When the evenings get dark early and everyone is hungry the second they walk in the door, this pumpkin beef and chickpea stew is the cozy, one-pot dinner I reach for. Browned ground beef, warm fall spices, chickpeas, and pasta simmer together in beef broth, then get folded into a silky pumpkin sauce made creamy with blended cottage cheese. It's hearty, high in protein, and on the table in about 30 minutes with just one pot to wash.
Pumpkin puree usually gets saved for pies and lattes, but it's one of the best-kept secrets for savory fall cooking. It gives this stew a velvety body and a subtle sweetness that plays beautifully with chili powder, cumin, rosemary, and just a pinch of cinnamon. This is the kind of meal that fits right into busy fall weeknights between school pickups and practices, and it's just as good packed up for lunch the next day.
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Ingredients
Every ingredient here pulls its weight. Lean ground beef, chickpeas, pasta, and cottage cheese stack up to a seriously high-protein bowl, while pumpkin puree and tomato paste build a rich, creamy sauce without any heavy cream.
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion, diced
- Garlic, minced
- Ground beef
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Dried rosemary
- Ground cinnamon
- Pasta
- Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Beef broth
- Water
- Pumpkin puree
- Cottage cheese
- Tomato paste
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh herbs, for garnish
- Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This whole stew comes together in one large pot. Have your onion diced, garlic minced, and chickpeas drained before you start, because things move quickly once the beef hits the pan.
- Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.
- Step 2: Add the ground beef, chili powder, cumin, rosemary, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Break the beef into small crumbles with a wooden spoon and cook until browned with no pink remaining, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain off excess fat if needed.
- Step 3: Stir in the pasta, chickpeas, beef broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook, stirring every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Step 4: While the pasta simmers, add the pumpkin puree, cottage cheese, tomato paste, and cinnamon to a blender and blend until completely smooth. If you don't want to dirty a blender, you can whisk them together in a bowl instead - the sauce will just have a little more texture from the cottage cheese curds.
- Step 5: Turn the heat down to low. Pour the pumpkin sauce into the pot and gently fold it into the pasta, beef, and chickpeas until everything is coated and creamy. Let it warm through for 1 to 2 minutes, but don't let it boil. If it's thicker than you'd like, loosen it with a splash of broth or water.
- Step 6: Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and finish with fresh herbs and a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan.
Hint: Keep the heat low once the cottage cheese sauce goes in. Dairy that boils hard can separate and turn grainy, so you only want to warm it through, not cook it.
Why Cottage Cheese?
Blended cottage cheese is my favorite swap for heavy cream in creamy sauces. Once it's blended with the pumpkin, you'd never know it's there. It just tastes rich and velvety, and it adds a big boost of protein to every bowl.
Substitutions
This stew is very forgiving, so it's easy to work with what you have in the pantry and fridge.
- Ground beef - ground turkey or ground chicken both work well. Add an extra drizzle of olive oil since they're leaner and can stick to the pot.
- Pasta - any short pasta shape like elbows, shells, or small rigatoni can be used. Cook times vary by brand, so start checking early and add a splash more water if the pot looks dry before the pasta is tender.
- Gluten free - use your favorite gluten-free short pasta and double-check that your broth is gluten free. Gluten-free pasta can soften quickly, so pull it off the heat as soon as it's tender.
- Vegetarian - skip the beef, add a second can of chickpeas, and use vegetable broth.
Variations
Once you've made the base recipe, it's easy to switch things up depending on who you're feeding.
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes with the spices, or blend a chipotle pepper in adobo into the pumpkin sauce for smoky heat.
- Brothy soup - add an extra cup or two of beef broth for a thinner, spoonable soup that's perfect with crusty bread.
- Extra veggies - stir in a few big handfuls of baby spinach or chopped kale at the very end and let them wilt into the sauce.
- Kid friendly - go light on the chili powder and top with shredded mozzarella or cheddar instead of parmesan.
Equipment
You'll want a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with plenty of room, since the pasta cooks right in the broth alongside the beef and chickpeas. A heavy bottom spreads the heat evenly and helps keep the pasta from sticking and scorching. If you use a thinner stainless pot, keep the heat a little lower and stir more often.
A regular blender or an immersion blender makes the pumpkin and cottage cheese sauce completely smooth. No blender? A whisk and a bowl will do the job.
Storage
Let leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta keeps soaking up the sauce as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave.
You can freeze this stew for up to 3 months, but the pasta will be softer and the cottage cheese sauce can turn slightly grainy once thawed. For the best results, freeze the beef, chickpea, and broth base without the pasta and sauce, then cook the pasta and blend a fresh batch of sauce when you reheat it.
Top Tip
Go easy on the cinnamon. Just a small pinch adds warmth and depth to the savory spices. Too much and the stew starts to taste like dessert. You can always add more at the end.
FAQ
No. Once cottage cheese is blended with the pumpkin and tomato paste, it disappears into a smooth, creamy sauce. It just adds richness and protein without any noticeable cottage cheese flavor.
No. Pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and already spiced for dessert, which will make the stew taste too sweet. Look for cans labeled 100% pure pumpkin.
The sauce was likely heated too high after the cottage cheese was added. Keep the heat on low and only warm the stew through once the pumpkin sauce goes in. Blending the cottage cheese until completely smooth also helps.
Yes. It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and makes great meal prep. The pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pumpkin Beef and Chickpea Stew
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Blender or immersion blender
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 oz Brami pasta
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water
- For the pumpkin sauce
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef, chili powder, cumin, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Break the beef into crumbles and cook until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the Brami pasta, chickpeas, beef broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- While the pasta cooks, blend the pumpkin puree, cottage cheese, tomato paste, and cinnamon until completely smooth.
- Reduce the heat to low. Fold the pumpkin sauce into the pot until everything is coated. Warm through for 1 to 2 minutes without boiling. Loosen with a splash of broth if needed.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve topped with fresh herbs and parmesan.
Notes
No blender? Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl instead. It will have a bit more texture.
Pasta swap: any short pasta works. Cook times vary by brand, so add a splash more water if the pot dries out before the pasta is tender.
Storage: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Add a splash of broth when reheating, since the pasta absorbs the sauce as it sits.
Freezing: for the best texture, freeze the beef, chickpea, and broth base without the pasta and sauce for up to 3 months.
