Vegetarian Recipe: Pumpkin Chili — Recipes from the Kitchn

But I'm sort of a chicken, so I called my friend Gabrielle, an actual chef with lots of experience in vegetarian kitchens, to ask if my idea was gross. I mean, if you can't find it on Google, maybe there's a reason. She thought it would work, and even responded with some enthusiasm, so I went for it. I added turnips for flavor and to lighten up the dish just a little. (I was also going through a turnip phase, and pretty much added turnips to everything.) The chili turned out to be a hit with everyone. Even the kids like it, and I'm glad to get something healthy into their stomachs before the onslaught of candy. But I'm sort of a chicken, so I called my friend Gabrielle, an actual chef with lots of experience in vegetarian kitchens, to ask if my idea was gross. I mean, if you can't find it on Google, maybe there's a reason. She thought it would work, and even responded with some enthusiasm, so I went for it. I added turnips for flavor and to lighten up the dish just a little. (I was also going through a turnip phase, and pretty much added turnips to everything.) The chili turned out to be a hit with everyone. Even the kids like it, and I'm glad to get something healthy into their stomachs before the onslaught of candy.

Over the years, I've kept track of what went into the pot. The first time, I was sipping a little celebratory Halloween bubbly while I cooked, so the recipe wasn't exactly precise. Since then, pumpkin chili is our regular Halloween night meal, and we invite people to drop in for a bowl and help us hand out candy.

Our meat-eating friends never notice the lack of animal protein in my pumpkin chili. It can easily be made vegan, too, by adding extra olive oil to replace the butter, and serving dairy-free toppings in place of the cheddar cheese and sour cream, or skipping them entirely. The chili is also gluten-free, though you should check your ingredients just in case. (Some broths, canned goods and tomato paste can have sneaky gluten.) Speaking of broth, feel free to substitute chicken broth or whatever you have on hand if you aren't vegetarian. Heck, you can even crumble a little bacon over the top. Our meat-eating friends never notice the lack of animal protein in my pumpkin chili. It can easily be made vegan, too, by adding extra olive oil to replace the butter, and serving dairy-free toppings in place of the cheddar cheese and sour cream, or skipping them entirely. The chili is also gluten-free, though you should check your ingredients just in case. (Some broths, canned goods and tomato paste can have sneaky gluten.) Speaking of broth, feel free to substitute chicken broth or whatever you have on hand if you aren't vegetarian. Heck, you can even crumble a little bacon over the top.

3-pound pie pumpkin or other orange-fleshed squash such as butternut, Red Kuri, or Golden Hubbard

2 medium turnips, about ¾ pound

½ cup unsalted butter

½ cup olive oil

½ cup finely ground cornmeal

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups vegetarian broth

2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel

2 16-ounce cans chili beans, drained

2 cups frozen corn

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin

Several dashes vegetarianWorcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Balsamic vinegar, to taste

Chopped green onions, to serve

Shredded cheddar cheese, to serve

Sour cream, to serve

Directions at thekitchn.com

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