MAKES: 8 servings TESTED BY: Juli H.
078 Vegetarian Chili
TASTING COMMENTS:
Umami—a pleasant savory flavor sensation—is lacking when you prepare chili without meat. To make up for its absence, we added layers of flavor in the form of beer, chili powder, fresh oregano, and ground cumin.—JH
start to finish 40 minutes
- 1 cup chopped red, green, and/or yellow sweet peppers
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 26-oz. cans diced tomatoes with chili spices or diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 12-oz. can beer or one 14.5-oz. can vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
- 3 to 4 tsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)
- 3 15-oz. cans pinto beans, black beans, cannellini beans (white kidney beans), and/or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
- 1 cup chopped zucchini and/or yellow summer squash
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz.) (optional)
- Fresh oregano leaves (optional)
Choose a beer that you like to drink. Remember, the stronger the flavor of the beer, the stronger it will be in the chili.
This recipe tastes delicious with regular chili powder only, but if you want to make the flavor more complex, try adding ancho and/or chipotle powders to your chili.
1. In a 5- to 6-qt. Dutch oven cook sweet pepper, onion, and garlic in hot oil until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, beer, the water, tomato sauce, chili powder, dried oregano (if using), cumin, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce (if using). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
2. Stir in beans, corn, and zucchini. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes more. Stir in the 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano if using. If desired, top servings with 2 Tbsp. of the cheese and additional fresh oregano.
Per serving 276 cal., 5 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 1,268 mg sodium, 46 g carb., 11 g fiber, 12 g sugars, 12 g pro.
loaded veggie NACHOS Great game-day food! Top tortilla chips with shredded cheese and chili, then pop in a 350°F oven until cheese is melted.
TESTING NOTES
1. After peeling, cut the onion in half so you have a flat surface to rest it on. Cut slices toward the stem end but not through the stem. Then cut slices horizontally through the onion. Finish by cutting new slices perpendicular to the first cuts—chopped onion!
2. Cut the four sides of the pepper away from the stem. Cut the sides into slices, then chop them. Discard the stem and core with the seeds.
3. Cooking the chopped sweet peppers, onion, and minced garlic in oil until tender but not browned is called sweating. This draws moisture from the veggies and weakens the cell walls. It’s the first step to building a flavorful chili.
