Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili
Main Description Chipotle chili pepper adds a rich, smoky flavor to this nutritious dish made with beans, veggies and rice. Try it as is or “con carne.”
With just a quick prep, you can whip up five quarts of great chili that tastes even better the next day.
Recipe Times
- Total Time : 1 hour 55 minutes
- Prep Time : 20 minutes
- Cook Time : 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rest Time : 20 minutes
- Servings : 10 (2 cups per person) as a main course
- 2 Tablespoons olive or canola oil
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder, mild or hot
- 2 teaspoons each ground cumin, dried thyme and dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces, about 1 1/2 cups
- 3 celery stalks, rinsed and diced into 1/2-inch pieces, about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 green bell pepper, rinsed, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces, about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 chipotle pepper, in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- One 29-ounce can crushed tomatoes with juices
- One 29-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
- Three 14 1/2-ounce cans black beans, rinsed well and drained
- One 14 1/2-ounce can white cannellini beans, rinsed well and drained
- One 29-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed well and drained
- 1/2 cup uncooked instant brown rice
- 1 medium zucchini, rinsed and diced into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 generous cup
Optional
Chipotle chilis are more smoky than hot, but if you prefer less spice, rinse the sauce (which can be hot!) from the chili and remove the seeds (which also can be hot). Or use only half a chili pepper. Of course, the recipe works well even if you eliminate it completely.
step 1 Heat the oil in an 8-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the spices, garlic, diced onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper and chipotle pepper. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon until onions are translucent, about 5–6 minutes.
step 2 Add the tomato paste, tomatoes with juices, beans and brown rice and bring to a boil, about 10 minutes. Stir gently from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
step 3 Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Stir again gently and simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes.
step 4 Gently stir in the zucchini and simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes.
step 5 Let rest 20 minutes, uncovered, so flavors develop and chili cools slightly.
step 6 The unused portion can be refrigerated in Ziploc® Brand Twist 'n Loc® Containers for up to five days or you can freeze it for up to one month. Reheat in Ziploc® Brand container in microwave (remove container lid before reheating) or in saucepan over low heat.
VariationsFor chili “con carne,” add up to 1/2 cup of leftover chicken, turkey, beef or pork per 2-cup serving of chili before reheating. The added meat can be diced, pulled, crumbled or ground—almost any leftover meat will work well with the recipe.
Chickpeas can be substituted for white cannellini beans.
Brown rice provides beneficial whole grain and fiber and, when combined with beans, makes a complete protein. However, if desired, white rice can be substituted for the brown.
chef's notesTop each serving with low-fat or fat-free shredded cheddar cheese or low-fat or fat-free sour cream. For a tasty dip, serve warm with whole-wheat bagels, pita chips, pita bread wedges or low-sodium pretzels. Or use the chili as a topping for hot dogs, burgers, chicken or whole-wheat pasta. For a fast, delicious side dish, prepare “Ginger Broccoli with Almonds” from the Ziploc® Brand Zip’n Steam® Microwave Cooking Bags recipe collection.
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Serving Size:
2 cups
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Calories
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320
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Calories From Fat
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40
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Total Fat
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4g
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Saturated Fat
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0.5g
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Trans Fat
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0g
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Cholesterol
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0mg
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Sodium
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360mg
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Total Carbohydrates
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56g
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Dietary Fiber
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19g
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Sugars
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5g
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Protein
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18g
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How hot is hot?
A chili’s heat can be measured on the Scoville scale, which ranges from 0 to 855,000 heat units. A chipotle pepper (which is actually a smoke-dried jalapeño) measures just 2,500–8,000 units.
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