Amazing Vegan Chili

by Steph Sunshine at StephSunshine.com

Yield 10 servings, about 11 cups (2.6 L)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium red bell peppers, chopped (about 12.5 oz/360 g.)
  • 1 large onion, diced (about 10 oz./285 g.)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp. chili powder*
  • 1 tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes (or 1 28-oz/790-g. can)
  • 1 12-oz. can tomato paste
  • 2 15.5-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce (such as Annie's or 365)
  • 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp. vegan light brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. salt (to taste)

Toppings

  • vegan sour cream
  • shredded vegan cheddar cheese
  • chopped green onions (scallions)
  • fresh cilantro (coriander)

Instructions

  1. Heat your olive oil over medium heat in a large (6-quart/6-liter or larger) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Then add your onion, garlic, and bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are softened and the onions are translucent, about 7-10 minutes.
  2. Add in your chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  3. Add all your remaining ingredients, except the salt. Stir well, increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 1 1/2 hours, covered. Stir occasionally and add additional broth or water if needed.
  4. Add salt to taste, then let simmer for 15 minutes longer. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Notes & Hints

The chili powder in this recipe is pure red chili powder, not a chili powder blend. If you're using a blend, it will likely have cumin and oregano, so you can replace the chili powder, cumin, and oregano with 1/4 cup of chili powder blend.

This recipe produces a medium-spicy chili, and the spice level will develop over time if you have leftovers. If you'd like to increase or decrease the spiciness, you can adjust the amount of chili powder.

StephSunshine