Looking for great Halloween recipe ideas? Whether you need Halloween party recipes or you're just looking for cool Halloween dinner ideas, this pumpkin chili recipe is just the ticket.
It's warm and soothing, and it provides a good healthy start for your little ghouls and goblins before they hit the sugar trail.
You won't taste the pumpkin in this chili. It is primarily there as a thickener. Plus, it adds a nice serving of vitamin A. Feel free to add more chili powder or jalapeno peppers if you like your chili spicy. Or you could leave the seeds of the peppers in -- that's where most of the heat comes from.
This chili recipe is so hearty, you won't believe how healthy it is. Thanks to the pumpkin and peppers, this chili is teeming with vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, protein, calcium and iron.
Serve this pumpkin chili with cornbread or homemade tortilla chips and avocado salsa. All you need to add to it is a light green salad, and you will have a warm and satisfying fall or winter meal.
Pumpkin Chili Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil or canola oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- 1 large green pepper, diced
- 2 jalapeno or serrano chili peppers, seeded and diced
- 1/2 pound thinly-sliced top round, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice (not drained)
- 1 12 oz. bottle light beer
- 1 cup V8 juice
- 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can chili beans (seasoned kidney beans)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 Tbsp. ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper and jalapeno peppers. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until soft. Add the beef. Cook until all the beef is browned. Drain off the fat.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and let the chili simmer for an hour.
- Serve with diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese and warm corn bread.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Per serving (based on 8): 365 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 50 mg cholesterol, 43 g carbohydrate, 10 g fiber, 26 g protein, 197% vitamin A, 125% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 28% iron
If you like this chili recipe, be sure to try these recipes: vegetarian chili, chili con carne, and white chicken chili.
Stephanie Gallagher - Stephanie Gallagher is a veteran journalist and author. In addition to writing for Suite 101, she is the Cooking for Kids columnist for ...
