It wouldn’t be fall without a really good new chili recipe, and this year I’ve got a super simple, completely delicious one for you. It’s pumpkin chorizo chili, packed with spices and topped with tangy yogurt and fresh ingredients to contrast the cozy chili. It is the perfect bowl of comfort to settle in with on Halloween night!
Every year for Halloween, my family has always made chili. It’s been a tradition ever since we were young. Halloween happens to be my twin brother’s birthday as well, so it’s always been a day of lots of celebration.
As kids we’d go trick or treating, come home to a bubbling pot of chili on the stove, and hocus pocus on in the background. We’d all gather around the fire to warm up before sitting down to a chili feast.
While there is no trick or treating anymore, we still manage to make chili on Halloween. And every year I’m inspired to share a new recipe on the blog. Last year was this delicious white bean and turkey chili. And this year…the very best pumpkin chorizo chili!
Chorizo browned off until caramelized, onions and peppers sauteed down, lots of spices stirred in, warming apple cider and pumpkin puree added with some canned tomatoes and beef stock as well, all simmered away with fresh oregano infusing the mixture. Once all the flavors meld together, beans are stirred in at the very end as the finishing touch.
It’s a bowl of absolute warming comfort, which is so very much needed on a cold Halloween night. To top it all off, I like adding freshly grated cheddar, thinly sliced chili peppers, scallions, and creamy yogurt. The freshness and tanginess of the yogurt helps cut the richness of the chili. It’s the best combination.
So find your biggest pot and get this pumpkin chorizo chili on the stovetop this Halloween! And maybe end the night with a sweet apple galette!!
PrintPumpkin Chorizo Chili with Yogurt & Herbs
warming pumpkin chorizo chili full of spices and tomatoes, topped with yogurt and fresh oregano
Ingredients
- ¾ lb raw chorizo
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 red peppers, thinly sliced
- 2 red fresno chili peppers, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
- 1 (15oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
toppings…
- 1–2 cups greek yogurt
- ½ lb cheddar cheese, shredded
- thinly sliced scallions
- thinly sliced red fresno chili peppers
- oregano leaves
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy-bottom pot (or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Use your hands to break apart the chorizo as you add it to the pot. Sear on all sides until caramelized and cooked through, breaking it apart even more with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate. Set aside.
- To the same pot, add a drizzle more olive oil. Add the onion and red peppers. Sauté for about 8 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Stir in the chili peppers and garlic. Cook for another minute or so. Use your hands to break apart the ground beef as you add it in. Brown the beef on all sides.
- Add in the spices. Cook for another minute or so. Stir in the cider, pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, beef stock, bay leaf, and oregano sprigs. Mix well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes on medium-low. Remove the lid and simmer for 20 more minutes, stirring often. Remove the bay leaf and oregano sprigs. Stir in the beans and heat through.
- Season the chili with salt to taste. Serve the chili with a dollop of yogurt, a handful of cheddar cheese, scallions, chili peppers, and oregano leaves on top.
