Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

This recipe comes from Epicurious — I made it for a soup kitchen and the synagogue, and it was a huge hit both places. The key seemed to be cooking it for a really long time.

Some recipes demand to be followed to the letter, while others are open to interpretation. This black bean chili recipe is definitively the latter. It’s delicious as is, but the genius of this cozy dish lies in its (almost) infinite adaptability. Do you love jalapeños? Add a few! Prefer pinto beans over black beans? Go wild! Are you warding off vampires? Add more cloves garlic—and godspeed to you. Others have added vegetarian “meat” crumbles, bacon, ground turkey, bison, corn, and green chiles.

A few tricks make this hearty weeknight recipe great. First, plenty of peppers and onions add sweetness and complexity, while sautéing the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne allows the flavors to build. A can of tomato sauce provides concentrated tomato flavor, which minimizes simmering time. Of course, the real fun of chili comes from piling on your favorite toppings. This recipe offers plenty of options, but once again, don’t let it limit you—crumbled tortilla chips, diced raw onion, and cheddar cheese are always a big hit.

Chef Robyn Fuoco came up with this recipe to make the most of her well-stocked pantry, and chances are, you already have most of these ingredients on hand. Serve this chili with cornbread, over mac and cheese, or poured onto baked potatoes or sweet potatoes. It’s your recipe now: Go wild.

4 servings

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)

2 medium red bell peppers, chopped (about 1⅔ cups)

2 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. dried oregano

1½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

3 15-oz. cans black beans, drained, ½ cup liquid reserved

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Grated Monterey Jack, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and chopped scallions (for serving, optional)

Step 1

Heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add 6 garlic cloves, chopped, 2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups), and 2 medium red bell peppers, chopped (about 1⅔ cups) and cook until onions are softened, 8–10 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. chili powder, 2 tsp. dried oregano, 1½ tsp. ground cumin, and ½ tsp. cayenne pepper; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Step 2

Add three 15-oz. cans black beans, drained, ½ cup bean liquid, and one 15-oz. can tomato sauce; stir to combine. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and chili is thickened, 15–20 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Step 3

Divide chili among bowls. Top with grated Monterey Jack, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and chopped scallions if using.

Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas

 Credit for this one goes to Rainbow Plant Life, by way of Grace and Akiva Blickstein, who made it for our synagogue.

It's so delicious, even Leon ate it - and he hates squash!

Ingredients:

• ▢1 1/2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (use refined for a neutral taste, or a neutral oil of choice)
• ▢1 large onion, diced
• ▢2 medium carrots, diced
• ▢Kosher salt to taste
• ▢4 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢2- inch piece ginger, grated or finely minced*
• ▢1-3 bird's eye chili peppers, thinly sliced (optional; only use for spicy!)**
• ▢2 stalks fresh lemongrass, minced or grated (optional but recommended)***
• ▢5 tablespoons red curry paste (see Notes below on spiciness level and brands)****
• ▢1 (13.5-ounce) (400 mL) can full-fat coconut milk
• ▢1 cup (240 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
• ▢5 cups (700-730g) of peeled and cubed butternut squash (~ 2.5 pound butternut squash)
• ▢2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (or 1 tablespoon Thai Light Soy Sauce)*****
• ▢1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or pure maple syrup)
• ▢2 15-ounce (425g) cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• ▢4 cups (60g) baby spinach or baby kale (about 4 large handfuls)
• ▢1 tablespoon lime juice or rice vinegar
• ▢1 large handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ▢1 handful Thai basil leaves
• ▢White rice or brown rice (for serving, optional)
  
  
• • Heat a Dutch oven or a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, and once shimmering, add the onions and carrots along with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook the vegetables for 7-8 minutes, or until they are tender and lightly browned.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, chili peppers (if using), lemongrass (if using), and red curry paste, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to coat the vegetables & prevent burning. If not using a nonstick pan, you'll likely need to add a tablespoon or two of water to prevent the mixture from drying out, sticking, and burning.
  • Pour in a couple spoons of the coconut milk and allow it to bubble for a minute, stirring well. Add the vegetable broth, stirring with a spatula to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining coconut milk, cubed squash, soy sauce, and coconut sugar, stirring to combine.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer for 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender and cooked through.

    Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend roughly half of the curry. Make sure to leave some chunks of squash intact.

    Alternatively, transfer half of the curry to a stand blender. Blend until the mixture is puréed and mostly smooth, then return it to the pan and stir to combine.
  • Stir in the chickpeas and bring the curry to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, stir in the baby spinach or kale, stirring until the greens have wilted.
  • Turn off the heat, and stir in the lime juice or rice vinegar. Taste for seasonings, adding salt as needed. Tear the Thai basil leaves to release their oils; add them to the curry, along with the chopped cilantro.
  • Serve the curry over rice. Garnish with additional cilantro or Thai basil as desired.

  NOTES

  * Traditionally, galangal is used instead of ginger in Thai curries. If it’s , feel free to use galangal instead. 

  ** Use bird’s eye chili peppers only if you like spicy food. My personal preference is to use 3 of them, but I like my food spicier than most of my readers. For most, start with 1 pepper. If not available, use 1 serrano pepper.

  *** You need to peel several layers of lemongrass, then use only the tender, inner white bulb at the bottom. For tips on how to peel/cut lemongrass, watch the Youtube video starting at the 3:09 mark. 

  **** There is variability in spiciness across curry paste brands. The best Thai curry paste that’s vegan is Maesri, which is spicier than, say, the Thai Kitchen, brand. For a spicy version, I use 5 tbsp Thai Kitchen paste. 

  ***** Thai Soy Sauce, aka Thin Soy Sauce or Light Soy Sauce, can be found at Southeast Asian grocery stores. It is much saltier than a standard grocery store soy sauce (e.g., Kikkoman). If using the latter, use 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons. If using reduced-sodium soy sauce, use 2 1/2 tablespoons. To keep this recipe gluten-free, use tamari. 
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