I make this for my family every Halloween. It’s a different way to use canned pumpkin and also a fast and easy pantry dinner. Canned pumpkin is full of vitamin A, which is important for a growing baby’s eye and skin health.
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (optional, SEE NOTE at bottom of recipe)
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes
1+½ cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 teaspoons bouillon)
1 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
For the top: pasteurized queso fresco, sour cream and avocados
Preparation
PREP: Chop onion as small as you can get it. Peel and chop garlic. Chop 1 chipotle pepper in adobo. Measure out cumin, chili powder. Open the tomato, pumpkin and bean cans. Drain the beans.
Heat oil in a pot over high heat. Once it shimmers in the pan, add the onions and turn the heat down to medium. Cook the onion until it is see through and brown on the edges (about 5 minutes).
Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add in the chipotle peppers (if using), tomatoes, broth, drained beans and pumpkin. Turn heat to high to bring it to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 10 -30 minutes (the longer you wait, the better the flavors will be).
Serve as is, or blend in a blender until smooth. Try it both ways and see what you like.
To serve, sprinkle the top with queso fresco, avocados and chopped cilantro. Serve with warm bread or quesadillas.
*NOTE: Chipotle peppers are hot peppers in a smoky sauce. They come in a small can. There are several peppers in the can with sauce. You will only use about ½ of a pepper for this recipe. You can put the rest of the peppers and sauce in a ziploc sack and freeze them for a few years. When another recipe calls for peppers in adobo, just break off a chunk from your frozen stash. If you do not like spicy food, leave the chipotle peppers out of this recipe.