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Creamy Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Name: Creamy Turkey Pumpkin Chili with White Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion (finely chopped (1 cup)); 2 large carrots (chopped (1 ½ cups)); 2 stalks celery (chopped); 2 garlic cloves (chopped); 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 1 tablespoon ground paprika; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon crushed red chili; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 ½ pounds ground turkey thigh; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, rosemary or sage (or a mixture of one or more); 1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin purée; 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained; 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; Kosher salt; ½ cup heavy whipping cream (optional)

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Fall comfort food to love! Creamy pumpkin turkey chili simmers with ground turkey, canned pumpkin, spices and tender white cannellini beans. This easy recipe makes an incredibly tasty soul-warming bowl. Stovetop or pressure cooker variations included.

An overhead image showing a gray pottery bowl filled with pumpkin white bean chili with ground turkey, along with a napkin and spoon on the side.

Turkey, pumpkin, chili.

Maybe it’s a lucky coincidence those three ingredients go together so perfectly!

Those separate words instantly conjure up a scene from the season called “Fall”. Especially if you were to throw in a chunky sweater, your favorite latte and a dash of cinnamon spice.

Putting the actual things together turns out pretty damn tasty.

Ingredients for Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Like typical chili recipes, the ingredient list looks long. The spices! The vegetables! The proteins! But once you get everything together in the pot, I promise this dish is a one-dish deal that cooks in less than 30 minutes.

Ground turkey: I usually choose dark (thigh) meat because it’s fattier (and therefore tastier), but of course you can use ground turkey breast if you prefer.
More options: Instead of turkey, try ground chicken, pork or even a vegetarian sausage.
Vegetables: Carrot, celery and onion. You can often buy these prepped and pre-chopped to save time.
Canned white beans: Cannellini beans are my first choice. They have a plump shape and creamy texture I love. You can substitute with any small white bean such as navy beans or even pinto beans.
Canned pumpkin puree: Make sure it’s unsweetened puree, not the pie filling.
Spices: You need ground coriander, cumin and paprika along with a large pinch of red chili flakes.
Fresh herbs: Fresh herbs make a huge difference. If you can find the classic Thanksgiving trio of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme, use all three! Dry herbs are fine to use, too, but use half the amount listed in the recipe — 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Chicken broth: Go for a low-sodium broth or use vegetable broth instead if you want to make this a vegetarian meal.
Heavy cream: I’m gonna be honest. You don’t need heavy cream. The cooked chili has a beautiful creamy texture already from the pumpkin puree and the white beans. But just a few tablespoons to finish the dish makes this even more silky and comforting! If dairy isn’t your thing, try a full-fat oat milk or other unsweetened dairy substitute.

Adding pumpkin to chili

Pumpkin gets along really well with white beans, chili spices and turkey. Are you surprised?

And no, adding pumpkin to turkey chili does NOT make it taste like dessert. Pumpkin in chili is surprisingly subtle tasting. Think butternut squash or sweet potato.

Pumpkin puree also turns this chili a vibrant (gorgeous) shade of orange.

I’m in love with the combination of velvety winter squash and savory flavors — Pumpkin Pasta in Parmesan Garlic Cream Sauce is an example what I’m talking about.

In this dish, canned pumpkin puree adds subtle sweetness, creamy texture and deep color to the base of a hearty soup.

A photo of a white Dutch oven with a serving spoon, full of a chili made with pumpkin puree, turkey and white beans.

Recipes using pumpkin tend to veer toward the sweet side of the menu, but it’s just as great (if not better) in savory dishes, too.

As a side note, did you know that most canned pumpkin is actually produced from a variety of hard winter squash that looks nothing like the perky orange ones decorating front stoops?

Classic decorative jack o’ lanterns are often watery, stringy and not very delicious to eat, it turns out.

That’s fine, though. This recipe, at the very least, is fantastic way to use up those cans of pumpkin puree.

In my experience, if you root around long enough in dark, forgotten regions of your kitchen cabinets you’re likely to emerge with a few containers of the stuff.

An overhead photo showing a gray pottery bowl filled with pumpkin white bean chili with ground turkey, along with a napkin and spoon on the side.

Serving and storing chili

Lucky you, now you’re a few pantry staples away from dinner!

You’ll find this chili makes a hearty, satisfying bowl. It’s perfect to serve for a hearty supper, with a big salad on the side.
If you’re a meal planner who loves something warm for lunch during the week, make a pot of this chili and enjoy the even tastier leftovers for up to five days.
To freeze, cool the chili and pack into freezer containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or use the defrost function of your microwave. Enjoy within 1 month.

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