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🫘 The Best Vegetarian Bean Chili

The Best Vegetarian Bean Chili

🍽 Serves ⏲ Total Time
6 2 hours 5 minutes

🧂 Ingredients

  • 🌶 3 dried sweet chiles
  • 🌶 2 small dried hot chiles (optional)
  • 🌶 3 rich fruity dried chiles
  • 💧 1 quart water
  • 🌶 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 🌶 2 Tbsp adobo sauce
  • 🫘 2 (14-oz) cans chickpeas
  • 🍅 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 🫒 2 Tbsp (25 g) vegetable oil
  • 🧅 1 diced onion
  • 🧄 3 garlic cloves
  • 🌰 1.5 Tbsp (14 g) ground cumin
  • 🌿 2 tsp (6 g) dried oregano
  • 🥡 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 🥡 1 tsp Marmite
  • 🫘 2 (14-oz) cans kidney beans
  • 🥃 2 Tbsp bourbon
  • 🧂 some kosher salt
  • 🌽 2 to 3 Tbsp masa harina
  • 🌿 some fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 🧅 some diced red onion (optional)
  • 🧅 some sliced scallions (optional)
  • 🥑 some diced avocado (optional)
  • 🍊 some lime wedges (optional)
  • 🍞 some warm tortillas (optional)

🍳 Cookware

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 bowl
  • 1 blender
  • 1 food processor

📝 Instructions

Step 1

In a Dutch oven, toast dried sweet chiles, small dried hot chiles (optional), and rich fruity dried chiles over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, add water, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, and adobo sauce. Cover and microwave until gently simmering, about 5 minutes. Transfer chiles and liquid to a blender and blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute.

Step 2

Drain chickpeas, reserving liquid from the can. Transfer chickpeas to a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped, about three 1-second pulses. Set aside.

Step 3

Roughly crush whole peeled tomatoes into approximate ¼-inch pieces. Add crushed tomatoes along with their juice to the reserved chickpea liquid.

Step 4

Heat vegetable oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add diced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic cloves, ground cumin, and dried oregano, cooking and stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the blended chili purée, soy sauce, and Marmite, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved chickpea liquid and tomato mixture, chopped chickpeas, and drained kidney beans (reserving kidney bean liquid separately). Stir to combine.

Step 5

If beans are sticking out of the top, add reserved kidney bean liquid until just barely submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a bare simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich, about 90 minutes, adding more reserved kidney bean liquid as necessary if chili becomes too thick or sticks to the bottom.

Step 6

Stir in bourbon (or vodka). Season to taste with kosher salt and whisk in masa harina in a slow steady stream until desired thickness is reached. For best results, allow chili to cool and refrigerate overnight to develop flavor, then reheat to serve.

Step 7

Serve warm, garnished with fresh cilantro, diced red onion, sliced scallions, diced avocado, lime wedges, and warm tortillas.

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