It can be hard to wrap your head around switching from those easy to make big salads to a hearty, healthy chili or stew. I want to help get you started by sharing the recipe to my new favourite fall chili. I hope you enjoy it as much as do.
Thick, smoky, 1-pot pumpkin turkey chili made with lots of veggies! A hearty, freezer-friendly meal perfect for the fall.
Ingredients
1-2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
1 large onion, diced (any color, but we prefer red)
2 medium carrots, diced (or sub ~1 cup or 100 g chopped celery)
1 medium orange, yellow, or red bell pepper, diced (or sub ~1 cup or 124 g diced zucchini or eggplant)
1 lb ground turkey (see notes if vegan*)
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
2 medium jalapeño peppers, seeds and stems removed, minced (omit for less heat)
3 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp chili powder blend (or store-bought // we like Simply Organic or Frontier Co-Op)
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp smoked paprika (or sub sweet paprika)
3/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional // for spiciness + extra smokiness // or sub cayenne or chipotle pepper in adobo sauce to taste)
1 – 1 ½ tsp sea salt (depending on preference and saltiness of beans/tomatoes)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles
3 (15 oz.) cans beans of choice, drained (black, kidney, and/or pinto beans)
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin purée (or ~1 ½ cups homemade)
1-2 cups water (just enough to cover everything)
4 cups chopped kale (or other dark leafy greens — beet greens, chard, spinach)
FOR SERVING optional
Avocado (or dairy-free sour cream or yogurt)
Freshly chopped cilantro and/or thinly sliced green onion
Lime wedges
Instructions
Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven (~5 liters/quarts or larger) over medium heat.
Once hot, add the diced onions and carrots and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender — about 3-4 minutes. Add the bell pepper and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Scoot the veggies to the perimeter of the pan.
Add the turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink — about 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, measure out your spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and optional chipotle powder) to easily add them in later. Once the turkey is no longer pink, add the garlic, jalapeño, tomato paste, spices, salt, and pepper and stir to evenly coat the turkey.
Add all remaining ingredients (diced tomatoes, drained beans, pumpkin purée, water, and chopped kale or other greens). Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes to develop the flavors, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Serve warm with optional garnishes of avocado (or dairy-free sour cream or yogurt), fresh cilantro (or green onion), and a squeeze of lime. It’s also delicious on a baked potato or with rice, cornbread, or steamed green plantains.
Transfer to smaller containers to let cool before storing in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1 month (or longer). We like to freeze in leftover glass nut butter jars, leaving 1/2 – 1 inch of room at the top to allow for expansion. Let cool in the refrigerator before transferring to the freezer (to prevent shattering).
Notes
*For a vegan version, omit the turkey and add 1-2 more cans of beans.
recipe: The Minimalist Baker