Name: Paleo Pumpkin Chili (Nightshade-Free)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 pound ground grass-fed beef or ground turkey; 1/2 onion, chopped; 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 cups beef broth; 2 cups butternut squash, cubed; 1/2 15 ounce can pumpkin puree; 1 beet, cooked and pureed; 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 bay leaf

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This flavorful Paleo Pumpkin Chili is a comfort food classic, made with a twist!

Hearty vegetables, creamy pumpkin, and warming spices combine to bring you a delicious chili without the legumes or nightshades.

There is something so comforting about a heaping bowl of chili, but if you follow an Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet and are eliminating nightshades, you may feel like you’re missing out. Well, not anymore my friends! I set out to create a nightshade-free AIP chili and OH MY GOODNESS is it delicious!

Whether you’re following an elimination diet or not, you will still enjoy this chili. My husband loves this paleo pumpkin chili and actually requests it more often than traditional chili!

Trust me friends, you won’t miss the nightshades in this chili recipe one bit!

What is the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Diet?

The AIP diet is a powerful protocol designed as an intervention for those with autoimmune disease and chronic illness. The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is meant to help you lower inflammation and reduce symptoms of autoimmune disease by discovering which foods best support your healing process.

Complete Guide to the AIP Diet + Free Food List

If you are new to the Autoimmune Protocol Diet or are interested in finding out if the protocol is right for you, ensure your success with this complete guide and free printable food list!

Paleo Pumpkin Chili Ingredients and Substitutions

This pumpkin chili recipe is Paleo, Whole30, AIP-friendly, and a staple you will enjoy all year long!

Ground Beef or Turkey – Feel free to use whichever ground protein you would like in this chili recipe. If using beef, I prefer to use grass-fed beef for optimal nutrients.
Onion and Garlic – Onion and garlic provide classic aromatics in this chili recipe. If you are following a Low FODMAP diet, you can substitute with my recommendations listed further down in this post.
Beef Broth – This adds a liquid base to the chili. If you don’t have beef broth on hand, feel free to substitute with chicken broth. Either will work in this recipe, but in my opinion, beef broth provides more depth of flavor in this dish.
Butternut Squash – The cubed butternut squash adds a nice chunkiness to this chili in place of diced bell pepper and beans. Feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
Pumpkin Puree – Pumpkin is the star of the show in this dish! I prefer to use canned pumpkin for convenience, but you can also use fresh. Kabocha squash (also known as Japanese pumpkin) would be a nice substitute.
Beet – The pureed beet adds a nice color to this chili.
Apple Cider Vinegar – Adds a splash of tang to replace the acidity of tomatoes.
Nightshade-Free Spices – A combination of ground cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, oregano, and bay leaf perfectly flavor this chili.

How to Make Nightshade-Free Chili

This recipe for pumpkin chili uses a combination of pumpkin and beet puree, butternut squash, and nightshade-free spices like cinnamon, turmeric, and cloves to create the deep, warming flavors of traditional chili without the nightshades. A splash of apple cider vinegar adds a nice tang to mimic the acidity of tomatoes.

Brown the ground meat with olive oil and salt.
Saute the aromatics until tender.
Deglaze the pan with broth and add the spices and bay leaf.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the butternut squash is tender.
Season with additional salt to taste and serve with your favorite toppings!

Can you Make This Recipe Low FODMAP?

The onion and garlic in this recipe provide a classic aromatic flavor. However, there are other ways to add this flavor without using FODMAP’s!

Try These Low FODMAP Substitutions:

Substitute the onion for chopped leek leaves (green parts only).
Substitute the garlic for garlic infused olive oil. How to: Infuse the garlic in the oil and then discarding the garlic itself. This is Low FODMAP compliant because garlic is water soluble, and is not oil soluble. This means that the FODMAPs within garlic will dissolve in water (and other water-based liquids like broth), but not in oil.

Can you Make This Recipe in the Instant Pot?

If you don’t want to make this chili over the stove, you can absolutely use the Instant Pot!

Instant Pot Instructions:

Start by setting your Instant Pot to saute mode. Then, add the oil and brown the ground meat with salt.
Add the onions and garlic and saute until tender.
Degalze the Instant Pot with beef broth.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, then manually release for 10 minutes.

How to Serve Paleo Pumpkin Chili

This nightshade-free pumpkin chili is the perfect dish to satisfy your chili cravings! Serve up this warm, meaty, saucy goodness with your favorite toppings.

Chili topping ideas:

Cilantro
Green onion
Chopped red onion
Sliced radishes
Fresh lime juice
Avocado
Coconut Cream
Siete grain-free tortilla chips

Other ways to enjoy this chili:

Spoon over baked potatoes or sweet potatoes
Make loaded chili fries
Serve over spaghetti squash
Top tortilla chips to make nachos

Can you Freeze Pumpkin Chili?

Yes, chili is the perfect recipe to make ahead and freeze! I like to make a double batch and freeze the second batch for easy weeknight meals. Store the chili in a freezer safe container like wide-mouth Mason Jars or Weck Jars. To reheat, either let it thaw in the fridge and microwave individual servings, or simmer on the stove to thaw and reheat.