Description
This vegetarian pumpkin poblano chili is a cozy one-pot meal packed with black beans, kidney beans, poblano peppers, pumpkin puree, corn, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Smoked paprika, chili powder, and a touch of dark chocolate add rich, smoky depth to this hearty fall chili that is ready in about 50 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- Sea salt, to taste
- 2 small sweet red peppers, or 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium poblano peppers, diced (seeds removed for less spicy)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 1 can kidney beans, drained
- 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn, or 1 1/2 cups fresh corn from 3-4 cobs
- 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 1.5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- Your favorite chili toppings, like shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc.
Instructions
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven with at least a 3.5 quart capacity over medium heat. Add the olive oil and once it shimmers, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every minute or so, until the onions begin to turn golden and are just beginning to caramelize around the edges (about 8 minutes).
Add the diced sweet peppers (or bell pepper), poblano, and garlic. Cook, stirring regularly, until the peppers have softened (about 5 minutes). Stir in the chili powder (use 1 tablespoon for less spicy and 2 tablespoons for more spicy), smoked paprika, cinnamon, and oregano. Cook for 1 additional minute then add the vegetable broth, drained beans, corn, the whole can of fire roasted tomatoes including the juice, the pumpkin puree, the chopped dark chocolate, and a big pinch of salt (about ¾ to 1 teaspoon).
Stir to combine then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook the chili for 25-30 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally to ensure the bottom doesn’t burn.
Taste the chili, add more salt as needed, then serve. Add your favorite toppings like shredded cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, etc.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a week. Reheat leftovers in a pot on the stove over medium or in the microwave.
Leftovers can also be frozen! Freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- For a less spicy chili, use 1 tablespoon of chili powder and leave out the seeds of the poblano. For a more spicy chili, include the seeds from the poblano, use 2 tablespoons of chili powder, and add cayenne pepper to taste.
- The darker the chocolate the better! Make sure to use a chopped dark chocolate bar, not chocolate chips, as it will melt and incorporate into the chili much easier. If you’re vegan, make sure to use a vegan friendly dark chocolate.
- There’s no need to thaw the frozen corn before adding it to the chili. If you prefer to use fresh corn, you’ll need about 3-4 cobs to yield enough for the recipe. You can also use a drained can of corn if you happen to have one in your pantry.
- Once you cover the pot and reduce the heat, the 25-30 minutes of cooking time allows the chili to fully heat through and the flavors to mingle and develop.
- If you want a smokier flavor, I recommend charring the sweet peppers and poblano peppers first. You can see how to do that in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Dinner