Today I wanted to share with you one of my all-time favourite meals that just so happens to be vegan as well as full of nutrients and flavour. This Vegan Chilli Sin Carne (chilli without meat, but sounding way fancier) is one of the few dishes that Edd makes far superior to myself so I force him to make giant pots of the stuff that we can use all week for lunches, burritos, stuffed baked potatoes and more (I’m all for making one big meal that will go a long way).
This chilli is just as flavoursome as the meat version, with a hint of smoked chipotle replacing the meaty flavour but keeping it rich and hearty. Packed with kidney beans, juicy corn and capsicums and the warm heat of chilli and bold, Mexican spices, this vegan chilli is perfection for winter where you want a bowl of filling soul food.
Vegan Chilli Sin Carne
Ingredients
- 3 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- dash of cinnamon powder (about 1/4 tsp)
- 1 heaped tsp chopped garlic
- 2 tsp chopped chilli
- 1 brown onion diced
- 1 Tbsp approx chipotle paste/sauce
- 1 cup of veggie stock
- 1 big carrot chopped
- 1 red capsicum
- 1/2 C sweetcorn
- 1 can of kidney beans
- 1 can chilli beans (e.g. Watties chilli beans which are basically kidney beans in a spicy tomato sauce)
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- fresh coriander and avocado to serve
- salt and pepper to taste
This is a giant pot with double the recipe stated here: enough to feed a small army, or two of us for a week.
Method: Vegan Chilli Sin Carne
- Fry off the onion, garlic and then the spices in a little oil until onion is soft and the aroma of spices fill the house. Add the chipotle and chilli and fry briefly.
- Drain your can of plain kidney beans and if you want to echo the texture of mince, mash these up with a fork until they look suitable (this isn’t required but does thicken up the chilli a little more).
- Chuck in your beans, chilli beans, carrots, tomatoes, vegetable stock and simmer for around 15-20 minutes (or longer if you have time and patience to let the flavours develop and the texture thicken).
- Make sure you taste at this stage in case you need to add a little more chipotle, a tbsp of brown sugar to sweeten it up, a bit more chilli etc. I tend to taste so much during the cooking process that by the times it’s finished I’m no longer hungry (doesn’t stop me eating :-/)
- Add your capsicum and corn and continue to simmer at a medium heat for another 10-15 minutes. Again, the longer you can leave this to develop, the better (it’s one of those dishes that is even more delicious the next day).
- Season with salt and pepper to your preference.
- Serve this along with some ripe avocado (ours was a little too ripe), freshly torn coriander and enjoy over a bowl of rice, a baked potato, or thrown inside a burrito with some salad! You can top with sour cream and cheese for something a wee bit more indulgent (but no longer vegan), but I promise it’s just as mouth-wateringly tasty without it. We have been enjoying this with a brown rice and lentil combo, usually making a double batch so that we can keep some in the freezer.
This might seem life there are a few steps but it’s actually a straightforward and easy recipe that just involves a little more patience than my usual 5 minute meals, I promise its all worth it.
The beauty of this dish is that its so flexible to your tastes (and what’s lurking in the cupboard waiting to be used). We’ve tried adding brown lentils to bulk it up and include extra protein and this works well however I recommend cooking the lentils separately before hand. We’ve played around with the spices, the types of beans, the veggies we chuck in and it all comes out pretty darn delicious.
I used to eat chilli con carne all the time before becoming vegetarian, so nothing makes me happier than knowing that this delicious spicy stew is even better packed with beans and veggies (and its also an abundant source of protein, as well as a meal that includes all of essential amino acids). Pairing the rich dish with fresh avocado and coriander brings the whole thing to life so I definitely suggest including those (preferably when avocados don’t cost the same as a Starbucks coffee).
If I had to choose a favourite winter meal it would either be this vegan chilli or my easy Indian Dahl. Give this one a go and let me know what you think! Is there anything different that you like to add to your chilli?
A big thanks to Edd who cooks this vegan chilli for me way more than he should have to, and who also took these beautiful photos whilst I was out spending money on brunch.
Have an awesome week guys!
xxx
). So maybe a quality versus quantity take on reading for next year…let me know if you have any ideas!
