The Only Vegan Chili Recipe You Need
This is the only vegan chili recipe you need. It has a bold, rich flavor, and a velvety consistency. Perfect for meal prep and made with wholesome ingredients.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound onions diced (about 1 large onion)
- 1/2 pound carrots peeled and diced (about 6 medium carrots)
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 pound garlic minced (about 8 cloves)
- 1/4 cup dry sherry (see note)
- 4 cups vegetable stock may need less, depends on desired consistency
- 1 pound mushrooms fresh, diced
- 15 oz canned tomatoes diced
Spice Blend
- 3 Tablespoons mild chile powder CAUTION - SEE NOTE
- 3 Tablespoons smoked paprika
- 3 Tablespoons ground cumin
Mushroom Soup Base
- 1 cup dried mushrooms assorted
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
Toppings (Optional)
- 15 oz canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1/2 pound vegan chorizo for topping
- 1/2 cup vegan cheese for topping
- 2 green onions chopped finely
Instructions
- Before prepping any other ingredients, soak dried mushrooms in 1 ½ cups hot, but not boiling, water.
- Prepare all the ingredients while the mushrooms soak.
- When the mushrooms have soaked at least 10 minutes, add them into a high-speed blender with the nutritional yeast. Blend on low for 30 seconds, then on high for 2-3 minutes, until evenly blended and smooth. If any solid pieces of mushroom stick to the sides of the blender, slowly add a bit more water.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot, tomato paste, and salt. Saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are slightly translucent.
- Add garlic. Saute 2 more minutes, stirring.
- Add chile powder, paprika, and cumin. Saute for 2 minutes.
- Add sherry. Use spatula to scrape any stuck bits from the pot.
- Add 2 cups of the vegetable stock, the fresh mushrooms, the canned tomatoes, and the blended mushrooms and nutritional yeast. Stir.
- When the liquid starts to boil, reduce to a simmer. Stir again to ensure there is no scorching on the bottom of the pot. Add more vegetable stock if the consistency is too thick. The chili should be slightly runny at this point.
- Add chickpeas. Stir. Continue to simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, still stirring, until chili reaches desired consistency.
- If using vegan chorizo: heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chorizo, spreading it into an even layer across the skillet. Wait 2-3 minutes before stirring, so the chorizo is browned. Continue to brown like this twice more, until the chorizo is heated through and has been browned three times.
- Serve the chili in bowls. Top with some chorizo, a sprinkle of vegan cheese, and some green onion.
Notes
A recent review advised that 3 tablespoons of chile powder made the dish inedibly spicy. Please start with a smaller amount, 1/2 Tablespoon or so, and add more in Step 11 to taste.
The smoked paprika is also important. Be sure it is smoked. And not a spicy variety. It may be labeled “Spanish” or “sweet” or some combination thereof.
I call for dry sherry to deglaze the pot. If you don’t have sherry you can use Japanese sake (or Chinese Shaoxing wine if you’ve got it). You can replace the sherry with vegetable stock, too. Just be sure you have enough on hand.
The dried mushrooms I used were a mix - oyster, portobello, black trumpet, and porcini. If you’re going to create your own combination I recommend using mainly those listed above or similarly mild mushrooms. Limit shiitakes to 1 total (they are strong).
For toppings, browned vegan chorizo and shredded vegan cheese are included. You can skip these if you prefer.
You can substitute other types of beans for the chickpeas. Or skip the beans altogether.