Autumn Pumpkin Chilli

Make the most of the abundance of pumpkin this autumn in an all-time classic that can be enjoyed all year round. Autumn Pumpkin Chilli is one of my favourites to enjoy during the colder months!

What you need for Autumn Pumpkin Chilli

• Pumpkin
• Onion
• Celery stalks
• Garlic cloves
• Red chilli
• Chilli, cumin, cinnamon and paprika
• Chopped tomatoes
• Tomato puree
• Veg stock
• Black beans
• Kale 
• Fresh coriander
• Lime

How to make Autumn Pumpkin Chilli

Peel (with difficulty!) your pumpkin, remove the seeds, and chop into bite-sized chunks.

Dice the onion, celery and chilli. Mince the garlic. Drizzle the olive oil into a large pan (I used a Dutch oven), and warm over a medium heat. Add in the onion, celery and chilli to the pan along with the minced garlic, stir through and cook until softened.

Add in the spices, along with a splash of water. Stir through to create a paste and cook for a further couple of minutes.

Add in your pumpkin, stir and coat it in the spices for a minute. Next pour in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and veg stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft.

Rinse, drain and add the black beans. Chop and add the kale and stir everything through. Cook for a 15-20 minutes without the lid, until you reach your desired consistency (cook for longer if you like it thicker, for less if you like more liquid).

Give it a taste, adjust level of spice and season with salt and pepper. Serve with chopped coriander, the juice of a lime and either some rice, pitta, bread, nachos…the choice is yours!

Swap out the pumpkin for sweet potato, butternut squash or other squashes available to you to create your own vegan chilli!

I have a whole video on pumpkin recipes, including what to do with the pumpkin seeds you can watch here.