It’s no secret that I love spicy food, especially spicy Mexican food. I think we have some sort of Mexican food at least twice a week, tacos, fajitas and chilli being favourites. I love making a really good vegetarian chilli though. It’s one of the first recipes I learnt to make from scratch. This one is also a firm family favourite. And now that my daughter has developed a taste for spicy food it’s one of the most requested weeknight dinners.
Since I first published this recipe, I have tweaked and adapted this vegetarian chilli over the last few years. So I thought I’d better update it for you! I’ve swapped the chipotle pepper for a large dried ancho pepper. This gives this chilli more heat and more of a smoky flavour. I’ve also added more mushrooms to make this chilli meatier. There’s no chilli powder, which can make your chilli a little grainy. I like to keep it simple with cumin, ground coriander and dried oregano.
I love the smell of the smoky heat that fills the kitchen when I cook this chilli. If you want to make this vegetarian chilli more family friendly or if you prefer less heat, then use half the ancho pepper and use half the red chilli, this will reduce the heat a good bit. You can play around with the veggies and beans too, this is a great recipe for using up tins of bins that have been sitting in your cupboard or using any veggies hanging around the fridge.
One of the things I love most about chilli is the extras! For dinner, I serve this with boiled rice and top it off with more chopped coriander, lime wedges, grated cheddar cheese and a good dollop of sour cream. If I have leftovers, I have it for lunch without the rice.
How Do You Make Vegetarian Chilli?
Start by rehydrating your ancho pepper, while that is working its magic cook down the onion until it is soft. Then add the garlic, chilli pepper, ancho and the spices and herbs. Next, add the bell peppers and mushrooms these just need a few minutes to cook. Once you have added the tomatoes, add in the bay leaf and let the chilli simmer over a low heat for as long as you can. The longer the better. Of course, if you’re short on time 30 minutes will do nicely.
A little hint of soy sauce or tamari gives this vegetarian chilli an extra layer of flavour as does the dark chocolate added in at the end. All this with the mushrooms, peppers, black beans and red kidney beans make for a very tasty filling vegetarian chilli that is perfect to come home to on a cold day. This chilli keeps well in the fridge, as with all stews, leftovers always taste better. Just reheat and serve on its own or serve it with rice.
Can I Freeze Vegetarian Chilli?
Yes! You can freeze Vegetarian Chilli. If you want to freeze this then don’t add the fresh coriander. Leave the chilli to cool, transfer it to freezer-friendly containers which you can put the date on. Leave in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and then cook on the hob to reheat. Add the fresh coriander when you are ready to serve.
Vegetarian Chilli
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (180g) finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper (200g) pith and seeds removed then roughly chopped
- 1 green bell pepper (180) pith and seeds removed then roughly chopped
- 250 g chestnut mushrooms wiped clean then sliced
- 1 x 400g can kidney beans rinsed in cold water
- 1 x 400g can black beans rinsed in cold water
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 large dried ancho pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium red chilli pepper pith and seeds removed then finely chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried coriander
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 large squares dark chocolate (85%) {optional}
- A good handful of fresh coriander + more for serving finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- First, soak the ancho pepper in warm water for 30 minutes. Remove the stem and seeds before soaking. Once dehydrated finely chop the pepper.
- In a large saucepan heat 1 tbsp of the oil. Then add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent and soft.
- Add the garlic and red chilli, cook for about a minute or until you smell the garlic, then add the ancho pepper, oregano and spices. Stir and cook for another minute, again, until you smell the spices.
- Then add the bell peppers and mushrooms, add the remaining oil and then stir and cook for about two minutes. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, fill one of the cans halfway up with water and add that too.Add the soy sauce, bay leaf, sea salt and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, add more salt if needed.
- Now add the kidney beans and black beans and simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce is nice and thick. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the sauce is ready, remove the bay leaf, drop in the chocolate, let it melt then stir it in. Take the chilli off the heat and stir in the coriander.
- Serve with boiled rice, coriander, lime wedges, slices of jalapeno peppers, some grated cheese and a good dollop of sour cream.
Notes
- Calories are approximate and do not include rice or extras.
- See the post for freezing instructions.
- To make this vegan use vegan chocolate and add vegan sour cream and vegan hard cheese for the toppings.
- This recipe was first posted on 27/1/2016 and updated on 30/1/19
Nutrition
More Veggie Dinners That Are Perfect Winter Warmers:
- Vegetarian Goulash with Butter Beans
- Vegan Sausage Casserole with Beans
- Baked Feta with Chickpeas and Spinach
- Vegetable Pasta Bake with Cheesy Topping
- Mexican Vegetable Soup
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more delicious food.