Ground turkey and canned pumpkin puree cook quickly into a rich, spice-warmed chili — no beef, no hours on the stove. Pumpkin thickens the broth and tempers the chili powder’s heat and a splash of cream at the end enriches the texture. Three cans of cannellini beans make it filling without weighing you down, and it reheats beautifully.

A bowl of thick orange turkey pumpkin chili with chunks of meat, carrots, celery, white beans, and herbs, served with a spoon and garnished with fresh rosemary on a white surface with a brown napkin nearby.

Why pumpkin is more than a pretty color

  • A can of pumpkin puree is also a thickening agent — no flour, no cornstarch, no forty-minute reduction simmer required.
  • No tomatoes. This isn’t a red chili — the thick pumpkin and a full pot of white beans give it a lovely autumnal color.
  • The cream, stirred in off the heat right before serving, is what tips the texture from thick to actually creamy.

“I love this recipe!! Made it for my whole family for a family weekend and it was a huge hit! !”

~ Heather

Get the right can, and the rest is easy

A wooden cutting board with chopped carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, and spices is surrounded by bowls of ground meat for turkey pumpkin chili, white beans, pumpkin puree, and a pitcher of broth on a white countertop.
  • Pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Same aisle, same-looking can, completely different chili. Pie filling comes pre-sweetened and spiced, not what you want in this recipe. And no, adding pumpkin to turkey chili does NOT make it taste like dessert. Think of a how a creamy butternut squash soup is surprisingly savory.
  • 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.
  • Canned white beans: Creamy-textured cooked cannellini beans are my first choice. They have a plump shape and pleasing tenderness that I love. You can substitute with any small white bean such as navy beans or even pinto beans.
  • 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 rich-tasting and comforting. If dairy isn’t your thing, try a full-fat oat milk or other unsweetened dairy substitute.
A photo of a white Dutch oven with a serving spoon, full of a chili made with pumpkin puree, turkey and white beans.

Rounding out the bowl

This chili is thick, rich, and a little sweet from the pumpkin — it wants company that contrasts with it instead of feeling heavy. A romaine lettuce salad with tahini caesar dressing brings the acid and crunch the chili doesn’t have on its own. Cabbage slaw with champagne vinaigrette does the same job with more snap — so good if you want something a little sharper and crunchier. And if you’re setting this out for a crowd, a bowl of three-ingredient guacamole alongside allows people to build their own bowl.

A bowl of thick orange turkey pumpkin chili with chunks of meat, carrots, celery, white beans, and herbs, served with a spoon and garnished with fresh rosemary on a white surface with a brown napkin nearby.
4.81 from 435 ratings

Creamy Turkey Pumpkin Chili with White Beans

Karen Tedesco
This is the chili to make when you want something rich and warmly spiced without babysitting the stove all afternoon — pumpkin builds the body, a splash of cream finishes it, and it's better the next day once the spices settle in.
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
  • 1 finely chopped onion, (1 cup)
  • 2 chopped carrots, (1 ½ cups)
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper or cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds (675 g) ground turkey, thigh or breast
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, rosemary or sage, (or a mixture of one or more)
  • 1 15-ounce (285 g) can unsweetened pumpkin purée
  • 2 15-ounce cans (850 g) drained cannellini beans, navy beans, or pinto beans
  • 2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ cup (125 ml) heavy whipping cream, optional

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil into a 4 or 5 quart soup pot or Dutch oven and place over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots and 2 2 stalks celery, chopped. Cook until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper or cayenne, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, stirring to coat in the oil. Add 1 ½ pounds ground turkey and cook until it's no longer pink, stirring and breaking the meat up with a spoon, about 8 minutes.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, rosemary or sage1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin purée, 2 15-ounce cans drained cannellini beans2 cups chicken brothand 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook 20 minutes, adjusting the heat so it doesn't boil.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in ½ cup heavy whipping cream, if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve warm in bowls.

Notes

To make this chili in a Crockpot or slow cooker:
  1. Follow step 1 and 2. Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker and add the herbs, beans, pumpkin, 1 1/2 cups broth and salt.
  2. Set to cook on low for 6 hours or 3 hours on high.
  3. Stir in the cream and serve.
To make in a pressure cooker:
  1. Set your pot to Saute. Follow the steps in step 1 and 2.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients except the cream to the pot as in step 3.
  3. Cover and set to pressure cook for 10 minutes, allowing pressure to release naturally.
  4. Stir in the cream and serve warm.
Tips:
  • Instead of turkey, try ground chicken, pork or even a vegetarian sausage.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 290kcal Carbohydrates: 8g Protein: 28g Fat: 17g Sodium: 399mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 3g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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