This Mouthwatering Veggie Chili is for all you tailgaters out there. Football season is right around the corner, which means chili season is right around the corner. How about we help you healthify your favorite recipes?
Beans, beans, and more beans. This recipe is loaded with kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas. Beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber to help keep our digestive tracts running smoothly. They are also a great source of plant-based protein. To top it all off, beans are a phenomenal source of iron. Iron helps to carry oxygen and nutrients to our blood cells, which help keep our cells healthy. This means that you will feel more energized and healthy all over. The plethora of veggies in this chili are also rich in fiber as well as a number of vitamins and minerals to help keep our bodies functioning properly. A diet rich in vegetables help reduce risk of heart attack, stroke, many cancers, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
This is one of our longer recipes, so get ready to do some cooking and chopping. Start off by heating olive oil over medium heat and sautéing your chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, garlic, carrots, and zucchini. Cook this up until it begins to smell divine. In a large pot, mix tomatoes and beans. Add your sautéd mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and add some salt and pepper to taste. Top this baby off with plenty of hearty cheese and enjoy!
Pair this with a hearty grain for a well balanced meal like rice, quinoa, or a whole wheat roll. Allow the aroma of this hearty chili to fill the entire house. How does this sound to warm up to during those crisp fall football games or for just a homey, comfortable meal.
- 1 can of low-sodium kidney beans
- 1 can of low-sodium black beans
- 1 can of low-sodium chickpeas
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes 15 ounce
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 cup of carrots chopped
- 1 cup of zucchini chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 onion
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 ounces of cheddar cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
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Heat olive oil on medium heat and sauté chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, garlic, (optional carrots and zucchini) until they begin to smell great (about 5 minutes).
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In a large pot, mix tomatoes and beans. Add sautéd mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
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Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Coat with cheese.
Enjoy with your favorite grain
Tsahai
October 8, 2012 at 11:27 am (8 years ago)This looks delicious!! Must try this soon. Love all the recipes. You gals are the best! 🙂
Jess
October 8, 2012 at 8:11 pm (8 years ago)Hey Tsahai! Thank so much for your comment! SO glad you like the recipes =) Let us know how it turns out!
Aliren
October 8, 2012 at 1:45 pm (8 years ago)This seems super easy and looks great. I’m trying this weekend.
Jess
October 8, 2012 at 8:13 pm (8 years ago)Hey Aliren! Yes, I promise it is so easy! Let me know if you end up trying it! =)
Aliren
January 21, 2015 at 5:29 pm (6 years ago)I know that it has been a while, but I needed this recipe again. I added potatoes to this to add another element and it is my absolute favorite chili. Hands down.
Wendy
May 11, 2015 at 10:27 am (5 years ago)Amazing! It’s definitely one of those go-to recipes
Jordan
October 8, 2012 at 2:23 pm (8 years ago)I will be making this THIS week!! So Happy to come across this blog (via your facebook page) && the fact that these are healthy is such a huge plus!
Thanks for this recipe!
All the best to yall! =)
Jess
October 8, 2012 at 8:14 pm (8 years ago)Hey Jordan, Yay! Let me know how it turns out!! We’re so happy you found us too!!! xo
Jordan
October 13, 2012 at 1:37 pm (8 years ago)It turned out great! Did a post about it too!
http://wp.me/p2ex1V-5Y << gave my props to you for introducing it to me!
Jess
October 15, 2012 at 9:13 am (8 years ago)Oh my gahhh, yours looks amaz
Allie
October 9, 2012 at 11:56 pm (8 years ago)Made it, ate it, and it was GREAT!
Jess
October 15, 2012 at 9:09 am (8 years ago)Yayyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
MoonCountry
October 12, 2012 at 2:34 pm (8 years ago)Hey hermosas, this is a great healthy recipe, I am making it tonight (with lentils instead of the kidney beans, thats whats in mah fridge). Only suggestion I would make is to use dried beans, and cook them yourselves. Allegedly cans leach chems into the food they hold, no bueno. It’s an extra step and will take a little bit more time, but the added health benefits are well worth it 😉 a bag a beans goes quite a long way, and for a momma on a budget, beans end up being a healthy tasty addition to means a lot during the week! Alright, that’s my two cents, passing this recipe around to my friends and fam right now. looking forward to the chashew mac n cheese recipe!
Jess
October 15, 2012 at 9:14 am (8 years ago)Awesome! I agree dried is always best, unfortunately I didn’t have the time to soak when I made this but that’s great if you did!
Diane
March 12, 2013 at 4:14 pm (7 years ago)I agree with MoonCountry, I only use dried beans and this looks soooo good I have `to try it. I love chili the way. I”m 69 yrs young and retired so I have time to cook the beans
June
October 21, 2012 at 12:20 pm (8 years ago)Hi Jess, thanks for a great recipe. made it and I’m in love. Def will make again. Soon.
Jess
October 28, 2012 at 12:05 pm (8 years ago)That’s great! thanks for the note. I’m glad you liked it =)
T
October 23, 2012 at 1:36 pm (8 years ago)I made this and it came out absolutely delicious. I thought i would miss the meat but i didn’t because it was so hearty and filling!
Jess
October 28, 2012 at 12:06 pm (8 years ago)yesssss!!!! so glad you liked it T!! =)
Jen
March 12, 2013 at 8:10 pm (7 years ago)Made it… My kids knocked it without trying it but got hooked by dinner time lol. Very yummy.
Lauren
January 16, 2014 at 2:25 pm (7 years ago)This has become my go-to baseline chili recipe. I add a chopped sweet potato, about a teaspoon of cacao powder, and lots of chopped kale toward the end of cooking, and it’s stellar!
amaka
January 16, 2014 at 5:14 pm (7 years ago)chilli powder missing in written recipe!
Delicious Brown
May 8, 2014 at 11:23 pm (6 years ago)I discovered you about a week ago and I’ve fallen in love with your recipes. It’s like eating soul food but with a healthy twist. I followed your directions but instead of a regular pot, I used a pressure cooker and had delicious food in no time. I’m loving this vegetarian lifestyle! You girls rock!!
Wendy
May 15, 2014 at 11:09 pm (6 years ago)aww thanks so much! so happy to hear people actually make this stuff lol
Darilne
June 21, 2014 at 5:18 pm (6 years ago)Ooh, I’m gonna try this one out, looks delicious! Right now I’m experimenting with tofu, hope it turns out good 🙂
Wendy
June 25, 2014 at 3:31 pm (6 years ago)good luck in the kitchen!
sade
July 23, 2014 at 10:53 am (6 years ago)hi, do you drain the beans before adding them?
Wendy
July 24, 2014 at 1:52 pm (6 years ago)yes! if using canned beans you wash and drain them. if using dried beans, after soaking, drain and add.
DC
April 6, 2015 at 6:56 am (5 years ago)Hey Wendy and Jesse! Came across your Youtube channel and i must say i am a fan. i find it great that you support and promote farmers markets . How do you guys feel about GMOs ? Are you guys supporters of the NON GMOs project ?
Wendy
May 11, 2015 at 10:19 am (5 years ago)We’re not fans of GMO food, but unfortunately it can be hard to access certain GMO-free foods (especially if you live in a community with limited resources). To make things more simple for folks, our motto is plant-based, local, (and if possible) organic.
Erin Jones
June 24, 2015 at 4:37 pm (5 years ago)Do you rinse the beans or leave the water to make the liquid in the chilli?
Wendy
July 7, 2015 at 1:51 pm (5 years ago)rinse the beans!
Nora
December 15, 2015 at 4:59 am (5 years ago)i just tried it and it came out really good! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Wendy
December 15, 2015 at 4:48 pm (5 years ago)yay! so happy to hear that 🙂
matty d
January 9, 2017 at 11:49 pm (4 years ago)love dem beans
Mon
January 10, 2017 at 12:20 am (4 years ago)YUM!!!! Just made this for dinner. So delicious. Thank you ladies <3
Wendy
January 26, 2017 at 5:03 pm (4 years ago)you’re so welcome!
suzette
August 15, 2018 at 3:05 pm (2 years ago)yum yummy!