Growing up, my favourite chili was one my best friend Kara’s mom, Roberta, made when we visited. It was a giant pot that fed the 9 kids of our combined families. It had loads of big chunky vegetables and was filling and hearty. Over the years I’ve taken her recipe and removed the meat, added more plant based protein, and tweaked the seasonings to suit my own taste. The chunky vegetables are about the only thing left that resembles the original recipe, but it still brings me back to wonderful childhood memories. I serve it with grated cheese on top and a side of Tostito Rounds tortilla chips to dip. It is now one of my family’s favourite comfort food dinners on a rainy cold night. (Don’t skip the coconut milk, the fat cuts the tomato acidity, and completes the flavour profile beautifully.)
Time: ~ 1 hour, including prep, cooking beans, and simmering time
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
2 large stalks celery, diced
30 medium brown mushrooms, quartered (about 10 cups)
1 heaping Tablespoon of crushed garlic, minced
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
2x 400 ml canned pinto or romano beans*
2x 800 ml canned diced tomatoes, with liquid
400 ml canned full fat coconut milk
2x 24 g packs of chili seasoning
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 Tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar**
Salt to taste
Optional: grated cheese, Tostito rounds tortilla chips
Instructions:
- Prep the veggies: dice the onion, celery, & bell pepper. Quarter the mushrooms into bite size pieces. (*Cook beans in instant pot now if you are using dry beans. Combine 1 cup dry unsoaked pinto or romano beans with 3 cups veggie broth in an Instant Pot. Set to high pressure cook for 20 minutes. Allow to release naturally for 15-20 minutes, than fast release. Drain before adding to chili on step 5.)
- Saute the onion and celery in olive oil on medium-high heat until onions are translucent and celery is starting to soften. Add garlic & seasoning packs, stir constantly. Once it starts to stick to bottom of pan, drizzle with more olive oil, and add mushrooms. Saute briefly, just until mushrooms start to soften.
- Add the veggie broth and scrape up any browning that has stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Add bell pepper, rinsed lentils, and canned diced tomatoes with liquid, and stir well. Bring up to a boil on high heat, then turn it down to minimum and let it simmer for 20 mins, stirring frequently, till lentils are almost cooked through.
- Add coconut milk (blend first if it has separated in the can), drained beans, maple syrup and vinegar (** or replace vinegar with 1/4 cup red wine if you prefer). Taste and adjust seasonings, add salt, if necessary. Bring back up to a simmer, then reduced heat and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Remove from heat. Serve hot with grated cheese (monterey jack jalapeno cheese, or mozza style daiya shreds for a plant based option) on top with a side of Tostito Rounds tortilla chips to dip.
Plum Hill 