Warm up to this delicious comfort food that is easily made in your Instant Pot - Pumpkin Turkey Chili. This no bean version is paleo, Whole30 and low carb and can quickly be made in under 30 minutes.
It's officially chili season.
There's something so homey and warm about a hearty bowl of chili, topped with generous amounts of cheese, sour cream and green onions.
But take that chili up a notch and add in seasonal pumpkin and use ground turkey as meat and it's fall in a bowl.
This easy chili recipe with turkey is one of our favorites. And now that we have the perfect weather for it, it's going back on our regular meal rotation. It has tons of flavor yet packed with nutrition.
And the best part is that this paleo Pumpkin Turkey Chili recipe is made in the pressure cooker in under 30 minutes. It's such a great meal for this time of year.
❤Why you'll love this Paleo Turkey Chili
- Taste & Texture - This comfort food has it all without the grains or legumes. With so much flavor, you won't miss the beans.
- Nourishing - Like mentioned, this pumpkin chili recipe is a no bean chili. We don't hate on properly prepared beans but sometimes it's good for your gut to take a break.
- Level of difficulty - Super easy to pull this turkey chili together. With just 15 minutes hands on time, let the Instant Pot do it's magic.
- Picky eaters: - Chilis are generally great for picky eaters because it's an easy way to sneak in more veggies. This easy Instant Pot chili is no different.
💭Good to Know: Loading a chili with extra veggies is a great way to add more flavor and nutrition. You won't miss the beans! No bean chili is commonly known as Texas chili or Chile con carne.
🦃Why add pumpkin to turkey chili?
Adding pumpkin to chili has so many benefits. You may be surprised to find that the chili actually becomes more flavorful from the pumpkin, but not in a cinnamony-pumpkin kind of way.
Also, because of its rich consistency, pumpkin puree can be used as a thickener yielding to a very rich chili.
But seemingly obvious reason to add pumpkin to chili is that it adds a nutritional punch.
Pumpkins are loaded with beta-carotene and other vitamins. And by using the puree, we can safely omit the beans. Beans, when not properly prepared, can be harsh on the gut but pumpkin is a great stand-in.
🍲Ingredients
This healthy turkey chili recipe is perfect on a cold day. And the simple ingredient list makes it ideal for a busy weeknight.
- ground turkey: turkey and pumpkin just goes well but if you don't have ground turkey, feel free to use ground chicken, pork or beef. Use lean protein for the chili and instead up your game with all the toppings.
- onion: yellow onion is best here
- green bell pepper: adds amazing flavor
- celery ribs: more flavor and nutrition
- garlic cloves: can't do chili without garlic
- ground cumin: another must in chilis
- chili powder
- pumpkin puree: my favorite pumpkin puree is the Trader Joe's brand
- diced tomatoes: crushed tomatoes will work too but my favorite are fire roasted tomatoes. Jovial is always ideal since they make jarred tomato products.
- bone broth: adds incredible nutrition
See recipe card for exact quantities.
💭Did you know? It's best to get tomato products in jars not cans. BPA leaches into food especially in a highly acidic environment like crushed and diced tomatoes.
📖Substitutions and Variations
Chilis are so forgiving - you can't really go wrong with them. Everything just melds together producing a delicious comfort food.
But consider adding these variations to this paleo pumpkin turkey chili:
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes while cooking to add more heat
- Meat - use a variety of meats: ground chicken, ground beef, pork or even chorizo is a great option; include ground organ meats for extra nutrition
- Skip pumpkin - and dice up butternut squash or sweet potatoes for a fun twist
- Deluxe - top with all your favorite toppings for a heartier bowl: diced avocado, green onion, sour cream, raw cheddar, and crushed tortilla chips (find out how to make your own here)
- Kid friendly - keep the spiciness down and chop everything finely so it becomes more of a pureed chili
💭Make it Nutrient-Dense: Add ground organ meats like beef liver or heart in addition to ground meat for added nutrients.
💭Helpful Tips
- 🕐Time Saving Tip: Chop all the veggies during your bulk weekly meal prep time (it really cuts down on prep time before dinner!)
- 💲 Money Saving Tip: Many needed pantry staples can be bought on sale in larger quantities. This pumpkin chili is a great pantry meal!
- 🗓Make-Ahead Tip: This is a great option for meal prep because chili only gets better with age. It's great for leftover lunch or dinner as it lasts up to a week and freezes great.
- 🚫Skip the salt: I didn't add salt as an ingredient because of so many varying factors. Adjust salt as necessary after chili powder, broth, diced tomatoes, and pumpkin puree has been added.
👩🏽🍳Step-by-Step Instructions
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience.
This paleo turkey chili recipe calls for these ingredients: ground turkey meat, yellow onion, green bell pepper, celery ribs, garlic cloves, ground cumin, chili powder, pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, and bone broth (beef or chicken broth will work).
Step 1. Saute veggies.
Press the "saute" button on Instant Pot. When the screen displays "hot" add avocado oil into the inner pot. Add diced onions, bell peppers, and celery and saute until softened (approximately 5 minutes).
💭Helpful Tip: Make sure your pot is hot before adding oil and also give a few seconds for the oil to heat up before adding vegetables.
Step 2. Cook ground meat.
Once the vegetables have softened, move them to the side of the pot, creating a well in the center.
Add ground meat to the center and break it up and stir occasionally.
Step 3. Dump all the rest.
Press "cancel" button on Instant Pot to turn off the saute function.
Add minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, pumpkin puree, canned diced tomatoes, and bone broth.
Close the lid, set the valve to "sealing" position. Press "manual" and turn the time down to 4 minutes cooking time.
Step 4. Cook chili.
Once cooking cycle is complete, turn off the Instant Pot. You can either do a quick pressure release (QPR) or allow to naturally pressure release (NPR).
Once pressure has been fully released, and the safety valve has been lowered, open the lid and serve.
Serve pumpkin turkey chili with your favorite fixings like cilantro, green onions, jalapenos, sour cream and cheese.
🔪Helpful Tools & Links
Below are some affiliate links that may be helpful to you as you make this paleo chili recipe. You can find some of these items cheaper at your local store but it helps to have a link so you know what you're looking for.
- Tools: chef knife, cutting board, Instant Pot pressure cooker,
- Ingredients: avocado oil, ground cumin, chili powder, pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, sea salt, black pepper,
- Storage Supplies: wide-mouth mason jars for leftovers, glass snap containers, souper cubes
🥗Serving Suggestions
This easy Instant Pot chili is best served with all your favorite chili toppings. It would pair fabulously with a side of corn bread or white rice if you're looking for healthy grains.
Check out this post on how to make soaked white rice in the Instant Pot.
If you're sticking to paleo chili, go with chili standards like diced avocado, fresh cilantro, green onions, and jalapenos. You can take that up a notch and top with lacto-fermented jalapeno peppers or roasted jalapenos. They both add a great kick!
If you tolerate dairy, add some raw cheddar and sour cream. And top with crushed up tortilla chips made with sprouted corn.
♨️Storage and Reheating Instructions
To store: Leftover turkey chili can be refrigerated for up to 7 days or frozen in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 3 months. Make a large batch and stock your freezer for easy future meals!
Storage containers: These glass containers are perfect for leftovers or to freeze chili. But these freezer souper cubes are ideal to freeze the chili, then transfer to freezer bag.
To reheat: If in containers, thaw chili first, then transfer to small saucepan and gently reheat on stove top. If using souper cubes, pop them frozen into a saucepan and heat on medium-low heat until warmed through.
💬FAQs
No bean chili is also known as Texas chili and it is made entirely without any beans. This recipe is a healthier version than typical chili recipe because it is compliant with paleo diet. This healthy chili recipe is made with lean ground turkey and tons of veggies. There are additional ways to increase nutrition by adding ground organ meats and topping with raw cheddar and sour cream.
There's so much flavor in this paleo turkey chili that you won't notice the pumpkin. The star of this chili is undoubtedly the pumpkin puree for all the reasons mentioned above. But for all the pumpkin skeptics -- you can't really taste or smell the pumpkin flavor. This chili passes the taste test for my pumpkin-hating child.
Looking for more easy Instant Pot recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this? Please leave a ⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Healthy Paleo Pumpkin Turkey Chili Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, lard, tallow or butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 12 oz pumpkin puree
- 1 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 3 cups bone broth
Instructions
- Press "saute" on Instant Pot. When screen displays "hot", add avocado oil or another healthy fat. Saute onions, bell peppers, and celery until softened (approximately 5 minutes).
- Move veggies to the sides of the pot. Add turkey directly into the center well and brown, breaking up the meat.
- Press "cancel" to turn off the saute function. Add garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, pumpkin puree, tomatoes, and bone broth. Give a stir to combine well.
- Close lid, set the valve to "sealing" position. Press "manual" and turn the time down to 4 minutes cooking time.
- When cooking cycle is complete, turn off the Instant Pot and either do quick pressure release (QPR) or let sit to naturally release pressure. Once pressure is released and it is safe to do so, open the lid and serve.
- Enjoy chili with favorite fixings such as cilantro, green onions, jalapenos, sour cream and cheese.
Notes
- Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Double batch and freeze for an easy future meal.
- To reheat: gently warm in a small saucepan on stove top over medium-low heat.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided for your convenience by an online calculator. It should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our complete Nutritional Information Disclaimer.
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This post was originally published November 2018 but has since been updated to include helpful information.
