- Prep-time: / Ready In:
- Makes 12 cups
- Serving size: 3 cups
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This hearty black bean chili is on the table with minimal prep thanks to healthy plant-based convenience ingredients such as canned beans, canned tomatoes, and store-bought mirepoix—a mixture of garlic, onion, and celery. Poblano chili adds heat, paprika adds a smoky depth, and a blend of quick-pickled avocado, radishes, and jalapeño is the chili topper you didn’t know you needed! For extra heft, or to make it go further, serve over whole grain rice, a baked potato, or with a hunk of whole grain bread.
Tips
Like strong flavors? The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon paprika. For a most robust flavor, use 2 teaspoons regular paprika and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika instead.
Make your own mirepoix: The formula for making your own is 2 parts chopped onion to 1 part each diced celery and diced carrot. For this recipe, you need 1 cup chopped onion plus ½ cup each of diced carrot and celery.
Where to buy mirepoix: Trader Joe’s sells it fresh in 14.5-oz. tubs, and you can find it fresh near the bagged greens at many supermarkets. Cascadian Farm, Kroger, and other stores sell it frozen.
Use gloves: Chile peppers contain oils that can irritate your skin and eyes. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them.
For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ½ teaspoon pure cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 small radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 fresh jalapeño chile, thinly sliced (see tip, recipe intro)
- 1 medium avocado, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups fresh or frozen mirepoix (10 to 12 oz.)
- 1 medium poblano chile or bell pepper (any color), seeded and chopped (see tip, recipe intro)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon paprika (for more robust flavor, see tip in recipe intro)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 15-oz. cans no-salt-added black beans, undrained
- 1 28-oz. can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- To make Quick-Pickled Avocado: In a medium bowl combine lime juice, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Stir in radishes and fresh jalapeño chile. Gently stir in avocado. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. Stir before serving.
- In a 4- to 6-quart pot cook mirepoix and poblano pepper over medium 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking.
- Stir in garlic, paprika, cumin, and remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Add broth, beans, and tomatoes. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until flavors are blended, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro. Top servings with Quick-Pickled Avocado and additional cilantro.
Per serving (3 cups): 454 calories, 74 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 8 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 632 mg sodium, 23 g fiber, 15 g sugar
Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.
Comments (1)
(0 from 0 votes)Way too much liquid, as written; this makes a vegetable stew, not a chili. If you’re obsessed with follow the instructions you’ll have to cook it down for several hours to get a thicker chili-like consistency. Recommended changes: Drain the beans. Double them. Use at most 2-3 cups of broth. Add chili powder, double the cumin. Purée the mirepoix instead of dicing. For the avocado, replace the lime juice with white vinegar and quadruple the sugar. Lime juice doesn’t pickle anything.