Rich Vegan Chilli

Beans are an essential part of the ‘Blue Zone’ diet: the five areas in the world with the best rates of longevity and good health. But they’ve have gotten a pretty bad rep for making us errr, trump. Not in the Blue Zones, where they are the foundation of any Blue Zone diet. People in these areas eat four times as many beans as the average American, so I imagine that follows for Brits too. Consuming them daily could add four years onto your life. They also are shown to offer serious protection against Alzheimer’s. Beans mean long lifetimes

Beans really are the OG superfood. They might not be as exotic as acai or matcha but they are cheap and an excellent source of protein for a plant-based diet.

This Chilli is made using both black beans and red kidney beans. I’ve experimented with many veggie based chillis over the years but found them disappointedly tomato-y and missing that rich flavour that comes from beef. So coming up with this was like hitting the plant-based jackpot. The secret ingredient to achieve that rich flavour: tamari and dark chocolate.

it’s the ideal hearty meal served with toasted sourdough and some greek yoghurt or vegan alternative.

Rich Vegan Chilli

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 Medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 Red pepper, diced
• 2 Cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 250g Chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1 400g tin of black beans
• 1 400g tin of kidney beans
• 2 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Cumin
• 1 tbsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 tbsp Tamari, or soy sauce
• 2 Pieces of dark chocolate (Above 70% solids) dairy-free for vegans

Instructions

 

• Using a dutch oven or large saucepan, fry the onions until translucent and softened
• Add the spices and garlic and fry for around 30 secs to one minute adding extra oil if needed so spices don’t stick to the pan
• Add the peppers and mushrooms and fry for five minutes adding a splash of water if needed
• Add the tinned tomatoes and beans along with the oregano and tamari
• Leave to simmer on a low heat for one hour, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the pan
• Towards the end add the dark chocolate and stir in to melt
• Serve with toasted sourdough, greek yoghurt or vegan alternative, fresh coriander and lime.

Keyword chill san carne, plant-based chlli, plant-based dinner, vegan chilli, vegatarian chilli, chill san carne, vegatarian chilli