Living in Maine, where the four seasons are Almost Winter, Winter, Muddy and Cold and Road Construction, you’ve got to have a good chili recipe in your arsenal! It is filling, extremely healthy and super affordable. This recipe is vegetarian because I don’t eat red meat, but feel free to throw in some hamburger! Ground turkey would also taste great, I’m sure, I just haven’t gotten around to testing it!
First things first–chop up a green pepper, as much of your favorite kind of onion as you like (I used red onion) and use a garlic press to squish a couple of cloves of garlic.
Put all the above ingredients in a 5-quart pot with 2 tablespoons of butter and saute on medium heat, stirring frequently.
Continue sauteing until the green peppers are soft. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons chili powder and 1 teaspoon Old El Paso Taco Seasoning.
Keep on sauteing until it looks like this. The brown bits are where the flavor is at.
Pour in one 28oz. can of diced tomatoes (preferably of the no salt added variety) with the juice, and two cans of beans (make sure you drain them first). I use black beans and dark red kidney beans. Stir it all together until it begins to simmer. Now you can turn the temperature down to medium-low and let it do its thang. The longer you can wait, the better it is going to taste and the thicker it will be–but I would recommend a minimum of 15 minutes…if you can wait that long!
Serve and enjoy! I like mine with some cheddar cheese, but other common toppings include sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips and raw onion and/or raw tomato. Another thing some people do it serve it over pasta or rice, but not me…I’m a chili “purist.”
Vegetarian Chili
4 servings
Ingredients:
– large green pepper
– small onion
– 2 cloves garlic, or 1-1/2 tsp. minced garlic
– 2 tbsp. butter
– 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
– 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
– 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
– 2 teaspoons chili powder
– 1 teaspoon Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
– 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
– 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilis, optional
– 1 can black beans, drained (not rinsed)
– 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
– toppings of your choice
Directions:
1. Chop up one large green pepper and some onion. Throw it in a 5 qt. pot with butter and garlic. Saute on medium heat, stirring frequently.
2. Once green peppers and onions are soft and fully cooked, add spices and continue sauteing until fragrant.
3. Add tomatoes and beans. Stir it all together until it begins to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for a minimum of 15 minutes. The longer you cook, the more flavorful and thick the chili will be.
4. Serve
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Scrumptious Baking 