Veggie Chili
This Veggie Chili is a lighter, yet still an incredibly hearty and flavorful version of my Triple B Chili. It is gluten free and vegan, making it a great dish to include in a buffet. Toppings and add-ons make it customizable for all kinds of dietary needs and picky eaters. The amount of heat can be controlled easily by adjusting the amount of chili powder and chipotle in adobo that is used. Liquid smoke is the “secret” ingredient that gives the overall flavor some meatiness without any meat at all.
A Lot of Ingredients
Granted, there are a lot of ingredients. However, there isn’t much prep work and the whole recipe comes together quickly. The onion, bell pepper, carrots and celery just need to be cleaned and diced to a similar size. Other vegetables can be substituted for these to fit your taste too.
The dry spices and seasonings simply need to be measured. They are added at the same time, so this can be done in advance and put together in the same container until ready to use. Almost everything else is canned or a liquid that can be measured and added at the moment.
The Method
Begin by softening the onion, bell pepper, carrots and celery in a large stock pot or dutch oven coated with olive oil over medium high heat. Then add in the garlic, turning the heat down to medium and just allowing it to heat up and become fragrant but not allowing it to burn. All of the dried seasonings and spices go in next and get stirred to coat the veggies. This will bring out their flavors as they warm up.
Then the wet ingredients get added. Begin with the canned tomatoes and sauce, wine, vinegar, chipotle in adobo and liquid smoke. Finally the canned beans go in and it is all mixed together. Cover the dish and let it simmer on a medium low heat for an hour or longer if possible. Stir from time to time to prevent it from sticking to the bottom and burning. The flavors become richer as the sauce continues to cook at a low heat.
Serving the Veggie Chili
When you are ready to eat, stir in the fresh cilantro then ladle into bowls and top with whatever you’d like. Sour cream, shredded cheese, scallions and jalapenos are all popular in their dairy or non-dairy versions. A side of tortilla chips, cornbread muffins, cornmeal waffles, perfect baked potatoes, rice or pasta are also popular. It is hard to go wrong!
More Gluten Free Bowls of Goodness
- Crockpot Irish Beef Stew
- Chicken & Potatoes in Tomato Masala
- Chickpeas & Spinach Stew
- Triple B Chili
- Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Veggie Chili
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet onion (diced)
- 1 large bell pepper, any color (diced)
- 3 large carrots (peeled & diced)
- 2 large celery stalks (diced)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves fresh garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder (adjust for your taste)
- 2 tsp Italian seasonings
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 15 ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- ½ cup red wine (any variety that you drink)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 large chipotle in adobo (minced finely)
- ½ tsp liquid smoke
- 1 15 ounce can white beans (drained)
- 1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans (drained)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
- shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, scallions (optional toppings)
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot or dutch oven coated with olive oil over medium high heat. Cook the onion, bell pepper, carrots and celery until slightly softened.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic, allowing it to heat through and become fragrant. Then add the dry spices and seasonings, stirring to allow them to warm through.
- Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, vinegar, chipotle in adobo, liquid smoke and beans to the pot. Stir to combine well then cover and turn the heat to medium low.
- Let simmer for an hour, taste and reseason if needed. It can continue to simmer for another hour or so if you wish to deepen the flavor.
- When ready to eat, stir in the chopped cilantro, add your choice of toppings and serve with cornbread, cornmeal waffles, cornbread madeleines, perfect baked potatoes, crackers, tortillas or turn into nachos.
