Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili is a delicious autumn-inspired chili recipe packed with beans, pumpkin puree, chili seasonings, and vegetables (plus 3 secret ingredients that make the best chili). It's a 1-pot dinner ready in 45 minutes and makes a great, easy meal on a busy work or school night.
When pumpkin season comes around I won't lie about being obsessed with all things pumpkin. This chili recipe is the autumn-flavored variation of my Instant Pot beef and bean chili with the addition of creamy pumpkin puree. I use a homemade puree most of time, made from air frying my pie pumpkins or pressure cooking my pie pumpkins.
We make turkey chili in our slow cooker and crockpot vegetarian chili too, for other dinners that are totally hands off. And if you love pumpkin recipes also make sure to check out Instant Pot pumpkin soup, creamy Instant Pot pumpkin pasta and cream cheese pumpkin muffins.
Table Of Contents
Looking for more 1-pot pressure cooker meals? Check out this list of my favorite 25 Instant Pot dinners!
My Chili's Secret Ingredients
I always use the same 3 ingredients in all of my chili recipes to give them the best, mouth-watering flavor. Those ingredients are:
- Red wine
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Red wine vinegar
If you add these to your chili recipes, they'll become contest-worthy!
All Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Vegetables: onion, garlic and colorful bell peppers (avoid using green), a can of diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Pumpkin puree: Libby's brand is my preferred and go-to pumpkin puree when I don't have homemade pumpkin puree on hand. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- Beef broth: or use water and a beef bouillon cube.
- Dark red kidney beans (canned)
- Light red kidney beans (canned)
- Red wine: secret ingredient number 1! I recommend using either Cabernet or Merlot.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: secret ingredient number 2!
- Red wine vinegar: the 3rd secret ingredient! Adding a splash of red wine vinegar to the chili once it's done pressure cooking kicks the flavor up a notch.
- Seasonings: chili powder, cumin, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cinnamon
- Tortilla chips: for serving, chili is wonderful when scooped into a crunchy salted tortilla chip!
Equipment
You need a 6-10 quart Instant Pot.
How To Use Dried Beans
Add ½ cup of dried kidney beans in place of the canned beans, plus 1 ¾ cups of water or beef broth. Adjust the pressure cook time to 40 minutes with a 15 minute natural pressure release.
Pumpkin Chili Variations
- Use ground turkey: substitute the ground beef with ground turkey in a 1:1 ratio.
- Different beans: in addition to or in place of red kidney beans use any other beans you love. Cannellini beans, great northern beans, pinto beans, and black beans all work well.
- Make it spicy: use a spicier brand of chili powder, add a bit of cayenne powder or scotch bonnet powder or add diced jalapeños or habañeros.
- Use another squash: butternut squash puree or acorn squash puree would also be tasty.
Kristina's Tips
- Chili tastes amazing after the ingredients have time to "marry", meaning the longer it sits without being disturbed the better the chili will be. I think chili tastes best when it's cooked and then stored for 2-3 days before eating.
- Stir the chili well before pressure cooking and immediately after it's done. This allows the seasonings to be equally distributed into each bite.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute on high for 10 minutes. Add the olive oil, ground beef, sweet onion, bell pepper and garlic. Stir frequently. *The beef does not need to be fully browned.
- Add the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom to loosen any stuck pieces of food. Simmer for 5 minutes more, until the red wine reduces.
- Pour in the beef broth and deglaze again to ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom. Add diced tomatoes and their juices, kidney beans, pumpkin puree, tomato paste, unsweetened cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Mix well.
- Close and seal the pressure cooker lid. Set to manual or pressure cook on high for 20 minutes.Naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes when done, then quickly release remaining pressure. Open lid, stir well and add red wine vinegar. Place the lid back on the pot and let chili sit for 1-24 hours before serving (in the fridge if longer than 2 hours.)
- Serve garnished with cilantro, scallions, cheddar cheese, sour cream, jalapeños and pumpkin seeds or pepitas.
Pumpkin Chili Toppings
Pumpkin chili is delicious topped with:
- Scallions
- Cilantro
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Pepitas or roasted pumpkin seeds
- Jalapeños
- Crumbled tortilla chips
- Toasted walnuts or pine nuts
How To Store
Store Instant Pot pumpkin chili in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How To Make It In Your Slow Cooker
To make it in your slow cooker just add all ingredients except for the red wine vinegar to the crockpot. Set to high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. When done, add the red wine vinegar, stir and serve.
Recipe
Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- ½ cup sweet onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ large bell pepper red, yellow or orange; diced
- ½ cup red wine such as Cabernet or Merlot
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans
- 1 15 oz can light red kidney beans
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 ¾ cups pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute on high for 10 minutes. Add the olive oil, ground beef, sweet onion, bell pepper and garlic. Stir frequently. *The beef does not need to be fully browned.
- Add the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom to loosen any stuck pieces of food. Simmer for 5 minutes more, until the red wine reduces.
- Pour in the beef broth and deglaze again to ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom. Add diced tomatoes and their juices, kidney beans, pumpkin puree, tomato paste, unsweetened cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Mix well.
- Close and seal the pressure cooker lid. Set to manual or pressure cook on high for 20 minutes.
- Naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes when done, then quickly release remaining pressure. Open lid, stir well and add red wine vinegar. Place the lid back on the pot and let chili sit for 1-24 hours before serving. *The longer chili sits, the more the flavors marinate and the better it will taste.
- Serve garnished with cilantro, scallions, cheddar cheese, sour cream, jalapeños and pumpkin seeds or pepitas.
Notes
Nutrition
Susan says
It's the time of year I crave chili exactly like this. I love that there's pumpkin in it!