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Comment RSSVegetarian Pumpkin Chili
September 28, 2009 # 9:40 am # Cooking # 21 Comments
There are some recipes that I’ve had for so long that I just don’t know where the base of them came from. If I knew where I got started with this one I would happily give credit where it is due, but alas my Smart Kahuna title is fast becoming more ironic than apt, as I spend more and more time talking mostly to the 3 and a 4 year old Wee Kahunas and my brain turns into mush…
This time of year, my synapses kick in a bit due to the clear cool air and I always come back to this favorite use of pumpkin (well, to be fair, my non-sweet favorite use of pumpkin.)
Over time I’ve tried variations of the recipe with more or less of the curry flavors, with and without the cinnamon. The ingredients listed below make up my favorite combination so far. If you like spice then you can add more of the curry and even cumin and turn this into a sudo-Indian dish, If you like meat, well then go for it…but the Bulgar and pumpkin do some sort of magic thing in the pot that is worth trying once as is. Oh! and your house will smell amazing…
Ingredients:
- 1 Medium to Large Sugar pumpkin (you’ll find these in produce section not the kind for carving)
- 1 Large white or yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 4 Roma or tomatoes
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups beans (i like black beans for this but kidney would work nicely)
- 2 cups cooked bulgar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Method:
Split the pumpkin in half and drizzle with a bit of the olive oil, roast with seeds still inside on baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Spoon the pumpkin out – it looks a lot like a spaghetti squash. Set aside the seeds (I use a strainer in the sink to get rid of the bits of pumpkin left on them, toss onto the baking sheet and toast a little longer with some sea salt to use as a garnish)
In a large pot, saute the onions and garlic in the oil. Add in the spices – Chile powder, curry powder, cinnamon and salt and brown for a few minutes (this step really makes a difference – be sure the spices get good and toasted), then add chopped tomatoes. Add the water and pumpkin and raise heat to bring to a boil. Add in the beans and already cooked Bulgar. Lower heat and simmer for about twenty minutes (sometimes I end up adding a bit more water to make the consistency match chili more.)
Top the cooked Chili with the toasted pumpkin seeds just before serving so they stay crunchy.
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I’ve never tried pumpkin as anything other than pie. Sounds great though. Could I use squash if I can’t find a sugar pumpkin?
Hi Kathy! Welcome to The Cluttered Pantry. You really should be able to find sugar pumpkins in your produce isle this time of year, but if you can’t or just don’t want to deal with it, I think a spaghetti squash would work great, or for that matter a roasted acorn squash would be yummy too. I hope you’ll try it and then let us know what you think.
best,
bh
this looks amazing, thank you! I’m going to try it.
You know, I’ve been a vegetarian for more than half my life, and it never occurred to me to put pumpkin in ANYTHING other than pie. Now I’m the one not feeling so smart.
ohhh, then you haven’t tried it in baked pasta?
This is one of my favorites:
1 pound Pasta (rigatoni or something else short)
2 cups Pumpkin, roasted then cut into bite size pieces
1 Small Onion cut into thin slices
1/2 cup Cream
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
2 Garlic Cloves
1/4 Water
Roast the pumpkin, cook the pasta (but leave it a bit bitey)- then after you saute the onion and garlic, in the olive oil, toss the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT THE CHEESE) into the pan and toss around for a bit before putting into a baking dish (or same pan if you have one of those cool ones that you can stick in the oven) and cover with the Parm and any other cheese you really like and bake at 400 degrees until bubbly..
When I’m feeling super efficient I roast several pumpkins at a time and make the chili, at least one pasta, and then blenderize the left over for use in soups.. Pumpkin is your friend!
Wow, I love everything pumpkin. I can’t wait to make this.
just a note, usually all photos are mine, for this post (since the pot is bubbling on the stove as I type I used a great stock image from http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=580401
I love love love pumpkin and I really can’t wait to try this.
Also I emailed you my photos for my blog did you ever get those?
What about adding CORN, too?! Delish! Especially on a blustery day like today.
Ooooh I’ve never had this kind of chili before but sounds amazing during the fall!
Bulgar? Is that a kind if flour? More info please, the rest of recipe sounds worth trying with the pumpkins we just harvested.
Oh Gosh Damien, I’m sorry – I’m often unsure about how much detail to go into in these posts.
Bulgar Wheat can be bought in most stores and comes in a “quick cooking” version that I think you will prefer. It will be a bag of actual whole wheat grains (looks a bit like brown rice but the grains are smaller)
If you have ever had Tabbouleh? The main ingredient is Bulgar.
If it throws you too much, the chili recipe can be done with rice, or potato or really any starch, I just prefer the bulgar (it is soooooo good for you, and the nutty taste really makes it work with the pumpkin.)
Hope that helps. Let me know if you need more, and welcome to The Cluttered Pantry!
I was still on your site. Reading about your trip to Siberia when I saw your reply! Now that is service. I have had Tabbouleh, but never knew that’s what is in it (nor how to spell it until now) got a recipe for that? I figure if I’m going to buy a whole new item for MY pantry I should use it. Thanks!
Nothing like the speed of the interwebs to keep interaction going.. I do have a recipe that will use your new found ingredient:
Tabbouleh
2 cups Bulgar (presoak for at least an hour – just put it in a bowl and pour a cup of water for every cup of bulgar on top and let sit, drain off the water before using)
3 cups chopped up flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup of mint leaves chopped really fine
2 or 3 scallion (green onion) diced
3 medium tomatoes (remove the seeds and dice)
1 cucumber (i like to peel them, sliced)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin (ground not seeds)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 or 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
Mix everything together except the cucumber and oil. put into the fridge and chill for about an hour. Stir again and add the olive oil and mix the cucumbers in.
Hope you like it!
Bulgar is also excellent to keep on hand to throw into soups (especially tomato).
I love to use pumpkin in savory dishes – this chili sounds fantastic!
[...] Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili # 16 [...]
I’m always looking for new vegetarian recipes, and this one sounds yummy! I hope the whole family will enjoy it!
[...] The Cluttered Pantry » Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili [...]
I just used two of my hundreds (what was I thinking at planting time?)pumpkins for pumpkin/apple butter. I have never used them for chili, I will have to give it a try, thanks. First time visiting…kim