🎩 A Word from Captain Moonboot
The Department of Seasonal Food Management at World Headquarters has discovered something rather disturbing.
Apparently, every October, millions of perfectly respectable pumpkins are purchased, carved into ridiculous facial expressions, placed on front porches and subsequently discarded.
Captain Moonboot considers this an appalling waste of potential chili ingredients.
The Missus has pointed out that the pumpkins used for carving aren't necessarily the best pumpkins for cooking.
The Captain has agreed to use canned pumpkin instead.
Today's creation is a hearty, smoky, slightly spicy chili featuring black beans, tomatoes, sweet peppers and pumpkin purée. The pumpkin adds body, a subtle earthy sweetness and a wonderfully rich texture without making the chili taste like pumpkin pie.
Best of all, it's inexpensive, filling and tastes even better the following day.
The Department of Household Economics has approved the recipe.
Toad has requested that somebody explain why the word chili doesn't automatically mean there's meat involved.
⏱️ Recipe Information
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 35–40 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 55 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Equipment: Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
🥘 Ingredients
For the chili
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans (540 mL each) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes, including juices
- 1 can (398 mL) pure pumpkin purée
- 1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or maple syrup (optional)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Important: Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The latter contains sugar and spices that have absolutely no business attending a chili convention.
Optional toppings
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Chopped green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced avocado
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Sliced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the vegetables
Dice the onion and bell peppers into small, reasonably uniform pieces.
Mince the garlic.
Drain and rinse the black beans thoroughly.
Measure the spices into a small bowl so they're ready to add together.
Moonboot Kitchen Observation: The Department of Kitchen Organization recommends preparing all ingredients before beginning.
Captain Moonboot has pointed out that this eliminates the traditional excitement of frantically searching for the cumin while the onions burn.
2. Sauté the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and bell peppers.
Cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Avoid browning the garlic.
3. Add the spices
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cinnamon and optional cayenne pepper.
Cook for approximately 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
This brief cooking period helps release the flavours of the spices.
The cinnamon may seem unusual, but a tiny amount adds warmth and complexity without making the chili taste like dessert.
The Department of Culinary Experimentation has confirmed that cinnamon can occasionally be trusted outside the bakery.
4. Build the chili
Add the tomato paste and stir for approximately 1 minute.
Pour in the diced tomatoes and their juices.
Add the pumpkin purée, vegetable broth and drained black beans.
Stir thoroughly until the pumpkin is completely incorporated.
The mixture should have a rich, reddish-orange colour.
If it seems excessively thick, add another ¼ cup of vegetable broth.
5. Simmer
Bring the chili to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot.
Cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
The flavours will gradually blend, and the chili will thicken.
For a thicker consistency, remove the lid during the final 10 minutes.
For a slightly creamier texture, mash approximately ½ cup of the black beans against the side of the pot and stir them back into the chili.
6. Adjust the flavour
Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
Taste the chili.
Add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
If the tomatoes taste particularly acidic, add the optional teaspoon of brown sugar or maple syrup.
For additional heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
For a smokier flavour, add another ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Allow the chili to simmer for another 2–3 minutes.
7. Serve
Ladle the hot chili into bowls.
Top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions or your favourite chili toppings.
Serve with warm crusty bread, cornbread or tortilla chips.
Captain Moonboot recommends placing all the toppings in separate bowls and allowing everyone to customize their own supper.
The Department of Individual Liberty strongly supports this arrangement.
The Missus has requested that somebody clean up afterward.
The Department has declined to comment.
🌟 Captain Moonboot's Kitchen Notes
Make it economical: Canned pumpkin, black beans and tomatoes are relatively inexpensive pantry ingredients. This recipe makes six generous servings without requiring meat.
Add ground beef: Brown 1 pound (450 g) of lean ground beef with the onions and peppers. Drain excess fat before adding the remaining ingredients.
Try ground turkey: Lean ground turkey works beautifully and produces a slightly lighter chili. Cook it thoroughly before adding the tomatoes and beans.
Add corn: Stir in 1 cup of frozen corn during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
Make it spicier: Add a finely diced jalapeño with the bell peppers or increase the cayenne pepper.
Make it milder: Omit the cayenne pepper and use a mild chili powder.
Add more vegetables: Diced zucchini, carrots or mushrooms can be added with the peppers. Adjust the simmering time until everything is tender.
Make it thicker: Simmer uncovered for an additional 5–10 minutes or mash some of the beans into the sauce.
Make it soup: Add another 1–2 cups of vegetable broth for a lighter, soup-like consistency.
Make it vegan: The chili itself is vegan when prepared with vegetable broth and plant-based ingredients. Choose dairy-free toppings.
For a lower-sodium version: Use no-salt-added tomatoes, reduced-sodium broth and no-salt-added beans when available.
Storage: Refrigerate promptly in airtight containers for up to 3–4 days.
Freezing: This chili freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Cool promptly, portion into freezer-safe containers and leave room for expansion.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated. Add a splash of water or broth if necessary.
🍽️ Captain Moonboot's Serving Suggestion
For a chilly October evening at World HQ, serve the pumpkin chili in deep bowls with a generous sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
A thick slice of toasted sourdough bread makes an excellent accompaniment.
For something different, spoon the chili over a baked potato and finish with cheese and chopped green onions.
It also makes a wonderful filling for loaded nachos.
Captain Moonboot has suggested that leftover chili could be served over French fries.
The Missus has reminded him that not every meal requires French fries.
The Department of Potato Appreciation has issued a formal objection.
🚨 WORLD HQ EDITORIAL NOTICE
The Department of Seasonal Food Management has officially approved Recipe #40 for inclusion in Making Salsa: Recipes & Other Bad Decisions from Captain Moonboot.
Following extensive research, the Department has confirmed that pumpkin can be used in chili without producing anything remotely resembling pumpkin pie.
Captain Moonboot has described this as an important breakthrough in autumn food technology.
The Missus has pointed out that people have been cooking savoury pumpkin dishes for centuries.
The Captain has requested that she stop interfering with scientific progress.
Meanwhile, Toad has submitted a formal complaint concerning the complete absence of meat in the original recipe.
Her complaint states that any food preparation involving a large pot, delicious aromas and an extended cooking period should reasonably be expected to produce something containing chicken, beef or sausage.
The Department of Canine Nutrition has reminded everyone that chili containing onions, garlic and spices is not suitable for dogs.
Toad has requested that management prepare a separate, unseasoned portion of cooked meat.
The Missus has agreed to consider the proposal.
Captain Moonboot has suggested that this represents an unreasonable expansion of kitchen operations.
Toad has responded by sitting directly in front of the refrigerator.
The Department of Negotiations has described the situation as a developing hostage crisis.
The refrigerator remains inaccessible.
Management is considering its options.
Recipe #40 is officially ready for the World HQ cookbook! 🎃🌶️🫘