing the vegetables:
- Cut the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds, and then use a strong, sharp peeler to take off the skin before chopping.
- Deseed and chop the peppers.
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
Step Two – Take a heavy casserole dish that can be used on the stove top and in the oven (you need one with a lid that fits). With the dish on the stove top, melt some dripping or warm a glug of oil.
Fry the beef over a medium heat. Good mince shouldn’t give out too much liquid, but if you find that it starts to look watery, remove it from the pan. Drain it through a sieve reserving the liquid, and return to the pot, adding a bit more oil or dripping.
Helen’s Pro Tip
It is well worth taking this stage to fry and brown the beef. It makes a big difference to the final flavour.
We want to beef to fry and not steam which is why you might need to strain the liquid off.
After about five minutes, add the onions and fry for a further few minutes until the onion is fragrant and translucent. Add a little more fat/oil if necessary.
Step Three – Add the spices, peppers and garlic and cook for another few minutes until the peppers are softening and the spices are fragrant.
Add a little black pepper and salt at this stage but don’t overdo it. Remember that the sauce on the beans will already contain salt. You can adjust the seasoning at the end.
Step Four – Add the prepared pumpkin (it doesn’t need to fry along with the rest of the vegetables), chilli beans, pickled jalapenos, canned tomatoes, tomato paste and the cocoa, together with any reserved liquid you drained off the beef mince from frying it earlier.
Add a splash of water to the empty can of tomatoes and give a good swish to get the last of the tomato out. Then add to the casserole dish. Repeat with the beans can. Remember that a good cook wastes nothing with flavour!
Stir well and add a little more liquid if necessary. The solid ingredients should be just poking out of the top of the liquid.
Step Five – Cover and cook at 160 °C / 140 °C fan / Gas Mark 3 / 325 °F for 2 hours. Serve hot!
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
It really does not matter whether you preheat the oven or not for this sort of dish. Modern ovens get hot fast, and you may as well put the energy used to preheat towards cooking instead.
Serving suggestion
At its simplest, you can serve this pumpkin beef chilli with nothing more than some delicious crusty bread.
We like it with baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, or else with rice or cornbread.
I like to serve lots of toppings and garnishes too. My easy guacamole, sour cream and chive dip, salads, lime wedges, grated cheese and nacho chips turn an easy supper into a feast.
Variations
- To make pumpkin beef chilli in the slow cooker, follow the method above to the end of Step 4. Then put everything in the slow cooker. Put the lid on the slow cooker and set to cook for 3–4 hours on high or 6–7 on low. I tend to start on high for half an hour and then switch to low.
Leave the lid ajar for the last 20 minutes to thicken the chilli.
- You can use the whole pumpkin or squash to stretch the dish and add extra vegetables to taste. Baby corn, green beans and extra canned beans are all good, and you could add a can of rinsed white beans too.
- Adjust the heat and spicing to your taste but don’t forget that the spices develop with time and cooking, so don’t go too wild at the start.
Storage
This pumpkin beef chilli will mature if left overnight, with the spices becoming a little more pronounced and flavours melded.
Fridge – The chilli will keep well for three days in the fridge. As soon as it is cool enough, cover it and transfer to the fridge.
Freezer – As long as your mince was not cooked and then frozen before making the chilli, it will freeze nicely. Transfer it to stackable containers (I love those plastic trays that takeaways come in) according to whether you want portions for one, two or more. When the chilli is cold, put the lids on and move to the freezer. Keeps well for three months.
Reheat – in a pan on the stove top, or in a glass or ceramic container in the microwave; I prefer not to reheat in plastic.
Hints and tips
- Don’t be tempted to skip browning the beef. It really does make a difference to the flavour and helps to get a lovely deep colour too.
- This recipe is very forgiving, so feel free to experiment with the proportions and spicing to suit your taste.
FAQs
Yes. Just transfer everything to the slow cooker once you have done the initial frying and cook for 3–4 hours on high or 6–7 on low. I tend to start on high for half an hour and then switch to low.
Leave the lid ajar for the final half hour to thicken the chilli.
I choose one that is about 15% fat. You don’t want to go too low on the fat, as that beef fat is full of flavour.
It’s fairly moderate as chilli goes, but you can make it much hotter if you prefer. Just add more chilli.
Recipes with chilli, Tex-Mex and more
- Five bean chilli – naturally meat free
- Chili con carne with stewing steak – the deepest, darkest, most glamorous chilli
- Easy Quorn chilli – for the vegans
- Easy Mexican rice and beans – the perfect spicy side dish
- Chilli relleno sauce – for spicy stuffed chillies and more
Pumpkin Beef Chilli
Ingredients
- 300 g prepared pumpkin
- 2 peppers
- 1 large onion (or 2 small onions/5 shallots)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp beef dripping or oil
- 400– 450 g beef mince (Note 1 )
- 1 tsp smoked/chipotle chilli flake
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper
- 1 can (400 g) kidney beans in chilli sauce (Note 2)
- 1 can (400 g) chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree/paste
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno chilli slices
Instructions
- Peel, trim and chop the vegetables.300 g prepared pumpkin, 2 peppers, 1 large onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Put the casserole on the stove top over a medium heat and melt heat the drippiing or oil. Add the mince and fry. If the mince gives out a lot of liquid, drain it off and reserve to add later.1 tbsp beef dripping or oil, 400– 450 g beef mince
- After 5 minutes, add the onion and continue until the onion is fragrant and translucent.
- Add the spices, peppers and garlic and cook for another few minutes until the peppers are softening and the spices are fragrant. Add a little black pepper and salt at this stage but don't overdo it.1 tsp smoked/chipotle chilli flake, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper
- Add the prepared pumpkin, chilli beans, pickled jalapenos, canned tomatoes, tomato paste and the cocoa,together with any reserved liquid if you had to remove it from the beef.1 can kidney beans in chilli sauce, 1 can chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato puree/paste, 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno chilli slices
- Put a little water in each of the cans and swill to catch any remaining tomato or sauce, then add to the pot. Stir well. The ingredients should be just poking up out of the liquid, so add a little more water if necessary.
- Cover and cook in the oven at 160 °C / 140 °C fan / GasMark 3 / 325 °F for 2 hours. Serve hot, with rice, baked potatoes and your favourite chilli toppings.
Notes
- You do need to use a beef mince with some fat, as there is lots of flavour in the fat, and it makes the meat moist. Aim for 10-20% fat. I usually get a mince that is about 15% fat.
- Kidney beans in chilli sauce are one of my favourite cheat ingredients. If you don’t have them, use a can of rinsed regular kidney beans and add some chilli sauce and water.
- To make pumpkin beef chilli in the slow cooker, follow the method above to the end of Step 4. Then put everything in the slow cooker. Put the lid on the slow cooker and set to cook for 3–4 hours on high or 6–7 on low. I tend to start on high for half an hour and then switch to low.
- Leave the lid ajar for the last 20 minutes to thicken the chilli.
- You can use the whole pumpkin or squash to stretch the dish and add extra vegetables to taste. Baby corn, green beans and extra canned beans are all good, and you could add a can of rinsed white beans too.
- Adjust the heat and spicing to your taste but don’t forget that the spices develop with time and cooking, so don’t go too wild at the start.
- Don’t be tempted to skip browning the beef. It really does make a difference to the flavour and helps to get a lovely deep colour too.
- This recipe is very forgiving, so feel free to experiment with the proportions and spicing to suit your taste.
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