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Chili is the perfect dish to get us through fall and winter. It’s hearty, filling, and so comforting. This vegan pumpkin chili gets its twist from a can of pumpkin purée, not a traditional chili ingredient, but it adds a lovely body and richness without tasting like pumpkin at all. This version is also completely plant-based, with lentils and kidney beans standing in for the meat you’d find in traditional chili recipes.
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I like my chili a little on the sweet side, and this dish is a perfect balance between sweet and spicy. Eat it with a spoon or scoop it up with tortilla chips, but either way, garnish it with your favorite toppings and dig in!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Completely meatless – lentils and beans give it all the heartiness.
- Ready in about 35 minutes – a real weeknight fall dinner.
- Sweet and spicy balance – a hint of maple syrup against the chili spices, adjustable to your taste.
- Freezer-friendly – keeps well for up to 3 months, so it’s great for batch cooking.
- Naturally gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Veggies – Aromatics, like onion, garlic, and peppers. I use carrots in my chili as well, since we like the sweetness they bring. Sometimes I shred them so they kind of disappear right into the chili, other times I dice them up so they add texture.
- Lentils – Brown or green lentils work best in this vegan lentil chili. They hold their shape well, unlike red lentils, which turn to mush. I like to use packaged steamed lentils or canned lentils to make this recipe in about 30 minutes. You could also use lentils you pre-cooked previously.
If you love lentils, don’t miss these other Vegan Lentil Recipes! - Beans – I almost always add beans to my chili. If you don’t care for beans, you can leave them out. You could also use black beans if you prefer.
- Pumpkin – Canned 100% pure pumpkin purée makes this vegetarian pumpkin chili nice and thick. You won’t taste it in the end result, but it helps to thicken up the chili.
If you love pumpkin in savory recipes, you must try my Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce and Creamy Pumpkin White Bean Soup! - Tomatoes – Canned diced tomatoes, a pantry staple, are the way to go here. Look for the no salt added kind.
- Spices – Traditional chili spices, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, all work great in this vegan pumpkin chili.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Step 1: Sauté the onion in oil (or veggie broth for an oil-free option) until soft and translucent.
- Step 2: Add the carrots, bell peppers, and jalapeños and stir to combine
- Step 3: Add the spices and garlic, stir, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Step 4: Add the lentils, tomatoes, tomato paste, pumpkin, and broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes until thick and bubbly..
- Step 5: Add the beans and stir to combine.
- Step 6: If you like a looser chili, add a splash or two more veggie broth. If you like a thicker chili, simmer a bit longer.
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Freeze: You can also freeze this Vegan Pumpkin Chili. Cool the chili completely before transferring to a freezer safe container or plastic bag. It should keep well for up to 3 months.
Pro tips for success
To make this in about 30 minutes, make a big batch of lentils over the weekend, refrigerate the 3 cups you need for this recipe, and freeze the rest. That way you’ll have lentils ready to go whenever the mood strikes.
Or use precooked packaged or canned lentils.
If you use canned lentils, be sure to drain and rinse them before adding them to the recipe.
Chop up all the veggies (green peppers, jalapeños, onions, garlic) in advance and store them in an airtight container together in the fridge. The flavors will be melded even before you begin to cook.
Take out the ribs and seeds of the jalapeños for a more mild flavor. Leave them in if you like spicy heat.
Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling!
Add extra veggie broth if you like a soupier chili.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
FAQs
Chili is pretty thick on its own, but in this recipe, I add pumpkin purée for even more body. It blends in flawlessly! You shouldn’t need to thicken this Vegan Pumpkin Chili any further, but if you find yourself with a liquidy chili, try one of these tricks: use a potato masher and mash some of the beans in the chili, add a couple tablespoons of quick oats or cornmeal straight into the chili and let it simmer, or let it simmer longer so the liquid evaporates.
The best part of chili is being able to customize individual bowls. Try some of these yummy toppings: diced avocado or guacamole, shredded dairy-free cheese, vegan sour cream or Dairy Free Southwest Ranch Dressing, crushed tortilla chips, diced red onion or green onion, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and don’t forget a big slice of Vegan Cornbread on the side!
Neither, really. The pumpkin purée is there for body and thickness, not flavor, so you won’t actually taste pumpkin in the finished dish. The optional maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness to balance the chili spices, but it’s easy to leave out if you’d rather keep things fully savory.
More vegan chili recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Vegan Pumpkin Chili with Lentils
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or grape seed oil or use vegetable broth if you want oil-free
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 green bell peppers diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers diced (ribs and seeds removed) (leave them in if you like it spicy)
- 2 carrots peeled and shredded or diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups cooked lentils
- 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin purée
- 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1-2 cup(s) vegetable broth or water
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Heat oil (or vegetable broth) in pot over medium heat.
- Add onion and sauté 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the green bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, and carrots and stir to combine.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Stir well and sauté a few minutes until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste, cooked lentils, diced tomatoes, pumpkin, and 1 cup vegetable broth. Stir well. Increase the heat to bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes until thick and bubbly.
- Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. If you like your chili on the sweeter side, add the maple syrup and stir to combine. Add the beans and stir. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes to heat through.
- If you like your chili soupier, add an extra cup of vegetable broth and stir to combine.
- Serve hot with your favorite chili toppings.
Notes
*Nutrition facts calculated including the optional maple syrup and extra vegetable broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Beth
I really like this! I’ve made it three times now. I only add one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, and I use Hatch NM red chile powder. Otherwise, I follow the recipe.
The pumpkin really adds depth of flavor! Cilantro makes a nice topping.
Jenn Sebestyen
So glad you love it, Beth. Thank you for your comment!
Ginny McMeans
What a great creation! I love all the veggies and lentils in this chili. I just have to make it!
Jenn S.
Thanks, Ginny! The pumpkin makes it so creamy!
Laura
A great idea for a complete meal, so many good vegetables in there
Jenn S.
Thanks, Laura. Enjoy!
Jessica @ConveyAwareness
Looks great! Pinned and shared. Love the seasonal eats recipes I’ve been finding on the blog hops! Saw your recipe on Home to 4 Kiddos.
sebestyen2
Thanks for stopping by and sharing the recipe! Let me know how it turns out if you try it.
Kim
I can’t wait any longer for cooler weather so I’m cooking this up now and cannot wait until it’s done! It’s smelling mighty good in here!
sebestyen2
How did it turn out?? I eat soup/stews all year long because I love them so much. No need to wait for the chill in the air!
Millet Girl
Wow! This looks amazing!!! It’s still hot here in Florida so it doesn’t seem like fall, but will save this to try out. 🙂
sebestyen2
Thanks! It got cold quick here in the midwest, so I’ve been all about pumpkin everything lately. And I’m always about soup!
ajourneywithtiffany
I am not a fan of lentils, but this really does sound awesome. I may have to try this in a month. 🙂
Stopping by from Plant-Based Blogger Tribe
sebestyen2
Hi, Tiffany! Thanks for stopping by. You really don’t taste the lentils…they just blend right in. But, of course, I love lentils, so maybe I’m biased. Let me know if you try it and what you think!
Clare Burgess (@clareburgess)
Ooooh pumpkin, looks fab
sebestyen2
Pumpkin makes everything tastier, doesn’t it?! I love fall and all of it’s flavors!
evolutionofjill
I am loving the pumpkin in the chili thing. You know it’s almost fall when all the pumpkin recipes start showing up! 🙂 Thank you for sharing! It looks so delicious!!
sebestyen2
Thanks! I love fall and all the flavors that come with it. I have so many ideas for pumpkin recipes floating around my head. I’m trying to refrain from making them all this week. LOL!