Chili in a Pumpkin Bowl
Hearty beef and pumpkin chili simmered on the stovetop and served inside a baked, hollowed-out sugar pumpkin.
Ingredients
- 1 small (8-10 lb) sugar or baking pumpkin for the bowl
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided for the pumpkin and the aromatics
- 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree plain puree, not pie filling
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced green onion for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the top off the pumpkin at an angle, like a lid, then scoop out the seeds and loose pulp. Brush the inside with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, set on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake 45 to 60 minutes, until a fork pierces the flesh easily. Start this first, since it takes the longest.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree, black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Simmer uncovered 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Ladle the hot chili into the warm hollowed pumpkin, still on its baking sheet. Top with cheddar, sour cream, and green onion, and serve straight from the pumpkin.
Notes
Store leftover chili separately from the pumpkin shell, airtight in the fridge up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months. The baked pumpkin shell doesn't reheat or freeze well on its own.