Growing up, I was never a fan of chili. My family would make large batches of it and I'd always strategically avoid it. I really didn't like the flavors and I was pretty much anti-anything bean. However, I might touch try it if there weren't beans but I was never really sure about it. A rather far cry from my current diet which has me eating beans nearly every day!
I fell in love with chili later when I attempted to recreate a lost vegetarian chili recipe for my mother that involved bulgur and chocolate. While we never determined if it was close to the one she remembers, it became a favorite/staple of the winter months. However, I don't always remember to buy bulgur and thus, a no-grain chili was created.
This vegan chili is a riff on the flavors of the original bulgur version I developed. However, gone is the bulgur in lieu of beans (and lots of them). I also included a bit of pecan meal in this vegan chili. It's really subtle but I think it adds an extra layer of warmth and a bit more texture.
One note: my husband would look at these photos and think I was in the wrong. I grew up with cornbread while he swears by a peanut butter sandwich with his chili. As far as I can research, it's a very midwestern thing. However, we'll have to agree to disagree. My chili always comes with cornbread!
Bulgur/quinoa: As with the original recipe, you can easily add bulgur or quinoa to help bolster this chili. I really love the texture the bulgur adds but with the beans, it doesn't really need it.
Toppings: There are endless possibilities here but a few of my other favorites included minced red onion, pickled jalapeños, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, and hot sauce.
Beans: You could easily just use the beans you have on hand. Other varieties of white beans would work, including cannellini or great northern. Black beans are also a great addition to this vegan chili. It's hard to go wrong!
'Beans' is pretty broad but this chili has three of my favorites. I keep a small stash of cooked beans in the freezer and a few dried beans in the pantry. My usage is broad but I love pinto for stews and enchiladas, kidney for toasts and stews, and white beans for dips, spreads, and general bean uses.
Smoky Beans and Polenta
Spiced Pinto Bean Bowls with Avocado
Pinto Bean Quesadilla with Spiced Zucchini
White Bean Dip with Roasted Garlic and Herbs
White Beans in Spicy Tomato Sauce
great recipe and love each of these three beans, jalapenos too, vegan cornbread is a nice bonus, thank you
I had no idea that a peanut butter sandwich with chili is a thing! So weird to me...but also strangely sounds yummy? I'm skeptical but also excited! I'm gonna try it with your chili!!
I had been looking for a recipe for vegan chilli for so long! I guess I have found the perfect one 🙂 Pinned this right away and trying out super soon 😀
I never had chili until I was a somewhat older adult. I would probably change out some of the beans in this because I don't care much for kidney beans. I've always known cornbread as an accompaniment, never a peanut butter sandwich! I am also very picky about my chili - I get tired of most of the recipes I've tried very quickly. But I still try new recipes, always looking for the one I really want to keep.
I'm allergic to chocolate, do you think the chocolate is a important ingredient? What would be a good replacement?
You could leave it out- it just adds a bit of richness but you could easily do without.
This was so extremely spicy I had to throw out the whole batch unfortunately, if you're using regular chili powder 2 tablespoons seems like over kill
Sorry to hear that- most chili powder (the blend) isn't terribly spicy. I'm guessing you used an actual ground powder made from a chili?
I've made this recipe several times now. The chocolate really adds a lot to the chili. Very tasty chili.