Autumn Pumpkin Chili — The Pot That Feeds a Crowd and Holds a Family Together

Halloween planning begins early this year because the kids — all four of them — want to do a group costume. A GROUP costume. Marcus, Isaiah, Jasmine, and Zoe have agreed on a theme: "Famous Scientists." Marcus: Neil deGrasse Tyson (vest, bowtie, enthusiasm). Isaiah: Mae Jemison (flight suit, NASA patch — his choice, which surprised everyone and delighted me). Jasmine: Marie Curie (lab coat, fake test tubes, the expression of a woman who won two Nobel Prizes and tolerated no fools). Zoe: Jane Goodall (cargo vest, stuffed monkey). The fact that these four children planned a group costume without adult intervention is either a sign of emerging sibling bonds or a strategic alliance against the chaos of separate costumes. I accept either interpretation.

Made a big pot of chili — the dark chocolate kind, my recipe, the one that feeds a crowd and freezes well and tastes better the second day. October demands chili. Chili demands cornbread. Cornbread demands Jasmine, who made it without asking because she has claimed the cornbread and the cornbread is hers and I have passed the skillet and the passing is permanent. Four generations. One skillet. The iron holds the memory of every hand that lifted it.

This is the chili I make every October without fail — the one that fills the house with the smell of cumin and dark spice while the kids argue over who gets to lick the spoon. Autumn Pumpkin Chili has that same deep, complex warmth as my dark chocolate version, and the pumpkin gives it a body that holds up to a whole evening of costume negotiations and cornbread-claiming ceremonies. Make it the day before if you can. It will reward you for the patience.

Autumn Pumpkin Chili

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr 5 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 oz dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), roughly chopped
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced scallions, pepitas

Instructions

1. Brown the beef. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat and set beef aside.
2. Soften the aromatics. In the same pot over medium heat, add the diced onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
3. Build the base. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, letting it deepen in color. Return the browned beef to the pot.
4. Add the pumpkin and liquids. Pour in the pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Stir well to combine everything evenly.
5. Season and simmer. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Stir to incorporate. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add beans and chocolate. Stir in the kidney beans and black beans. Add the chopped dark chocolate and stir until fully melted and incorporated into the chili. Simmer an additional 10–15 minutes until the chili has thickened to your liking.
7. Taste and adjust. Check seasoning and add more salt, cayenne, or chili powder as needed. Serve hot with your preferred toppings alongside a skillet of cornbread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 9g | Sodium: 480mg