Simply the best chili I make

It’s flexible, easy to make, and oh-so-good

What’s for dinner?

Don’t you just hate that question? Because whenever it comes up, you’re usually up to your eyeballs in stuff. And who has time to come up with ideas, shop for the ingredients, get everything ready …

That’s when it’s easy to step away from your goal.

I know a lot of plant-based newbies think it’s about making a different meal every night.

Nope.

Because that gets exhausting!

Instead, it’s about finding your favorites, your go-to meals you cling to and use repeatedly.

For me, that’s chili.

If you want something filling, warm, and satisfying, it’s hard to say NO to chili.

Do a search, and you’ll find a gazillion different recipes. I may have tried a few dozen of them myself.

Because I remember waayyy back when I was a kid, my mom made a big pot with hamburger, a few veggies, beans … and I HATED it. It was my worst meal. I always tried to get out of eating it - can’t I have something else?

So, chili was not my go-to meal once I had a family of my own.

But as a plant-based eater, chili is a spectacular meal. It’s an easy way to combine lots of good stuff into one creative meal.

So I went on the hunt for a basic chili recipe I could really get into.

Because there’s something about the first cool autumn day that starts screaming CHHIIIILLLLIIIIIII. I stir up a pot, and it becomes my mainstay menu item for the next nine months.

Why? Because it packs a punch. It has so many good things in it; it’s delicious, it’s flexible, and it makes enough to have leftovers, too.

Did I mention leftovers? (That’s a BIG plus in my book, because … lunches. A big pot can give us several lunch portions. What’s not to love!?)

The Best Plant-Based Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 small yellow onion, chopped

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

• 2 tablespoons oregano

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 2 bell peppers, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• ¼ cup chili powder

• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

• 2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chili peppers

• 1 package vegetarian burger crumbles

• 3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans

• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained

• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

• 1 cup frozen corn

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion and cook 5 minutes until tender. Add in bay leaves, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, and stir.

• Mix in bell peppers and celery and cook until tender.

• Add garlic and burger crumbles and stir. Cook 2 minutes and ensure crumbles are well combined.

• Add in tomatoes and chili powder. Mix well.

• Add in black beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.

• Stir in the corn and nutritional yeast 5 minutes before serving.

Now let’s talk about variations …

There are so many different things you can do to change this up! You’ll quickly find a way to make this your own.

🥕Want more veggies? Chop up a carrot or two, stir in some chopped spinach, or add in diced zucchini. I usually just open my fridge, and find something extra to add.

🧂You can ramp up the seasoning, too. I’m not going to lie … I love cumin and oregano. I kept the measurements small in the recipe, but I usually double what I have listed. Go fresh whenever you can.

🍅I put in canned tomatoes here, but you can use fresh ones if you desire. And if you don’t want tomato chunks in your chili, throw them into a blender first and blend to your desired consistency. (That’s what I do - I really want to taste the beans … yum!)

🫘Prefer different beans? Add in what you desire. There isn’t a right or wrong addition here - use whatever you have on hand.

🌽I use a cup of Costco frozen organic corn. But if I happen to have ears handy, you can slice it off and go with fresh. I really do wish you could find more organic ears of corn … sigh!

👩‍🍳I like Trader Joe’s vegetarian crumbles best. I’ll admit, I don’t use them much. But when I make chili, it’s the one ingredient I always make sure to have on hand.

It’s time to get cooking …

Okay, so there you have it. My go-to staple for fall, winter, and spring meals. If you’re looking for a good nutritious meal that’s easy to make - one that EVERYONE in your household will love - you’ll never go wrong with this recipe.

Because it’s so easy to modify, spice up, and increase the flavor, most will never tell that it’s vegan. You’ll give them something healthier, and you’ll fall in love with just how easy this recipe is.

Time to turn your kitchen into something Gorgeous!

Have fun, and let me know what you think of this recipe.

Lori