Very Veggie Chili

I’m going to say it. This is the best vegetarian chili ever.

It’s lean. It’s clean. And it’s meanly delicious. And the best part is that once you’ve done all the prep — spoiler alert; there’s a bit of chopping involved — you are left with a simple one-pot wonder, full of immunity-boosting beans, veggies, herbs and spices all rich in antioxidants, amino acids and belly-filling fiber.

Mushrooms are the secret star of this dish; they’re like sponges, soaking up every bit of the smoky, spicy seasonings. Canned tomatoes make for a simple, convenient chili base. And the longer the mushrooms simmer in the base, the more flavor they’ll drink in. The two types of beans (black beans and chickpeas) deliver a hefty dose of plant-based protein, and the whole grains (in the form of brown rice or quinoa) add body.

When topped with crunchy walnuts and creamy avocado, the result is one satisfying bowl full of tantalizing flavors, textures and aromas, plus immunity-boosting nutrition.

This soup freezes, well, too, so even if you aren’t feeding a large crowd (Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner!), you can freeze leftovers in individual containers to have a hearty meal quick at hand for those extra cold winter nights that sometimes sneak up on us in the South.

I make this soup every year for family over the holidays, and every year, without fail, the bowls are licked clean, and the chili pot is left bone dry. It’s just that good.

Very Veggie Chili
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, preferably portobello, gills removed and coarsely chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons mushroom seasoning (such as Trader Joe’s) or chipotle chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Two (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic (undrained)
• One (15-ounce) can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
• One (15-ounce) can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 large zucchini, diced or shredded
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 cups hot cooked quinoa or brown rice
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
• Hot sauce, fresh lime juice, fresh herbs for serving

Directions
Heat oil in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and jalapeno; cook 4 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add mushrooms and either mushroom seasoning or chipotle chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin, stirring well to coat vegetables. Cook 2 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes. Add beans and chickpeas, simmer 10 minutes. Stir in zucchini and corn, adding more water, ½ cup at a time, if chili is too thick. Cook 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Stir in lime juice.

Serve over warm grains and top with avocado and toasted walnuts. Add hot sauce, additional lime juice and fresh herbs, if desired.

Sidney Fry is a two-time James-Beard-Award-winning food and nutrition writer who loves creating simple, healthy recipes and thoughtful, actionable content for the hungry consumer. A healthy living proactivist, Sidney is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer and mama of three based in Birmingham, Alabama.