Description
This hearty Vegetarian Chili is a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal perfect for any season. Made with fire-roasted tomatoes, a medley of beans, sweet corn, and smoky chipotle peppers, this chili offers a delightful smoky and spicy depth without any meat. Ready in just 45 minutes, it’s ideal for a nutritious weeknight dinner and is easily customizable with fresh toppings like avocado, sour cream, and cilantro.
Ingredients
Scale
Chili Base
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 3 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo, diced
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
Toppings (Optional)
- Avocado, diced or sliced
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Jalapeño or serrano peppers, diced or sliced
- Fresh cilantro
- Pickled onions
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, a pinch of salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Stir frequently and cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the diced red bell pepper and continue to cook until it softens, about 5 to 8 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent burning.
- Add Spices and Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, and ground cumin if using. Cook for approximately 30 seconds until the mixture becomes fragrant but avoid burning the garlic.
- Combine Remaining Ingredients and Simmer: Add the diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained kidney beans, drained pinto beans, water or vegetable broth, diced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, corn kernels, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well to combine. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let the chili simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the flavors meld.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the pot from heat and stir in fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve the chili hot with your choice of toppings such as avocado, Greek yogurt, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and pickled onions for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a milder chili, reduce the number of chipotle peppers or omit them entirely.
- You can substitute water with vegetable broth for extra depth of flavor.
- This chili tastes even better the next day when the flavors have melded.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Use fresh or frozen corn kernels based on availability; no need to thaw frozen corn before adding.
- Adjust the seasoning and spice level to your preference by adding more or less chili powder and chipotle peppers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
