Begin by prepping your ingredients. Dice one yellow onion and a green bell pepper, and mince three cloves of garlic. In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of chili powder, a teaspoon each of ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper. Rinse and drain your choice of beans before opening your canned tomatoes and pumpkin puree.

In a large Dutch oven, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add one pound of ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and brown for 8-10 minutes until no longer pink. Drain excess fat, then stir in the diced onions and bell pepper. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until tender, then add minced garlic and spices for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in one can of crushed tomatoes, one can of diced tomatoes, and one cup of pumpkin puree. Add four cups of beef broth and one cup of water, followed by the rinsed beans and two bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 1-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning with kosher salt, ground black pepper, or brown sugar. Let the chili sit off the heat for 15-30 minutes to enhance flavors before serving.