Best Vegetarian Chili

This vegetarian chili recipe is a family favorite everyone loves! It has the best flavor and is so easy to…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This vegetarian chili recipe is a family favorite everyone loves! It has the best flavor and is so easy to whip up.

Vegetarian Chili recipe

When the air gets a certain chill, there’s a recipe we make on repeat: this Vegetarian Chili! In fact, we’ve made it so often for friends and family, they always request that we make “the chili!” It’s bursting with hearty, smoky flavor, with a savory tomato base loaded with two types of beans, corn, and quinoa. The best part is that it’s beyond simple to whip up: essentially a “dump and stir” recipe! Add cornbread and you’ve got a simple, comforting meal where no one will miss the meat.

Ingredients in this vegetarian chili recipe

Why make this vegetarian chili? Well, a great vegetarian chili goes beyond bean soup. It’s hard to replicate the heartiness of that signature flavor without using meat. But this recipe uses a combination of “secret” ingredients to bring a savory, salty umami: ketchup, mustard, butter and Worcestershire sauce lend a richness and intensity to the flavor. Stirring in smoked paprika at the end adds an irresistible smokiness (it’s our secret weapon when it comes to plant-based dishes).

The recipe was originally inspired by open-fire cooking: we first made it in a pot over an open fire in our backyard! Because of that, it’s seriously easy to put together, a combination of great ingredients that bring massive flavor with little effort. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Onion and garlic
  • Olive oil and butter
  • Quinoa
  • Beans
  • Canned fire roasted tomatoes
  • Corn
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt
Vegetarian chili

It’s all in the tomatoes

One other flavor secret to vegetarian chili? It’s all in the tomatoes! You can make this vegetarian chili recipe with any type of canned tomato, but the best option is fire roasted tomatoes. This type of tomato is roasted over an open flame, which infuses a sweet and smoky flavor to the tomatoes. They taste better than standard canned tomato, which can taste flat and bitter.

Can’t find fire roasted tomatoes? San Marzano tomatoes can work in a pinch: this Italian type of tomato has a sweeter flavor right out of the can too. Or, simply use the best canned tomatoes you can find.

Toppings for vegetarian chili

One of the best parts of a vegetarian chili recipe is loading it up with toppings! Once you’ve whipped up a big, steaming pot on the stovetop, assemble your toppings of choice. Here are a few of our favorite options:

  • Shredded cheese: Try cheddar, Mexican blend or Monterrey Jack.
  • Sour cream: it’s required, in our opinion! For vegan, use Cashew Cream or Vegan Queso.
  • Green onion: Onion adds just the right savory flair.
  • Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds an herby nuance.
  • Hot sauce: Try a Mexican hot sauce like Cholula.
  • Crushed tortilla chips: Add a crunch with crushed tortilla chips.
  • Roasted pepitas: Pumpkin seeds also add a salty crunch.
  • Pickled onions: Make a jar of quick pickled onions in advance; they add bright color and tangy flavor to chili.
  • Pickled peppers: Try pickled jalapeños for a kick!
Vegetarian chili

Variation: make it vegan!

Want to make this vegetarian chili into a vegan chili? Simple use vegan butter or refined coconut oil in place of the butter. Either way, these ingredients add richness and fat, which is important in making a meatless chili taste satisfying. For the topping, use Cashew Cream instead of sour cream.

Sides to serve with chili

Turn this vegetarian chili recipe into a meal by adding a few simple side dishes! Cornbread is an obvious pair with this hearty stew, but there are lots of other options and ideas. Here are some sides to serve with chili:

More chili recipes

This vegetarian chili is a family favorite that’s a delicious meatless dinner idea. Here are a few more chili recipes you might enjoy, many of them meatless:

This vegetarian chili recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili Recipe


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6

Description

This vegetarian chili recipe is the best: loaded with hearty flavor and good-for-you ingredients! Even better, it’s quick and easy.


Ingredients

  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ⅓ cup dry quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained 
  • 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
  • 2 28-ounce cans diced fire roasted tomatoes*
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter (or vegan butter)
  • 1 15-ounce can corn (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn)
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons each chili powder and dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon each garlic powder and cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion. Mince the garlic.
  2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender.
  3. Add all other ingredients except for the smoked paprika. Simmer for 25 minutes, then stir in the smoked paprika. Serve immediately with toppings of your choice. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for 3 months.

Notes

*Fire roasted tomatoes are key for the flavor here. If you can’t find them, use San Marzano tomatoes or best quality canned tomatoes. 

**This recipe is easy to cook over an open fire. If you’re taking it camping, prep the minced onion and garlic and place in a sealed container. Place the ingredients from water through kosher salt in another large sealed container, but keep out the dry quinoa and add it when cooking.

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Chili
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Vegetarian chili, vegetarian chili recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Our 9 Best Chili Recipes, Ranked

Chili should be eaten, not debated. We will not be prosecuting recipes for bean possession. There will be no sanctions for turkey endorsements. This is a peaceful space dedicated to honoring the delicious, warming flavors of the world’s greatest accomp…

Chili should be eaten, not debated. We will not be prosecuting recipes for bean possession. There will be no sanctions for turkey endorsements. This is a peaceful space dedicated to honoring the delicious, warming flavors of the world’s greatest accompaniment to an ice cold beer: chili. If you’re chili positive, you’re in the right place.

Here are our nine most popular chili recipes of all time.

Read More >>

Smoky Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Bowl

When everyone in the test kitchen agrees a new recipe will be on dinner rotation, it’s a winner! This hearty and nourishing chili bowl is inspired by the Chipotle Chili Bowl at Harlow in Portland. We love them, and we love this bowl! 
Not only is …

Smoky Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Bowl

When everyone in the test kitchen agrees a new recipe will be on dinner rotation, it’s a winner! This hearty and nourishing chili bowl is inspired by the Chipotle Chili Bowl at Harlow in Portland. We love them, and we love this bowl! 

Not only is this plant-based meal full of fiber and protein — it’s also easy to assemble and perfect for meal prep! Let us show you how it’s done!

Smoky Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Bowl from Minimalist Baker →

Best Pumpkin Chili

This pumpkin chili recipe is hearty and cozy: the ideal crowd-pleasing meal! Pumpkin adds a creamy body this easy dinner.…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This pumpkin chili recipe is hearty and cozy: the ideal crowd-pleasing meal! Pumpkin adds a creamy body this easy dinner.

Pumpkin Chili

Here’s a chili recipe that’s jumped to the top of our favorites list: Pumpkin Chili! Perhaps you already knew this secret, but adding pumpkin puree to chili adds an intensely creamy, flavorful body to this classic dish. (We’re not sure how we went so long without it!) This one is hearty and healthy, packed with spices, sweet potato and beans. Load it up with all your favorite chili toppings, and it’s a satisfying fall dinner recipe that’s ideal for weeknights or dinner parties. Everyone in our family raved over this one. You gotta try it!

Ingredients in this pumpkin chili recipe

Adding pumpkin puree to chili is genius, because it adds a hearty, creamy texture to the broth. This trick works in either meaty or vegetarian chili recipes. This recipe is vegetarian, but it’s easy to transform into a meaty chili by adding ground beef (notes on that are below). It’s so tasty, it might become your new go-to. Here’s what you’ll need for this chili recipe:

  • Butter or olive oil*
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Green pepper
  • Sweet potato
  • Pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Tomato sauce
  • Kidney beans and pinto beans
  • Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon and salt

The method for this pumpkin chili recipe is simple: sauté the vegetables, add the tomatoes, pumpkin, beans and spices, and simmer until the sweet potato is tender. It’s quick and simple, and takes about 40 minutes to put together.

Pumpkin Chili recipe

Variation: add ground beef (or plant-based)

Cooking for meat lovers? Or want to add plant-based crumbles to this pumpkin chili recipe? It’s easy to add in: you’ll need to add just 5 minutes to the cook time. Here’s what to do:

  • Use 1 pound ground beef or plant-based meat crumbles. (Our favorite plant-based brands are Impossible or Beyond.)
  • After sauteing the vegetables, add the ground beef and sauté until the meat is browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. The proceed with the remainder of the recipe!

Toppings for pumpkin chili

This pumpkin chili recipe is delicious on its own, but of course it’s even better with toppings! Here’s what we’d recommend for this chili, and a few more ideas for getting creative:

  • Sour cream and shredded cheese: A must! For vegan, omit the cheese and use Cashew Cream or Vegan Queso.
  • Green onion: Thinly sliced green onion is the best fresh accessory.
  • Pickled red onion: Having a batch of pickled red onions on hand for chili is ideal: the tangy flavor and pop of color are fantastic.
  • Crushed tortilla chips: We’ve taken to adding crushed chips to our chili and it adds just the right crunch.
  • Cilantro: Cilantro adds a fresh, inviting flavor.
  • Hot sauce: Use a Mexican-style hot sauce like Cholula.
  • Pumpkin seeds (pepitas): Crunchy salted pepitas are perfect to fit the pumpkin theme.
Pumpkin Chili

Diet swaps

On it’s own, this pumpkin chili is vegetarian and gluten-free. Want to make it vegan? Use olive oil instead of butter. For the toppings, use Cashew Cream or Vegan Queso. Then serve with Vegan Cornbread!

Leftover storage

This pumpkin chili recipe stores well and works great as leftovers! Here are a few notes on how to store leftover chili:

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days. It can become very thick, so you may need to add a splash of water when reheating or broth when reheating.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months. This recipe stores well in a freezer-safe container.
Pumpkin Chili recipe

Sides for pumpkin chili

Want to make it into a hearty meal? Here are a few tasty side dishes we’d serve with this pumpkin chili. Let us know in the comments below if you have other ideas!

This pumpkin chili recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For dairy-free and vegan, see the “diet swaps” section above.

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Pumpkin Chili

Best Pumpkin Chili


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6

Description

This pumpkin chili recipe is hearty and cozy: the ideal crowd-pleasing meal! Pumpkin adds a creamy body this easy dinner. Want to add meat? See the notes below. 


Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil*
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green pepper, small diced
  • 1 small sweet potato, small diced
  • 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder
  • ½ tablespoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • For serving: shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, pickled red onion, crushed tortilla chips, etc

Instructions

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and sweet potato and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the onion is translucent and the sweet potatoes are almost tender.*
  2. Add the pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, drained and rinsed beans, water, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon and kosher salt. 
  3. Bring to a simmer, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the sweet potato is tender.
  4. Taste and add a few pinches kosher salt if desired. Serve warm, garnished with your favorite chili toppings.  

Notes

*Meat variation: After Step 1, add 1 pound ground beef or plant-based beef crumbles. Saute until the meat is browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then proceed to Step 2.

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Pumpkin chili

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Quick and Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe

Inside: This great recipe for creamy white chicken chili will be a hit with all of your friends and family. Keep reading to find out how to make it. Para …

The post Quick and Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

Inside: This great recipe for creamy white chicken chili will be a hit with all of your friends and family. Keep reading to find out how to make it.

Para Leer En Espanol, Haz Click Aqui.

white chicken chili in a white bowl with a spoon

There are so many chili recipes on the web, it can be difficult to know which one is the best. Some people prefer a traditional red chili recipes with beef, and others prefer white chili recipes. In my case, I love both and you can find my original recipe for chili con carne here.

Today, however, I want to share this tasty white chili recipe that uses boneless skinless chicken breasts, cream cheese, chicken stock (or chicken broth), great northern beans and more. It is creamy, has just the right amount of spice, and is definitely a favorite recipe around here.

We probably make this once a week and all of my kids (and my husband) love it. Sometimes we finish it all in one day, but when we don’t, it is even better the next day!

How to Make this Easy White Chicken Chili

One reason that I love making this recipe is because it is so easy.

You start by blending the tomatillos, onions, and garlic together and then adding it to a large pot with the rest of the ingredients. Then, you let it boil for about 20-25 minutes and it is ready! I love adding the diced poblano peppers to give it a little kick, but it isn’t so spicy that your kids won’t enjoy it. If you think poblanos are too spicy though, you can always replace them with mild green chiles.

White chicken chili with a close up showing the toppings

I personally use the great northern, beans, but you can replace those with a can of pinto beans, white kidney beans, cannellini beans, or another type of white beans. For the chicken, I boil a couple of chicken breasts and shred them up, but you can also use rotisserie chicken or any other leftover chicken if you have it on hand.

Some white chili recipes use sour cream, but this one does not. Instead, it gets its creamy flavors from the cream cheese that I add. If you like a thicker chili, you can add some corn starch to thicken it.

What are some toppings to serve with this recipe?

One thing that we love about chili (white chili or regular chili) at our house is adding our favorite toppings. For example, this goes great with tortilla chips, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and even lime wedges. Of course, this all depends on your personal preference, so if there is anything else you like to add feel free! Sometimes I will add fresh jalapenos too to give it even more spice.

Chicken chili top view in a white bowl

I am sure that when you try this, you are going to love it. The whole family will love this wonderful recipe! It is such an easy recipe and doesn’t require a lot of hard work or prep work.

Other similar recipes you may enjoy.

We love eating chili and hearty soup, especially in the winter months when it is so cold! Below are a few other tasty soup and chili recipes that you are sure to love! Let me know in the comments below how this turned out and what recipes you want to learn next time!

white chicken chili in a white bowl with a spoon
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Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe

This great recipe for creamy white chicken chili will be a hit with all of your friends and family. Keep reading to find out how to make it.
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Tex-Mex
Keyword chili, white chili
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 Cups
Calories 352kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts Cooked and Shredded
  • 4 Cups Chicken Stock
  • 1/2 Bar Cream Cheese
  • 2 Tomatillos
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 1/4 Medium White Onion
  • 2 Cups Great Northern Beans
  • 1 Cup Yellow Corn
  • 2 Poblano Peppers Skin and seeds removed and then diced, or you can replace with mild green chiles.
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Boil the tomatillos, garlic, and onion, and then blend in a blender with a little bit of the liquid.
  • Add the above mixture with the rest of the ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil and let simmer for about 20-25 minutes. You can add 1-2 teaspoons of corn starch mixed with a little bit of water if you want the chili to be more thick.
  • Remove from heat and serve with sour cream, cheese, tortillas chips, and other toppings as desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cup | Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 337mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Quick and Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

Slow Cooker Fire Roasted Brisket Chili.

This slow cooker brisket chili is one of our favorites! Made with fire roasted tomatoes and pinto beans, it’s so comforting, hearty and delicious. Chili season is here! Yes yes, it’s always chili season, but you know what I mean. Crunchy leaves, cool air, pumpkins and sweatshirts. I’m game anytime! This brisket chili is incredibly […]

The post Slow Cooker Fire Roasted Brisket Chili. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

This slow cooker brisket chili is one of our favorites! Made with fire roasted tomatoes and pinto beans, it’s so comforting, hearty and delicious.

Chili season is here!

slow cooker fire roasted brisket chili

Yes yes, it’s always chili season, but you know what I mean. Crunchy leaves, cool air, pumpkins and sweatshirts. I’m game anytime!

slow cooker with brisket and peppers and onions

This brisket chili is incredibly hearty, super smoky and so wildly flavorful. It just might be Eddie’s new favorite chili and that’s saying something because he LOVES chili.

Chili is the only soup he really truly loves. 

So I love experimenting with different chili recipes and I’m so glad this one came to fruition. I often have a few cuts of meat in my freezer, so having a great chili recipe to utilize that meat is the perfect option. 

slow cooker with brisket, fire roasted tomatoes and pinto beans

It is a bit high-maintenance, in that you have to cook the brisket first and THEN make the chili. It’s totally worthy it though.

Let me tell you how I make it happen!

The night before, I throw the brisket in the slow cooker. This way it cooks overnight and gets super fall-apart tender. Once it’s tender in the morning, you can choose to either shred it or chop it, whichever you would like. Your preference!

Then everything goes into the slow cooker. You can cook it for a few hours on high or let it simmer all day on low. I have a slow cooker that has a sauté option (it’s seriously amazing and I use it for SO many things!) – this version right here. So I like to remove my brisket, and in that same crock, sauté the onions and peppers with spices to really develop the flavor.

This isn’t necessary of course – you can throw everything right in, raw onions and all. But I do find that sautéing them first starts you off with a great layer of flavor. I am ALL about building layers of flavors in my recipes and allowing the flavors to fully develop. It’s the key to making a great meal happen!

Whether you cook the onions and peppers or not, everything goes into the slow cooker!

slow cooker fire roasted brisket chili

These are the key ingredients that make this recipe absolutely delish: 

Fire roasted tomatoes. These are pretty much the only diced tomatoes I use these days. They have such great charred, smoky flavor. I use them in my tomato soup and minestrone and many other things. I absolutely love them!

Pinto beans. Pintos may just be my favorite bean. I love how creamy they are – and also I love their size. You can use any bean here, but I find that pinto is my favorite. If you’d like to keep things traditional with kidney beans, go for it. Or use black beans. Whatever you love!

The perfect blend of spices, like smoked paprika, a hint of cumin, chili powder (of course!), a touch of dried oregano and even some crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. 

Some beer… or stock. I love using beer, just like this game day chili that uses a whole bottle. It adds so much flavor and richness to the soup.

The brisket, which is a no brainer. Again, chopped or shredded. Your call. (more…)

The post Slow Cooker Fire Roasted Brisket Chili. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Classic Chili Cheese Fries

Chili cheese fries are always a hit! Make a batch of baked fries and top with a simple chili, cheese…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

Chili cheese fries are always a hit! Make a batch of baked fries and top with a simple chili, cheese sauce, and toppings.

Chili Cheese Fries

When it comes to fries, there’s nothing more epic than a platter of Chili Cheese Fries! Imagine: that combination of deliciously hearty chili, crispy potatoes, and gooey cheese sauce is comfort food at its finest. Why settle for a plate of fries when you can add chili? This spin on the traditionally heavy dish is fresher than most, featuring a black bean chili and a lighter (but just as tasty) cheese sauce. In fact, this genius way to repurpose chili can even count as dinner!

Elements in these chili cheese fries

Chili cheese fries have three essential elements: French fries, chili, and cheese: either melted or incorporated as a sauce. This way of serving fries is very popular in the US, and originated in the 1950’s with the invention of prepared cheese products. Here are the elements you’ll need:

  • Fries: make these Homemade Baked Fries
  • Chili: try Black Bean Chili, Quick Chili or any of your favorite chili recipes
  • Cheese: make the simple cheese sauce below with whole milk and cheddar cheese
  • Toppings: top with pico de gallo, sour cream, and thinly sliced green onion
Chili Cheese Fries

Time saving tips!

The elements above are listed in the order we like to make chili cheese fries. Get the baked fries started by cutting them and soaking the fries, then get the chili simmering, and make the sauce just before serving. Here are a few quick tips that can save more time when you’re prepping:

  • Make the chili in advance, or use leftover chili. This is the perfect way to repurpose leftover chili! Just spoon it over the fries with a slotted spoon to minimize sogginess.
  • Use baked store-bought fries. There are some great brands of fries on the market that are more whole food spins on this usually processed product. Find a brand with minimal ingredients, then bake them up for quick assembly.
Chili Cheese Fries

Making the easy cheese sauce

The genius part of this chili cheese fries recipe? The easy cheese sauce! Most cheese sauces require you to make a roux by heat flour and butter together first to give the sauce a thick body. But we’ve created an even easier spin that requires two main ingredients: milk and cheese!

  • This 2-ingredient sauce has a slightly lighter texture than most. It’s not as thick because it doesn’t use flour. This also makes it gluten-free!
  • Use whole milk. This makes for the richest, creamiest body.

Chili cheese fries…for dinner!

These chili cheese fries taste decadent: but they’re actually lighter than most recipes. In fact, you can get away with calling them dinner. Here’s why:

  • The fries are just potatoes and olive oil. This is part of a healthy diet!
  • The chili is vegetarian and made of mostly vegetables. Black beans, corn, quinoa, tomatoes, onions: all healthy, good-for-you ingredients! You can choose a meaty chili if you like, which will make this recipe heavier and more caloric.
  • The cheese sauce is minimal. Many cheese sauces pack in loads of cheese. This recipe has just enough. If you’d like to go even more minimal, simply sprinkle with a few handfuls of cheddar cheese and pop it in the broiler to melt the cheese.
Chili Cheese Fries

Variations: meaty, vegan and more

Want to mix up these chili cheese fries? Here are a few ideas for different variations on the theme:

More fries recipes

We love fries over here: and there are lots of ways to make them that are a healthy spin! Here are a few more fries recipes to try:

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Chili Cheese Fries

Classic Chili Cheese Fries


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 to 6
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Chili cheese fries are always a hit! Make a batch of baked fries and top with a simple chili, cheese sauce, and toppings.


Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Baked French Fries
  • 2 cups Black Bean Chili, Quick Chili (with ground beef or plant-based crumbles), or other favorite chili recipe*
  • ¼ cup whole milk (or substitute 2%)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 green onion
  • Pico de gallo, for serving
  • Sour cream, for serving
  • Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the Baked French Fries, following that recipe. (You also can use frozen fries and skip this step.) While the fries soak, go to Step 2.
  2. Start the Black Bean Chili or Quick Chili, or use leftovers of your favorite chili recipe. Allow it to simmer while baking the fries. 
  3. Directly before serving, make the cheese sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the whole milk and the salt over medium heat. Once hot, add the shredded cheese a little bit at a time, stirring and melting before adding more cheese until all is incorporated (this should take about 3 minutes total).
  4. To serve, place the fries on a platter. Scoop out 2 cups of chili with a slotted spoon and add them over the top. Top with the warm cheese sauce, green onion, pico de gallo and sour cream. Serve immediately. 

Notes

For vegan, use Vegan Chili and Vegan Nacho Cheese.

  • Category: Appetizer or Main Dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Chili cheese fries

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Easy Black Bean Chili

This Black Bean Chili recipe is easy to make and full of big flavor! It’s cozy and hearty, the ideal…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This Black Bean Chili recipe is easy to make and full of big flavor! It’s cozy and hearty, the ideal vegetarian dinner idea.

Black Bean Chili

Can you have too many chili recipes? We think not. Introducing our new favorite easy spin…this Black Bean Chili recipe! It’s beyond simple to make, and the flavor is outstanding. (We hope you’ll agree.) It’s got a hint of smokiness to highlight the tangy tomatoes and savory black beans. Top it with your favorite toppings, and it’s so hearty and savory, you’ll forget it’s healthy, too.

Ingredients in this black bean chili recipe

This vegetarian black bean chili recipe was inspired by open fire cooking. In fact, we first made it around our firepit during a kitchen reno! We adapted our healthy chili recipe to be even simpler so it was easy enough to cook on a fire. This is the stovetop version of it, and it’s got lots of great ingredients to bring massive flavor with little effort:

  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil and butter
  • Quinoa
  • Black beans
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Corn
  • Mustard, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce
  • Chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt

The flavor secrets here? The butter adds the richness you need in a vegetarian chili. The mustard, ketchup and Worcestershire add tangy and savory notes. The kicker at the end? Adding a bit of smoked paprika, which helps to emulate that smokiness of the campfire chili we were inspired by.

Black Bean Chili

Chili toppings: dress it up!

This vegetarian black bean chili is simple and elegant. In fact, you only really need to dice an onion and garlic, and let your stove do the rest of the work for you! Once it’s done, dress it up with the toppings of your choice. Here are our top choices, and then a few more creative ideas:

  • Sour cream and cheese: Just a little goes a long way! We think these are required. For vegan, use Cashew Cream or Vegan Queso.
  • Green onion: Thinly sliced green onion is the best fresh accessory.
  • Cilantro: Fresh cilantro leaves are a great addition.
  • Hot sauce: Naturally! A favorite is a Mexican hot sauce like Cholula.
  • Roasted salted pepitas: This unique option adds a salty crunch.
  • Pickled jalapenos or onions: Pickled jalapeños add a kick! If you think ahead, pickled onions are a favorite of ours: they add bright color and tangy flavor.

Leftover storage

This black bean chili recipe stores well and is great for leftovers! Here are a few notes on leftover storage:

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days. It can become very thick, so you may need to add a splash of water when reheating.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months. This recipe works well frozen in a freezer-safe container.
Chili Cheese Fries

Make it a meal: ways to serve black bean chili

There are so many ways to serve this black bean chili recipe — straight up in a bowl, or with more creative options! Here are a few ways to accessorize it:

Variation: cook it on an open fire

Sure, you probably won’t do this every day! But this black bean chili recipe is an ideal campfire chili, too. We first made this one over an open fire when our kitchen was undergoing a renovation, and it worked wonderfully! The fire infuses an incredible smokiness to the flavor. Here are a few notes:

  • Use a hardwood for the fire, like oak or cherry. These woods have the best flavor for cooking food.
  • Follow the recipe but omit the smoked paprika. You don’t need it since the fire infuses smoky flavor.
  • Advanced prep for camping: If you’re taking it camping, prep the minced onion and garlic and place in a sealed container. Place the ingredients from water through kosher salt in another large sealed container (keep out the dry quinoa and add when cooking).

Let us know if you try it in the comments below! It’s a fun variation, though we typically make this one on the stovetop.

Black Bean Chili Recipe

More chili recipes

This black bean chili is our new favorite, but we’ve got lots of other chili recipes for the season! Here are a few to try:

This black bean chili recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, replace the butter as noted in the recipe below.

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Black Bean Chili

Easy Black Bean Chili


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This Black Bean Chili recipe is easy to make and full of big flavor! It’s cozy and hearty, the ideal vegetarian dinner idea.


Ingredients

  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ⅓ cup dry quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 15-ounce cans black beans, drained (not rinsed)
  • 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, fire roasted if possible
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter (replace with 2 tablespoons olive oil or refined coconut oil for vegan)
  • 1 15-ounce can corn (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn)
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons each chili powder and dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon each garlic powder and cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion. Mince the garlic.
  2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender.
  3. Add all other ingredients except for the smoked paprika. Simmer for 25 minutes, then stir in the smoked paprika. Serve immediately with toppings of your choice. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for 3 months.
  4. Campfire chili instructions: Follow the instructions above, but remove the smoked paprika (the fire will add smoky flavor). If you’re taking it camping, prep the minced onion and garlic and place in a sealed container. Place the ingredients from water through kosher salt in another large sealed container (keep out the dry quinoa and add when cooking). Keep everything cool until making the chili.
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Black bean chili, black bean chili recipe

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