032 / 75 · Cook Once, Keep It Interesting

Turkey, Pumpkin and Three Bean Chili

About 3.3 quarts/3.1 liters; 6 generous bowls · Active 25 min · Cook 55 min · Total 1 hr 15 min

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Pumpkin gives this turkey chili body without turning it into a sweet dish. Part of the pumpkin softens into the tomato base while the rest stays in small pieces among black, kidney and cannellini beans. Ground turkey and three distinct beans make a substantial pot that can be divided into six full bowls. This is especially useful when a training day ends late: the portion is already assembled, and the work left at dinner is simply reheating it thoroughly.

Jump to ingredients

Turkey chili with three kinds of beans and tender pumpkin cubes.

Choose plain pumpkin

Use peeled fresh cooking pumpkin or firm winter squash rather than pumpkin pie filling. The small dice matters: pieces roughly half an inch across soften within the simmering time and allow a little starch to thicken the liquid. Canned plain pumpkin purée makes a different, smoother chili; a measured variation is given below. Do not add extra sugar to balance tomatoes before the pumpkin has cooked, because its natural sweetness develops in the pot.

Three beans, one practical rule

Canned beans are fully cooked. Rinsing removes the thick packing liquid and makes the sauce easier to control, while adding the beans late keeps the white beans from breaking apart excessively. The kidney beans here must be commercially canned, not dried beans added directly to a slow cooker or a short simmer. A generous pot is convenient, but convenience depends on using ingredients whose preparation fits the method.

Keep the sixth bowl as good as the first

Chili thickens as it cools because the beans and pumpkin continue to absorb liquid. Reheat a portion in a saucepan with a splash of water, stirring underneath so it does not scorch. A microwave also works in a covered, vented container if you stir midway and check several spots for the final temperature. Freeze individual portions early rather than leaving a large pot refrigerated until you are tired of eating it.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb lean ground turkey, 93% lean (900 g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml/14 g)
  • 1 large yellow onion (200 g), diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper (180 g), seeded and diced
  • 3 garlic cloves (9 g), minced
  • 1 lb peeled seeded cooking pumpkin (450 g), cut into 1/2-inch/1.3 cm cubes
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder (16 g), an unsalted cumin-chile spice blend
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin (4 g)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (2 g)
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz/794 g)
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (360 ml/360 g)
  • 1 can black beans (15 oz/425 g), drained and rinsed (255 g drained)
  • 1 can kidney beans (15 oz/425 g), drained and rinsed (255 g drained)
  • 1 can cannellini beans (15 oz/425 g), drained and rinsed (255 g drained)
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (1 g)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (15 ml/15 g)

Set out

6-quart/5.7-liter heavy pot, Wooden spoon, Instant-read thermometer, Colander, Six shallow containers

Allergens

Check broth and spice-blend labels for allergens. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat oil in the heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook 6–7 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add turkey and break into small crumbles; cook 7–9 minutes, until no pink remains and the meat reaches 165°F/74°C.
  2. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin and paprika and cook 45 seconds. Add pumpkin, crushed tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper. Scrape the bottom, bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.
  3. Cover partly and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin is almost tender. Add all three drained beans. Simmer partly covered for 10–12 minutes, until the pumpkin yields readily to a fork and the sauce coats a spoon.
  4. Stir in lime juice. If necessary, simmer uncovered for 3–5 minutes to thicken, or stir in a little water if too thick. Divide the full batch into six equal bowls or shallow containers.

Heat belongs to the individual bowl

The base recipe has a measured amount of seasoning. If diners prefer different heat levels, serve the finished chili first and add hot sauce to individual bowls. That keeps the batch useful for more people; extra toppings are separate additions and are not included in the base recipe's nutrition calculation.

A useful detail

Choose an unsalted American-style chili powder blend, not the same quantity of ground cayenne. The latter would make a much hotter dish.

Another way

  • Replace fresh pumpkin with 1 can plain pumpkin purée (15 oz/425 g), stir it in with the tomatoes, and reduce broth to 1 cup/240 ml. The sauce will be smoother and thicker.
  • Use three cans of black beans instead of the mixed beans, retaining the same 765 g total drained weight.

Keep it well

Cool in shallow containers and refrigerate at 40°F/4°C or below within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Keep up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat a portion to 165°F/74°C, stirring to eliminate cool pockets. If transporting, use an insulated bag with two cold sources and refrigerate on arrival.