Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili

You’ll love my delicious vegetarian Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili, and how it mixes well with your favorite season: Pumpkin season!

What could be better than a warm pot of pumpkin chili on a cool day. The comforting texture and flavor of this Instant Pot recipe is something that I crave after a long day. The sauce is thick and rich and bursting with flavors. It even has a little bit of spice to it which might not be obvious when you smell the spices cooking in the Instant Pot.

This chili is a great way to sneak a few vegetables in for picky eaters. The rich and hearty flavors of this Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili hides the taste of the vegetables well. This Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili is thicker but has the same warm and comforting feel. And if you want an even faster meal, just use canned pumpkin. I like saving as much time in the kitchen as possible.

This recipe is also flexible, so feel free to swap out ingredients that you don’t have on hand or add veggies if you want! I was trying

Frequently asked questions about my Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili

instant pot pumpkin chili in bowl with lime, cilantro, and pepitas

Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?

Yes, you can use homemade pumpkin puree! Just make it sure that it’s thick and all the liquid has evaporated. If you are using homemade pumpkin puree you will need two cups of homemade pumpkin puree.

Is this chili spicy?

No, this chili is not really spicy at all. It does have a great balance of seasoning and spice. But since you are using canned pumpkin, the chili tends to mellow out the spices just a bit.

instant put pumpkin chili on a spoon and in a white bowl

How can I make this chili spicy?

For a spicier dish, you can add crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. I make this chili on the mild side, so that Angela will eat it.

How do I make homemade pumpkin puree?

Preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a reusable baking sheet).

Cut the pumpkin in 2. Using a spoon, scoop out the inside of the pumpkin. Clean and save the seeds for cooking.

Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet, cut side down.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on the size of the pumpkin, until the tip of a knife fits easily into the flesh.

Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

Scrape the flesh with a spoon and place it in the container of the food processor. Reduce to a smooth puree.

Can I freeze pumpkin chili?

Yes, this chili freezes well. You can freeze it in portions or make a batch and let it cool before freezing. Make sure to cool the chili completely before freezing.

If you are going to freeze portions, place each serving in an airtight container. And if possible store them one on top of the other without letting them touch so they don’t freeze together into one hard mass. This chili can be frozen for up to three months.

How do I store pumpkin chili?

Store in a covered container or glass jar in the refrigerator. Your chili is safe to store in your fridge for up to five days.

How should I reheat pumpkin chili?

If you plan on reheating your pumpkin chili, I would recommend that you warm it up in a large saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. I prefer heating my chili on the stove instead of in the microwave, but you can reheat however you prefer.

What should I top pumpkin chili with?

Top your chili with sour cream, cheddar cheese or sliced jalapenos! It’s totally up to you. I love topping this chili with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh scallions.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili

Oil: I used vegetable oil but you can use any type of oil that your family prefers.

Onion, diced: You can use Vidalia sweet onions or white onions. It’s your choice. I love the aromatics and flavor profile the sweet onion brings.

Bell Pepper, diced: You can use any color pepper that you prefer. I like red the best.

Zucchini, diced: Look for zucchini that are small to medium-sized. To find the freshest zucchini I look for firm zucchini with no cuts or nicks in the skin.

Garlic, minced: You can use fresh or jarred. If you don’t have that available, you can definitely use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. We reduce the amount of fresh versus powder because powder has a stronger flavor profile.

Red Beans: beans are a good source of manganese, zinc, copper, calcium, and magnesium. I use canned beans for simplicity, but you could use cooked dried beans.

tomato, diced: You can use canned or fresh diced tomatoes. I like to use canned ingredients for the flavorful juice.

Corn: You can use frozen or canned, if you are using canned be sure to drain your corn first. I like to use frozen for a fresh taste.

Pumpkin purée: Homemade or canned pumpkin works great in this recipe. I used canned, as I keep it on hand all the time.

Broth: I store bought vegetable broth, if you have homemade broth that would give this recipe a great flavor.

Chili powder: is a spice blend made from ground dried chilies. This aromatic spice brings a deep flavor to your dish.  

Cumin: Cumin contains an earthy flavor with a bit of both sweetness and bitterness.

Oregano: peppery herb that is aromatic and sharp with a slightly bitter taste

Salt and pepper: These basic kitchen staples are best used to your own personal taste.

instant pot pumpkin chili ingredients and inprocess photos

How to make Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili

  • Select sauté, heat the oil, add the onions, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Press cancel.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and place the valve in sealing position. Select the manual and set 8 minutes to high. It will take about 5 minutes for the pressure to rise.
  • When the end of the cooking alarm sounds, release the pressure immediately and remove the lid carefully.
  • Serve in bowls
  • Garnish options: cilantro, pumpkin seed, lime.

Weight Watchers IP Pumpkin Chili SmartPoints

For my Weight Watchers friends, you’re going to love and fabulous and flavorful this dish is for the SmartPoints! The serving size is a yummy 1 cup portion, and you get 6 servings out of this recipe. Look how wonderfully low those SmartPoints are! This makes a fabulous Freezer meal for meal prepping.

More Instant Pot Recipes & Pumpkin Recipes

Yield: 8

Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili

instant pot pumpkin chili

You'll love my delicious vegetarian Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili, and how it mixes well with your favorite season: Pumpkin season!

MyWW SmartPoints:

GREEN: 6 BLUE: 1 PURPLE: 1

1 cup serving size.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 bell pepper in small cubes
  • 1 zucchini in small cubes
  • 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 2 can (19 oz) red bean
  • 1 can (28 oz) diced tomato
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 cups of pumpkin purée I use store-bought (homemade recipe below)
  • 1 cup of vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Select sauté, heat the oil, add the onions, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Press cancel.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and place the valve in sealing position. Select manual and set 8 minutes to high. It will take about 5 minutes for the pressure to rise.
  3. When the end of the cooking alarm sounds, relieves the pressure immediately and remove the lid carefully.
  4. Serve in bowls
  5. Garnish options: cilantro, pumpkin seed, lime

Notes

The Chili can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. Can also be frozen up to 3 months.

Homemade pumpkin purée

Preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Place the rack in the center of
the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a reusable baking
sheet).

Cut the pumpkin in 2. Using a spoon, scoop out the inside of
the pumpkin. Clean and save the seeds for cooking.

Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet, cut side down.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on the size
of the pumpkin, until the tip of a knife fits easily into the flesh.

Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

Scrape the flesh with a spoon and place it in the container
of the food processor. Reduce to a smooth puree.



Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.