Description

A hearty, smoky, and creamy slow cooker chili made with ground beef, black beans, and a secret ingredient of pumpkin puree for richness without dairy. Perfect for busy weeknights and meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
15 oz can 100% pure pumpkin puree
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 square dark chocolate, chopped (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat if desired, but leave some for flavor.
Add diced onion to the skillet with the beef and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not burn the garlic.
Transfer the beef and onion mixture to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
Add the diced tomatoes (with juice), rinsed black beans, pumpkin puree, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, minced chipotle peppers, and beef broth to the slow cooker.
Stir everything together until well combined.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. For thicker chili, cook on HIGH uncovered for the last 30 minutes.
Stir in chopped dark chocolate if using. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Serve hot with toppings such as fresh cilantro, lime wedges, shredded cheese, or sour cream.

Notes

Brown the beef first to create Maillard reaction flavors. Rinse beans and tomatoes to remove starchy liquid. If chili is too thin, mash some beans against the pot or cook uncovered on HIGH for the last 30 minutes. This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 320
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 680
Fat: 14
Saturated Fat: 5
Carbohydrates: 28
Fiber: 8
Protein: 22

Keywords: slow cooker chili, pumpkin chili, smoky chipotle dinner, easy weeknight dinner, meal prep, gluten-free chili, dairy-free chili