🤠 Chuckwagon Recipe of the Day Wednesday, October 21, 2026

🍂🌻 Chili Champions & Backyard Cooks 🌻🍂

🤠 Chuckwagon Recipe of the Day

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

🔥 Homemade Pumpkin Chili

A Warm, Hearty Bowl of Fall Flavor!

Good morning, folks! 🤠🍁

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Today we're putting a delicious fall twist on an old-fashioned favorite—homemade pumpkin chili!

Now, before you turn up your nose at pumpkin in chili, hear me out! 😄 The pumpkin doesn't make the chili taste like pumpkin pie. Instead, it adds a wonderful richness, a slightly sweet flavor, and a thick, hearty texture that goes perfectly with beef, beans, tomatoes, and warm spices.

And don't forget the homemade cornbread! ❤️

🥘 Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)

• 1 (8 oz) can tomato paste

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

• Salt and black pepper to taste

🔥 Let's Get Cooking!

1️⃣ Brown that beef!

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned and no longer pink.

Break it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.

2️⃣ Add those vegetables! 🧅

Add the diced onion to the browned beef and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until softened.

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant.

3️⃣ Bring on the pumpkin! 🎃

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, pumpkin purée, and beef broth.

Stir everything together until the pumpkin is completely blended into the tomato mixture.

Don't worry, friends! That pumpkin is going to make our chili rich, thick, and delicious!

4️⃣ Season that chili! 🌶️

Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper if using.

Season with salt and black pepper.

The cinnamon and nutmeg should be subtle. We want a warm, savory chili—not pumpkin pie!

5️⃣ Add those beans! 🫘

Stir in the kidney beans and black beans.

Mix everything together until well combined.

6️⃣ Let it simmer! 🍲

Bring the chili to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low.

Cover partially and simmer for approximately 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

If the chili becomes too thick, add a little more beef broth until it reaches your desired consistency.

For an even richer flavor, let it simmer gently for another 15–20 minutes.

7️⃣ Load those bowls! 🧀

Ladle the hot pumpkin chili into bowls and add your favorite toppings:

• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• Sour cream

• Chopped green onions

• Crispy bacon bits

• Sliced jalapeños

• Crushed tortilla chips

• Fresh cilantro

Serve with a big slice of warm homemade cornbread!

Oh my goodness! Now THAT is a delicious bowl of fall comfort food! 🤠❤️

⭐ MawMaw's Chuckwagon Secret

🎃 The secret to pumpkin chili is using pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling!

Pure pumpkin adds natural thickness and richness without overpowering the traditional chili flavor.

And here's another little trick: chili often tastes even better the next day after all those wonderful spices have had time to blend together.

So don't be afraid to make a big pot and save some for tomorrow!

🌽 Perfect Side Dish

Homemade Honey-Butter Cornbread

A warm slice of golden cornbread brushed with melted butter and honey is the perfect companion to a big bowl of pumpkin chili.

🍰 And for Dessert?

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Crunch Cake

A moist pumpkin dessert with a buttery, crunchy pecan topping, served warm with a dollop of whipped cream.

💜 Wednesday Chuckwagon Encouragement

God Provides More Than We Realize

Sometimes we get so busy worrying about what we don't have that we forget to thank God for what He's already provided.

A warm meal.

A roof over our heads.

Someone who cares about us.

The strength to get through another day.

These are blessings we can easily overlook.

Friends, God doesn't promise that every day will be easy, but He does promise His grace is sufficient.

Maybe today things aren't exactly how you'd hoped they would be.

Maybe you're waiting on an answer to prayer.

Or maybe you're simply trying to make it through a difficult season.

Whatever you're facing, remember that God knows your needs before you even ask.

Keep trusting Him, keep praying, and don't forget to thank Him for the little blessings along the way. ❤️

📖 Scripture for Today

2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV)

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:"

🤠 Wednesday Chuckwagon Table Question!

What's YOUR favorite chili topping?

🧀 Cheddar cheese 🥄 Sour cream 🧅 Green onions 🥓 Bacon bits 🌶️ Jalapeños 🌽 Tortilla chips ❤️ A little bit of everything!

👇 Tell us in the comments!

And don't forget to share your favorite chili recipes, cooking pictures, backyard BBQ creations, and upcoming cook-offs with our Chili Champions & Backyard Cooks family!

🍂🤠 Happy Wednesday, Friends!

May your kitchen be warm, your table be full, and your heart be thankful for the many blessings God provides!

Faith ⭐ Family ⭐ Friends ⭐ Food ⭐ Memories ❤️🍁🌻