What You’ll Learn
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Why sugar pumpkins make a flavorful, nutrient-rich base for seasonal cooking
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How fire-roasted peppers and green tomatoes create a deep, cozy chili profile
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How to fold just better.® prebiotic fiber into hearty dishes
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Simple storage tips to keep your leftovers fresh and delicious
JBB Recipe of the Week:
Pumpkin Fire-Roasted Poblano Chili
There’s something special about the dishes that show up after Thanksgiving, the kind of comfort food that uses what’s left from the holiday and turns it into something warm, fragrant, and shareable. This week, our just better.® Super Fan Chef BFF brought that spirit straight into the kitchen with a seasonal chili that celebrates the final days of “sugar pumpkin season.”
Her Pumpkin Fire-Roasted Poblano Chili brings together roasted pumpkin, smoky peppers, hearty beans, and rich aromatics for a bowl that’s cozy, colorful, and full of late-fall flavor. If you’ve still got a small pie pumpkin on the counter or a butternut squash waiting for a moment for its moment to shine, this is your chance!
Ingredient Highlight: Fresh Pumpkin
Sugar pumpkins (sometimes called pie pumpkins) offer a naturally sweet, earthy flavor that blends beautifully with savory spices. Unlike carving pumpkins, these small baking pumpkins have a smooth texture that holds up well in soups and chilis without becoming mushy.
Sugar pumpkins bring natural sweetness, gentle fiber, and several key nutrients to seasonal cooking. They’re a strong source of vitamin A and also provide vitamin C and potassium. Their dense, fine-textured flesh holds up well in soups and chilis, adding warmth and depth to every bowl.
Chef Note: Roasting intensifies their sweetness, giving this chili a hearty, seasonal base that feels right at home in late November cooking. 😋
With the pumpkin ready to shine, here’s how Chef BFF’s seasonal chili comes together.
Pumpkin Fire-Roasted Poblano Chili
Ingredients
Yield 6 Servings
2 lb whole pie/sugar pumpkin (butternut squash if pumpkins are no longer available).
1 lb organic grass-fed ground beef
Avocado oil, as needed for sautéing
1 large Walla Walla onion, large-diced
4 fire-roasted poblanos, peeled and de-seeded, 15 oz large dice (about 1½ cups)
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 bay leaves
¼ Cup of just better.® prebiotic fiber
2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base
2 cups of water
2 (14.5 oz) cans of Muir Glen Organic Fire-Roasted Petite Green Tomatoes
2 (15 oz) cans large kidney beans (or desired variety)
Preparation
1. Roast the Pumpkin
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy inner parts with an ice cream scoop. Rub the insides lightly with avocado oil, then place the halves cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roast for about 30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. While the pumpkin roasts, prepare the remaining ingredients.
Once cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1-inch cubes, and set aside to add at the very end.
2. Brown the Beef
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef over medium heat, adding a drizzle of avocado oil if needed.
Sprinkle in chili powder, Spiva Smokey Blackberry Honey Powder, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt.
Sauté until the beef is browned and slightly caramelized, about 6–8 minutes.
Remove excess fat if necessary and set the beef aside. Reserve some of the beef drippings for later use.
3. Add Aromatics
Using some of the beef dripping, sauté the diced onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Build the Base
Add the roasted poblanos, Better Than Bouillon, water, fire-roasted tomatoes (with their juices), and just better.® prebiotic fiber. Stir to dissolve the bouillon base.
Add the drained and rinsed kidney beans (or your preferred variety) and the browned beef. Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Simmer & Develop Flavor
Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30–40 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Chef Note: The chili will thicken and darken as the flavors meld. Add water if needed to reach your desired consistency.
6. Finish & Serve
Gently fold in the roasted pumpkin cubes at the end to keep them intact.
Taste and season with sea salt or a drizzle of honey for balance, if desired.
Ladle into bowls, serve hot with optional toppings such as crème fraîche or sour cream, roasted pumpkin seeds, or chopped cilantro, and grated cheese of your choice.
Fresh sourdough or cornbread makes an excellent side.
Chef Note: To make plant-based, omit beef and add a pound of your favorite vegetables or veggie crumbles.
Storage Tips
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Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.
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This chili freezes beautifully - allow it to cool, then keep it in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Cooking with just better.® Prebiotic Fiber
Warm, hearty dishes like chili are perfect for stirring in just better.® prebiotic fiber. It dissolves easily, making it an effortless way to add gentle, prebiotic soluble fiber to any drink, meal, or snack.
Each tablespoon of just better.® brings 5 grams of soluble fiber to your recipes, helping you reach daily fiber goals.
Everyday Cozy Cooking
From cozy leftovers to cold-weather cooking, this seasonal chili brings big flavor and nourishing ingredients to the table. If a sugar pumpkin is still sitting on the counter after Thanksgiving, this is its moment.
Stay warm, enjoy your bowl, and keep living fiber-rich with just better.®. 💚
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