I first shared this slow cooker lentil and pumpkin chili recipe in October 2012 – over 4 years ago! A few people mentioned to me that it was too spicy, so I retested it and made a few changes that improve the chili’s overall flavor.
First I doubled the traditional chili powder and cut back on the chipotle powder, which is much spicier. I also made the chipotle powder optional, although I do love the spicy, smokey flavor it adds. If you choose to leave it out, I recommend having some Chipotle Tabasco on hand so everyone can customize their bowl.
I also swapped the water for vegetable broth and increased the amount. This adds more flavor and results in a vegetarian chili that isn’t as thick as my original recipe was.
Oh, and I took new pictures. Because my photography skills have definitely improved over the years. You can still see the original photos at the end of this post!
My slow cooker has been a lifesaver this fall. Life has been insanely busy, and I haven’t had much time or energy to cook. Being able to come home from work to a hot and ready meal is basically the only thing keeping me from eating take out every night.
You guys have to try this slow cooker chili recipe! The lentils give the stew a nice, meaty flavor and the pumpkin adds a touch of sweetness and really thickens everything up. It’s warm and cozy and perfect for fall. (Make sure you use 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened and has all sorts of spices in it. If you can’t find it in the baking aisle, look by the dog food. I know that sounds insane, but apparently that’s where our local Whole Foods keeps it when it isn’t pumpkin pie season. I never would have found it if I didn’t ask!)
In addition to a simple, no fuss dinner this slow cooker lentil and pumpkin chili is great for football season – and we all know how hard it is to find healthy tailgating recipes, right? I love this chili tucked inside a baked potato and topped with a little cheese or sour cream (accidental bonus: it even looks like a football served this way) but it’s also great on top of a hot dog or as the base for some epic sheet pan nachos.
Slow Cooker Lentil and Pumpkin Chili
6 adjust servings Ingredients
- 1 can (15.9 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.9 ounce) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.9 ounce) fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 can (15.9 ounce) pumpkin puree
- 2.5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup lentils (dry )
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir well.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Nutrition Facts Serving Size Amount Per Serving As Served Calories 306kcal Calories from fat 17 % Daily Value Total Fat 2g 3% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Sodium 815mg 34% Carbohydrate 58g 19% Dietary Fiber 18g 72% Sugars 8g Protein 18g
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
Calories 2000 Total Fat Less than 65g Sat Fat Less than 25g Cholesterol Less than 300mg Sodium Less than 2,400mg Total Carbohydrate 300g Dietary Fiber 25g
MAKING ONE OF MY RECIPES? Share a photo on my Facebook page or tag @HealthyDelish on Instagram. Nothing makes me happier than seeing people enjoy my recipes!
And don't forget to sign up for email updates so you'll never miss a new recipe.
Slow Cooker Lentil and Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
- 1 can (15.9 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.9 ounce) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.9 ounce) fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 can (15.9 ounce) pumpkin puree
- 2.5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup lentils (dry )
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir well.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. Adjust seasoning to taste.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 306kcal Calories from fat 17 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Sodium 815mg | 34% |
| Carbohydrate 58g | 19% |
| Dietary Fiber 18g | 72% |
| Sugars 8g | |
| Protein 18g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
MAKING ONE OF MY RECIPES? Share a photo on my Facebook page or tag @HealthyDelish on Instagram. Nothing makes me happier than seeing people enjoy my recipes!And don't forget to sign up for email updates so you'll never miss a new recipe.
Here are the original photos that went with this recipe:
wow so amazing i like the chili stuff a lot and everyone also in my house. I’ll definitely try tonight. Just make it good as like you, please God give this power that i can make it good. And everyone will like it.
Thank you
Looks good I have red split lentils and whole green/brown lentils Did you use the latter? I am going to make it and serve with corn Bread.
Yes, I used brown lentils
After I started making it I thought oh no none of the men in my family will eat it. Well let me tell you I was wrong, it turned out beautifully, there isn’t any left. I made it on the stove top: added two whole onions and 4 cloves of garlic, I also used a large can of regular tomatoes and a small can of diced tomatoes with green chiles. I have chipotle chili powder and used it along with regular chili powder. Not to spicy at all! I chopped an avocado and had shredded cheese to serve along with it. With chips and grapes. Great before a school concert! I’ll be making it again.
So glad it was a hit!
Why isn’t there an option for us to print this recipe?
There should be a link to print at the top of the recipe card, right next to the link to save.
Your older photos still look pretty good to me. However, I do think your new ones are stunning!
I love this recipe. Very flavorful and hearty!
Love how thick this soup is! I used diced and fire roasted organic tomatoes with green chiles, and split lentils, since that’s what I had in the house. The only spice I used was 1 tsp of chili powder. I was able to simmered it on the stove for 1 hour since the split lentils didn’t need a long time to cook. Definitely will be making this again! Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!!
It’s so fun to look back on old photos and see how much things have changed…and also to look back on old recipes and see how much tastes have changed! Though this still looks absolutely delicious…definitely a veg chili I need to try!
I used roasted acorn squash instead of pumpkin and added 1.5 teaspoons of cumin, substituted ancho chili for chipolte and threw in a jalepeno minced with seeds.
using acorn squash is an awesome idea! yum!
I had such high hopes for this & as in almost all my cooking, used all organic ingredients (except for the chili powder. It was Gebhardt as that’s what my son brought me from the store since I forgot to get it on my trip.) No flavor. Just HOT. I double checked all the ingredients AND AMOUNTS just to make sure I didnt screw it up on my end. Fail for me 🙁
I’m so sorry that this didn’t work out for you. I’m not familiar with Gebhardt chili powder (I usually use McCormick). I know that other people love this recipe but a few have said it’s too spicy for their tastes. I do plan to retest it myself soon!
Can the heat be tempered to taste by slowly adding yogurt (or sour cream) before serving? I’ve seen this done in Indian restaurants.
Yes, although it really isn’t very spicy. You can either scoop it on top or stir it in. If you choose to stir it in, be sure to use full fat cream/yogurt and do it off heat – otherwise it might curdle.
Thank you for responding. I added a few things that tempered the heat some. Overall, it’s a good recipe that I would make again but with less pepper.:-)
Thank you for your recipe. This is in my Crock Pot cooking now. I’m unfamiliar with ground chipolte chili pepper so just used what the recipe called for. I tasted it. It is hot! Should I really have used the tablespoon called for in the recipe? Any ideas how I can temper the heat?
Did you taste the pepper itself, or mixed with everything else? It is strong, but should be balanced out by the rest of the ingredients in the recipe. If it’s still too hot for your liking, you can add some extra stock or water to the chili to dilute the spices a little more. The chili is really thick, so it can handle extra liquid without getting too soup.
You really shouldn’t support wasteful products such at the slow-cooker liners. The LAST thing we need to do is make more garbage. Elbow grease people!
I made this on a snow day and it was beyond awesome! Didn’t have the tomatoes with green chilies so I used a can of chopped green chilies and near the end of cooking threw in halved grape tomatoes and a can of corn.
Served this over baked potatoes with sour cream. I think the texture of lentils help you forget there is no meat in this. It’s definitely hearty and doesn’t seem “vegetarian” to me although I have to confess I used chicken broth instead of the water.
My husband & I loved this and I put it on file for a definite future repeat. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so happy that you liked it – hearing that always makes my day! 🙂
You could add just a little low-sodium chicken broth to prevent the breasts drying out.
The Beanery was the actually the first true forerunner for slow
cookers. In a lot of cases, the best types of meat to
make use of in slow cooking are often the less costly cuts because the greater fat content means
that the meat becomes beautifully tender throughout the duration of cooking.
This looks so delicious! My husband and I are both vegan so this would be perfect for work lunches. Do you think I could cook this on the stove instead of a slow cooker? My slow cooker is too small 🙁
Sure! There’s no reason that it can’t be made on stovetop, but you may have to make some adjustments to ensure that the lentils cook. I’d probably cook them separately from everything else and add them in once they’re already soft just to be safe.
Thank you so much! Making this now for dinner 🙂
I’ve been wanting to make a pumpkin chili, but I knew my husband wouldn’t go for it. This is perfect to take with me to work for lunch! Thanks!
As the weather gets colder, I can definitely use a few more warm, fiber-rich meals like this one to add to my recipe repertoire. Thanks for the inspiration!
1) I have slow cooker liners, but I regularly forget to use them. My slow cooker is black as well and I totally sympathize with your plight. It’s so hard to get clean!
2) I make chili fairly regularly, but I never think to put it on baked potatoes for some reason. Thanks for the inspiration; definitely doing so soon!
You KNOW I’m giving myself for giving my slow cooker away right now. you just know it.