A tasty autumn twist on white chicken chili that adds a little pumpkin and some cashews to the mix to help thicken the chili and add creaminess without adding dairy. This “white” chili is rich in flavor with a little spicy heat that’s so perfectly hot and cozy for warming you up on chilly days.
In fact, the recipe is completely dairy free, so unless you add cheese on top, this creamy pumpkin turkey chili is great for the lactose intolerant who crave something creamy but don’t want to deal with the after effects. Personally, I can’t help myself … I’m SO in love with cheese … I just have to stir a bit of cheese into my chili, but it’s really quite good without any cheese. There are cashews in there as well, to make it even creamier.
I didn’t use white beans so it’s not very white, but if you want a lighter colored “white” chili, feel free to swap out the mixed beans for white ones. Personally, I so prefer the beautiful colors and flavors I get from using mixed beans.
On the other hand, if you’re okay with dairy, I am thinking this recipe might be even better if you add a couple ounces of light cream cheese and maybe even stir some shredded Mexican cheese into the chili. And some milk or cream in place of some of the broth? Okay, I might be doctoring up the rest of my batch of chili now that I’ve thought of that …
Can you see all the good seasonings, flavors and textures in that bowl?
Why add Pumpkin and Cashews to Chili?
Are you thinking the whole idea of adding pumpkin and nuts to chili is a little crazy? Maybe it is, but you guys, it works! These two magical ingredients really do add an extra dimension to this creamy chili recipe.
- Pumpkin provides a touch of sweetness and that nice rich creamy texture plus it adds vitamins A and C and extra fiber as well. Also, pumpkin helps your eyesight, reduces risk of cancer, lowers blood pressure and even helps you sleep.
- Cashews are the classic nut (well technically, a seed) that vegans use to make things taste creamy, so when you’re trying to make a white chili without milk or cream, they really are the perfect choice to make a white chili. When blended, cashews seriously taste like cream. Cashews are also low in sugar, rich in heart healthy fats, and a good source of protein and fiber as well as many important vitamins and minerals.
If cashews aren’t okay for any of your eaters, you can substitute another nut like almonds.
Print
Creamy Pumpkin Turkey Chili
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: about 9 cups 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons cashews
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 – 4 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 4 cups turkey or chicken broth (or 4 cups water + 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon)
- 1/4 cup dry lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups cooked beans, with juices
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
- 1 cup corn
- 2 cups chopped leftover turkey (or chicken)
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH: cumin, pumpkin pie spice (optional), smoked paprika, chili powder
- Finely chopped hot pepper (I used salsa peppers) or cayenne, to taste
Instructions
- Put the cashews in a small bowl of water and let them soak while you begin cooking the chili.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the olive oil and swirl or use a spatula to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, then stir in the celery and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the broth, dry lentils, bay leaf, beans and pumpkin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Drain off the liquid from the cashews. Remove a cup or so of the mixture from the soup pot and blend together with the cashews. (If you want to add cream cheese or cream/milk, this is the time to do it!)
- Stir the blended mixture back into the pot, then add in the corn, turkey and spices. Add hot pepper to taste. If the mixture is too thick, stir in some extra broth, milk or cream to thin. Cook until hot and bubbly. Enjoy!
Notes
© Copyright 2021, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
