Meaty Vegan Chili
Meaty Vegan Chili
This is everything you want in a great bowl of chili. It’s rich, complex and super satiating. It’s easy to make and has some nice additions for flavor like, cacao powder and chipotle peppers. It’s nice and hearty thanks to both the addition of beans and a ground meat alternative, which are relatively inexpensive and have become easy to find in most grocery stores. There’s also the option and recipe to use browned ground tofu in its place and of course you can always go with all beans. Whichever way you choose to make it, the end result will be absolutely delicious! And we all know once you’ve made a tasty chili, it’s all about the toppings. Put together a little chili topping bar with plenty of sliced green or red onion, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese and serve it up with cornbread and / or tortilla chips! Now you’ve got yourself a chili party!
Serves 4
Ingredients
16 oz (454g) Vegan Ground Beef or sub ground tofu - see note
1 medium (300g) Onion diced
4 cloves Garlic minced
28 oz Whole Tomatoes (hand crushed)
30 oz canned Kidney Beans (you can use Pinto or Black)
2 cups Vegan Beefless or Vegetable Broth
3 Tbsp (45g) Tomato Paste
2 Bay Leaves
2 Tbsp (30ml) neutral high heat Oil
2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, chopped
2 Tbsp (30g) Cacao Powder
few dashes Liquid Smoke
2 tsp (10g) Chili Powder
2 tsp (10g) Cumin Powder
1 tsp (5g) Smoked Paprika
Salt & Pepper to taste
Note: Make Ground Tofu in place of a vegan ground beef alternative.
Tofu Ground
16 oz (454g) extra firm high protein Tofu
1/2 tsp (3g) Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp (3g) Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp (3g) Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp (3g) Onion Powder
few dashes Liquid Smoke
1 Tbsp (15ml) Dark Soy Sauce (for depth & color)
1 -2 Tbsp (15-30ml) neutral Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Make the tofu ground by adding oil to a non stick or cast iron pan on medium heat. Crumble the tofu and add in the spices and dark soy sauce. Mix well, stirring occasionally and cook down until nicely browned. It should take about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Set aside.
Directions
1. In a large pot on medium heat, cook the vegan ground until nicely browned. About 4-6 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. In the same pot on medium heat, add in the oil. Once the oil is hot add in the onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes until the tomato paste has darkened a bit.
4. Add in the spices and cacao powder and mix well. Then add in the drained and rinsed beans, chopped chipotle peppers, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, cooked vegan ground and a few dashes of liquid smoke.
5. Cover everything with broth, mix well and lower the heat to medium low. Allow the chili to simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the chili is thickened to your liking. Check for seasoning and adjust with additional salt & pepper if necessary.
6.Remove the bay leaves and serve it up with all the fixings like vegan sour cream, sliced green onions, vegan cheddar cheese shreds and a side of tortilla chips or cornbread.
