This pumpkin chili is so rich and flavorful! You can't actually taste the pumpkin as a separate flavor, but it adds great texture and thickens the dish.
Prepare the seasoning mix: In a small bowl, mix together the kosher salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a very large, deep saucepan (I use a deep 12-inch stainless steel skillet) over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
Add the beef, onion, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, breaking up the beef into smaller chunks, until the beef is no longer raw (but still pink), about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and seasoning mix. Cook, stirring until well incorporated into the beef mixture, 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, and up to 1 cup of water if needed. Stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
For an even texture, it’s best to use petite-diced tomatoes in this recipe. If all you can get is regular diced tomatoes, give them a quick extra chop before you use them.I like to use extra-lean ground beef because it doesn’t release the large amount of rendered fat that lean ground beef releases. However, if you prefer, you can absolutely use lean ground beef (85/15). Keep in mind that the nutrition info will change. Add water depending on how much liquid is in the tomatoes. My canned tomatoes usually have almost no added liquid as you can see in the video, so I usually add 1 cup of water. If your tomatoes have more water, ½ cup or ¾ cup might be enough.As with all chilis, the leftovers of this chili are excellent and in fact, it tastes even better the next day. You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. I reheat them covered, in the microwave at 50% power.