Vegan Pumpkin Chili with Avocado and Fresh Herbs
Pumpkin in chili might sound unexpected, but one spoonful of this thick, smoky pot and you'll wonder why you ever made it any other way. The purée melts right into the broth, giving the whole thing a velvety body and a subtle earthiness that plays beautifully against the chili powder, smoked paprika, and a touch of cayenne. Black beans and kidney beans bring serious staying power, so this is the kind of meal that genuinely fills you up — no meat, no dairy, no compromise. A tablespoon of maple syrup rounds out the heat without making things sweet, and the spice bloom in step three is what takes it from good to deeply flavorful. Finished with creamy avocado, bright cilantro, and a hard squeeze of fresh lime, every bowl gets a little pop of freshness right before it hits the table. It makes six servings, so it's ideal for a Sunday batch cook or feeding a crowd on a cold weeknight. Everything here is pantry-friendly and entirely plant-based, which means no label-scanning stress — just a genuinely satisfying bowl of chili.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
For serving
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced or diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent, about 6–8 minutes.
- 2
Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Watch closely so the garlic does not brown.
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