Spicy Pork Chili with Pumpkin

pork chili in a bowl marked ENJOY with a plate of tortilla chips.

5 from 2 votes

Spicy Pork Chili with Pumpkin

This Spicy Pork Chili with Pumpkin will wow everyone at your table. Tender chunks of pork simmer in a pumpkin-tomato sauce redolent with chile.

Prep Time15

Cook Time4

Total Time4 15

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 384kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Equipment

cutting board
chef's knife
7-qt slow cooker
wire whisk
soup ladle

Ingredients

1 ½ lb pork half loin roast cubed
salt
black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (1 cup chopped)
1 cup pumpkin puree
8 oz tomato sauce
2 tablespoon chile powder or ground chile
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 40-ounce can pinto beans drained
1 30-ounce can black beans drained
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can green chiles (chopped)

Instructions

Season the pork cubes with salt and pepper to taste. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the pork cubes and chopped onion and sauté. Cook until the pork is lightly browned and the onion is clear.
In the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, chili powder and garlic powder. Add the meat mixture, beans, tomatoes, and chiles to the pot. Stir well to combine. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook for 4 hours on HIGH or 6 to 8 hours on LOW.

Notes

Nutritional values are approximate and are based on ⅛ of the recipe.

Serving Suggestions: I like to serve this chili with fun toppings and a full breadbasket. Cornbread or dinner rolls with butter are great on the side.

Shop Your Kitchen: There are so many different subs you can consider based on what you have.

Use fresh chopped jalapeno or green chiles instead of canned.
Add more of one type of bean, add kidney or white beans.
If you have leftover pulled pork from another night, you could substitute that for that 1 ½ pounds boneless pork called for in this recipe to make a pulled pork chili.
If it's easier or more affordable to buy ground pork, you can absolutely swap that in for the pork cubes.
For a pork chili verde, swap out the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes for a jar of green salsa.
You can omit the pork or use another meat, like ground beef or turkey or cooked chicken.

To Make a Meal Prep: I often divide this dish into plastic meal prep dishes for easy lunches during the week. Prep the recipe as directed, allow the steam to blow off. Divide the chili among eight meal prep boxes. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Consume within 4 days.

Freeze Extra for Later: This chili is perfect for freezing! Feel free to make a double batch and freeze for another time.

To freeze: chill it completely before storing in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Make a Plan for Leftovers: This chili reheats beautifully the next day. Just be sure to promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. If you store your leftovers in clear containers, they’re more likely to get eaten.

Nutrition