Pumpkin, Shrimp, and Black Bean Chili

🍤 Shrimp & Spice and Everything Nice: Your Post-Holiday Pumpkin Chili Cure

After the Thanksgiving feast, when the turkey is a distant memory and the pie crumbs are swept away, what remains? Often, it's a scattering of those adorable, sweet sugar pumpkins that were meant for decoration but are far too delicious to simply discard. Fear not, I have the perfect solution to transform those tender, flavorful pumpkins into a post-holiday fiesta for your taste buds: a Pumpkin, Shrimp, and Black Bean Chili with a vibrant Mexican twist!

Now, I'll admit, when the idea of putting pumpkin into a chili first came up, I had my serious doubts—Calabaza (pumpkin) in chili? It sounded a little crazy, but I LOVE to experiment in my kitchen and the truth is, pumpkins and squash have been at the heart of Mexican cuisine for millennia. They are native to the Americas and were one of the revered "Three Sisters" crops, a staple planted alongside corn and beans by ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. Honoring those roots, we're giving these sweet gourds their place in a savory dish!

The magic is in those tender sugar pumpkins. They cook down beautifully, adding a hearty richness and a lovely dense consistency to the broth that makes this chili incredibly satisfying. And remember, in true Mexican tradition, we don't waste anything: save those pumpkin seeds! Toast them up—they're called pepitas—and use them as a crunchy, nutty topping for your bowl of chili!

Imagine this: the subtle sweetness of the tender pumpkin mingling with the succulent bite of shrimp, all brought together in a smoky, spicy embrace with black beans and fire-roasted tomatoes. And to top it all off? A cool, zesty chipotle sour cream that will make your heart sing "olé!"

Ingredients

🥣 Chili

• 1 lb. raw shrimp cleaned

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp. chili powder

• 1 Tbsp. dried oregano

• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 3 to 4 cups cubed sweet pumpkin or butternut squash

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

• 1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• Chopped fresh cilantro

• Sliced fresh jalapeños

Chipotle Sour Cream

• 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

• 1 Tbsp. minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

• 2 tsp. fresh lime zest

• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

🥄 Chipotle Sour Cream Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, fresh lime zest, and fresh lime juice.

2. Stir until thoroughly combined.

3. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

4. Allow sour cream mixture to chill in the refrigerator and let flavors mingle

🌶️ Chili Instructions

1. Sauté Aromatics: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and red bell pepper until softened, about 5–7 minutes.

2. Add Spices and Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Don’t be afraid to add more spices to taste as the chili cooks.

3. Build the Chili Base: Add the cubed pumpkin, black beans, fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with their juice), and vegetable broth. Season with 1 1/4 tsp. of kosher salt and 1 tsp. of black pepper.

4. Simmer and Thicken: Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for at least 20–25 minutes. The pumpkin should become very tender, and some pieces will break down, naturally thickening the chili. You can continue to let the mixture simmer more to break down the pumpkin as much as you like.

5. Add Shrimp: Increase the heat to medium-low. Add the shrimp and stir them into the hot chili. Cook until the shrimp are opaque and pink, about 3–5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them.

6. Finish and Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt, pepper, or a pinch more chili powder) as needed. Serve hot, topped with the Chipotle Sour Cream, chopped cilantro and sliced jalapeños.

💡 Pro Tips: Toast Your Pepitas!

• For an authentic touch (and to honor the "no-waste" tradition), toast your reserved pumpkin seeds (pepitas) on a baking sheet sprinkled with salt, chili powder and/or cumin for about 10 minutes on 350 degrees and then pull them out and loosen them and scramble them up. Let them bake for another 5 minutes until they turn golden. Sprinkle them generously over your chili and chipotle sour cream for an amazing crunch!

• To achieve the “Three Sisters” combo of Mesoamerican culture, add corn to your chili! You can use a can of corn or corn sliced off the cob.

• Enjoy your post-holiday fiesta with blue corn chips or cornbread and a chilled Mexican beer!!