Tasty Bites: Three-Bean Beef and Sausage Chili with Pumpkin

By Beth V

Chili is one of my favorite dishes to serve for company in the fall. It can be made at least a day ahead, and it is warm and satisfying for even the heartiest appetites. You can also easily adjust chili according to your mood. White Chicken Chili, Beef Chili, Sausage Chili, mild, spicy, full of beans, no beans, it can be almost endlessly customized without really messing it up. One day, I wanted to make chili and I gathered all I had on hand to just throw it together, including some leftover pumpkin puree from another recipe. Well, I discovered that we really love our pumpkin chili! Whenever I have made a random chili recipe or a quick throw-together since, my husband taste-tests it and says that he thinks we need to add some pumpkin. Pumpkin adds an earthiness and a slight sweetness that blends right in and really ties the flavors together. If you’ve never tried adding pumpkin to your chili, you don’t know what you’re missing! And the subtle flavor and color blends so well into the chili that no one would ever know it is in there.

Pumpkin also adds more nutrition to what can already be a pretty healthy meal. If your chili is full of beans and veggies along with the meat and tomatoes, it is already a great source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Even the chili peppers that make your chili spicy have tremendous health benefits.  Pumpkin adds even more fiber and vitamin A. I love that pumpkin is packed with nutrition because it is such a fun seasonal ingredient, but I like it even more for the subtle way it makes my chili recipes taste better.

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