Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe
A rich and smoky vegetarian chili packed with beans and mushrooms. A perfect dinner for cold evenings.
Servings 6
Calories 432kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (180g) finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper (200g) pith and seeds removed then roughly chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper (180) pith and seeds removed then roughly chopped
- 3 ⅓ cups brown/chestnut mushrooms (250g) wiped clean then sliced
- 1 x 15 oz can cooked kidney beans (400g can) drained and rinsed in cold water
- 1 x 15 oz can cooked black beans (400g) drained and rinsed in cold water
- 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes in juice (2x400g)
- 1 large dried ancho pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium red chilli pepper pith and seeds removed then finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried coriander
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon 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
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon 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 tablespoon 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 chili, 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, cilantro/coriander, lime wedges, slices of jalapeno peppers, some grated cheese and a good dollop of sour cream.
Notes
- Nutritional Information- s approximate and does not include rice or extras. It is calculated using an online nutrition tool.
- Heat - This chili is deliberately spiced to make it suitable for all the family. If you want more heat then you can add more ancho chili to spice it up.
- Freezing Instructions - If you want to freeze this then don’t add the fresh cilantro/coriander. Leave the chili 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 cilantro/coriander when you are ready to serve.
- Storing - This chili will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Leave it to cool then transfer to a sealable container. Reheat on the hob, you may need to add a little water to loosen it up a bit.
- To make this vegan use vegan chocolate and add vegan sour cream and vegan hard cheese for the toppings.
- Is this gluten-free? Once you use tamari instead of soy then this is naturally gluten-free.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 72.6g | Protein: 24.4g | Fat: 7.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 1960mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 10.3g | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 8mg