This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Jump to Recipe

This pumpkin lentil chili recipe is hearty fall comfort food loaded with plant protein and fresh vegetables! Great as a meal prep or game day dinner.

Serve with a slice of thick crusty bread or cornbread, and top with your favorite toppings: cilantro, crackers, sour cream or coconut cream, and melty cheese.

savory pumpkin recipes vegan gluten free healthy pumpkini chili recipe for game day superbowl super bowl party vegan chili best recipes for cookouts make ahead meals and meal prep dinners high protein pumpkin soup

Table of Contents

Fall gives me an excuse to add pumpkin to any meal! And this pumpkin lentil chili recipe is a delicious fall meal that everyone at the table will love – it’s a favorite on our homestead for sure. I love eating pumpkin, it really is one of my favorite foods.

Canned pumpkin works great in this chili (just make sure you get plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix!) or you can make your own puree with your leftover small sugar pie pumpkins from Halloween.

This Pumpkin Lentil Chili Recipe Is:

Rich
Hearty
Thick
Loaded with Flavor
Perfect for Fall
Earthy
High Protein
Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Lentil and pumpkin chili recipe with beans red lentils corn peppers onions and tvp ground meat healthy vegan gluten free vegetarian meatless

High Protein Pumpkin Soup for the Win!

I love pumpkin because of how versatile it is – it works so well in high protein dishes with beans and lentils. You can use it in savory dishes like this hearty lentil chili. And it’s also great to add to baked goods and desserts.

I made an amazing vegan pumpkin spice bread recipe a few weeks ago! I enjoy pumpkin all year round, so I make sure to stock up on canned pumpkin in the fall when it is on sale.

Make Pumpkin Chili Vegan for a Plant-Based Version

This vegan pumpkin chili recipe is a simple way to get extra veggies in your diet. I’m all about making recipes plant-based when I can. Vegan cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. By building meals around vegan pantry staples and swapping in a few plant-based ingredients you can make better meals for you and your family.

vegan pumpkin lentil chili recipe vegetarian gluten free high protein pantry staple ingredeints recipes healthy meal prep for fall or winter recipes with canned pumpkin

What In This Vegan Lentil and Pumpkin Chili Recipe?

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Pumpkin: you can use canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree (just make sure not to use sweetened pumpkin pie mix).
Red Lentils: for extra protein! You can use any variety of lentil, but I used red lentils to enhance the rich orange color of the chili
Bell Peppers
Diced tomatoes
Kidney Beans: Like tomatoes, I only use no salt added beans in my pantry – using unsalted canned beans lets you control the amount of salt in you dish for better flavor!
Onion
Carrots
Spices: chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes for heat
Corn
Toppings: fresh chopped cilantro, red onion, coconut cream, sourdough croutons, or melty cheese

healthy low calorie pumpkin vegetable chili recipe skinny chili no meat vegetarian vegan high protein healhy veganuary gluten free lentil and beans meatless chili recipe best spicy

How Do I Make This Vegan Pumpkin Chili Recipe?

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onions and sauté on low for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the carrots, bell pepper, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, and salt to the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon for a minute until the spices have coated the vegetables.
To the pot, add the lentils, vegetable stock, and diced tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook on low heat for 30 minutes or until carrots have cooked through.
Add the pumpkin puree kidney beans, and corn, and stir well to combine. Add hot sauce if you like a spicier chili. Cook for another 10 minutes on low heat until chili is hot and simmering.
Serve in bowls, and add any toppings you like! Fiesta forever 🙂

best chili to make with pantry staple ingredients that you already have in your cupboards without a trip to the store no meat chili high protein

One of the BEST Pantry Staple Dinner Recipes

This vegan pumpkin chili recipe is a fantastic pantry-staple meal! It uses almost all ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards. You probably already have a lot of these ingredients on hand! Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious and easy meals using a few staples you can rotate.

I have a whole section of this site dedicated to my favorite pantry staple meals. By stocking up on whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!

More Fall Dinner Recipes You’ll Love:

Instant Pot Baked Ziti

Sheet Pan Chickpea & Root Vegetable Dinner

Lentil Pasta Fagioli Soup

Vegan Black Eyed Pea Soup with Sausage and Collard Greens

easy lentil chili recipe with canned pumpkin vegan meatless gluten free red lentils and kidney beans recipe homemade chili for vegans and vegetarians and gluten free diet

Let’s connect on social!

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn from qualifying purchases from affiliate programs, at no additional cost to you. Please read our privacy policy for more information.