I had successfully neglected my site for over a year while developing, writing, and shooting recipes for my forthcoming book, but I’m back again with a new recipe for you all! Perfect for the fall season, here’s a revamped version of a chili recipe I had developed way back when I first started @plantbasedartist in 2015. I was prompted to bring it back since a few of you recently reached out in request of the recipe. This new version is packed with five (5!) varieties of peppers for depth of flavor without making the dish overwhelmingly spicy. The addition of cacao (an ingredient I also used in the enchilada sauce I developed years ago) rounds out the flavors and adds an incredible richness. The chili requires a decent bit of simmering (an hour), but there’s otherwise not much active cooking time at all! This chili is best enjoyed during crisp weather in your coziest attire.

Ingredients

Makes 6-8 servings

For Chili:

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Yukon Gold potato, finely diced (about 1 cup)

2 carrots, diced (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 yellow onion (*1), diced (about 1 cup)

1 small red bell pepper, diced (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup frozen corn

2 tablespoons roasted green chilies (*2), finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeños, to taste

6 garlic cloves (*1), minced

3-4 cups low sodium vegetable broth or water, plus more as needed

One 14.5-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes (fire roasted if possible)

1/2 cup red (or any color) quinoa, rinsed

One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

One 16-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Spices, Herbs, and Seasonings:

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (*3), optional

1 tablespoon unsweetened cacao powder, optional

1 bay leaf (*4), optional

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (*1)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika, optional

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For Finishing/serving:

Hot sauce

Cashew lime crema (*5)

Crushed tortilla chips

Finely chopped cilantro, parsley, or scallions

*see ingredient notes at the end of the recipe for further details

Method

Warm oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add the potato, carrot, a pinch of salt and heat until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat as needed or add a splash of water or vegetable broth if it starts to stick.
Add the onion, bell pepper, corn, a pinch of salt, and stir until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes further.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the green chilies, jalapeños, and garlic, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Deglaze the pan with 3 cups of vegetable broth and stir to save all the brown bits (that’s flavor!).
Add the remaining ingredients: tomatoes, quinoa, black beans, kidney beans, nutritional yeast (if using), cacao (if using), bay leaf (if using), cumin, sweet paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika (if using), salt and black pepper, and stir well to combine.
Increase the heat to medium-high again and stir until simmering. Reduce the heat to low-medium, cover partially, and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour or until the veggies are fully tender. Add more vegetable broth or water while cooking if the chili becomes too thick.
Season with salt and hot sauce to taste, and serve warm with cashew lime crema (see below), crushed tortilla chips, and herbs if desired.

Ingredient notes

Please note that Amazon links on my site are generally affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you purchase the item through the link (at no extra cost to you). This helps offset the costs that I have for developing and posting these recipes!

Allium-free alternative: substitute onion with about 2 stalks of celery and substitute the total quantity of fresh/powdered garlic with about 1/2 teaspoon celery salt.
Roasted green chilies (usually canned) are readily available at many supermarkets. You can substitute roasted red pepper (usually jarred), or simply omit.
Nutritional yeast is very different from active dry or instant yeast. It’s an ingredient found in many vegan recipes because of the cheesy flavor it imparts. It’s often fortified with B vitamins for an added plus!
You can use any variety of bay leaf. I usually have Indian bay leaves on hand, and here I used a cinnamon tree leaf from Burlap and Barrel (not sponsored).
To make cashew lime crema: soak 1/4 cup raw cashews in hot water for about 30 minutes, drain and blend with 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons hemp hearts (hemp hearts optional). Stir in 1/4-1/2 teaspoon lime zest and season with lime juice and salt to taste. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Veggie Bean & Quinoa Chili