Vegetarian chili
Even without meat, chili can be incredibly hearty and full of texture! For this vegetarian version, I crumble the tofu and brown it well before adding it to the chili. It almost acts like ground meat and makes the dish truly satisfying.
Next, add sweet potatoes, two kinds of beans, tomatoes, and plenty of spices to create a flavorful, hearty chili that’s just spicy enough. And of course, the toppings are essential: sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and a few slices of jalapeño on top!
- Servings: 6
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 30 minutes
Good to know
- Take the time to brown the tofu thoroughly before adding the soy sauce. The goal is to let it lose some of its moisture and create small, crispy pieces that will give the chili much more texture.
- Sautéing the spices with the vegetables for a few minutes helps bring out their flavors before adding the liquid ingredients. The same goes for tomato paste: let it brown slightly to intensify its flavor.
- The small pinch of cinnamon is optional, but I highly recommend it! You can’t really taste it on its own—it adds a subtle warmth that complements the chili spices perfectly.
Ingredients
Vegetarian chili
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vegetable oil of your choice
- 1 block of 450 g of extra-firm tofu, thoroughly drained
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, diced (seeds removed for a less spicy version)
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 teaspoon (10 ml) chili powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) smoked paprika
- 1 pinch of cinnamon (optional, but so good!)
- 1/4 cup (60 g) tomato paste
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 796-ml can of finely chopped tomatoes
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 540-ml can of red beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 1 can 540 ml black beans, rinsed well and drained
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
- Pepper, to taste
Toppings
- Dairy-free sour cream or regular sour cream
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (20 g) coriander leaves
- A few slices of jalapeño
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Preparation
Vegetarian chili
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Crumble the tofu into the pot and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the soy sauce and cook for another minute. Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.
- In the same pot, add oil as needed and cook the onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeños for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and cinnamon, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for two minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste has browned slightly.
- Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato cubes are cooked through.
- Serve with toppings.
