This Easy Bean and Veggie Chili will knock your socks off with flavor. It is full of fiber, plant-based protein and hidden veggies. I devised this recipe to fool my picky kids into eating their vegetables. Throwing the ingredients in the blender like this has two-fold benefits. This technique disguises the vegetables in the flavorful sauce and also makes preparation a breeze! Traditionally chili can take hours to cook but my plant-based version is ready in about a half hour!
I have been making chili for decades in restaurants and at home. Chili was one of the dishes that I perfected when I was barely in double digits. Of course the chili that I cooked as a child differed greatly from this Easy Bean and Veggie Chili. The old version consisted of ground beef, kidney beans, copious tomatoes and lots of chili powder. Other incarnations contained steak, ground dry chilis and even chicken! Over the years my recipes for chili have evolved alot. I have lightened up on the tomatoes and chili powder, ditched the meat and bulked up on the veg.
Like most food that is on heavy rotation in my home, this chili is mildly spiced. Although my husband and I enjoy fiery flavors, we add the spice at the end when serving so that the meal can appeal to the whole family. I always have a batch of fiery Chile de arbol salsa to spice up our lives or I go heavy with the chili flakes garnish. Whether you like spicy or mild, this Easy Bean and Veggie Chili is the perfect family friendly recipe for you.
Easy Bean and Veggie Chili
Ingredients
- 15 oz pinto beans can drained and rinsed
- 15 oz black beans can drained and rinsed
- 15 oz white beans can drained and rinsed
- 15 oz chickpeas can drained and rinsed
- 1 each onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 5 each baby bell peppers deseeded and chopped
- 2 each carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- ½ cup frozen corn
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 each zuchinni chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by putting all veggies (except corn) in a high speed blender or food processor and pulsing until your kids won’t notice there are veggies in this. Just cut the harder veggies like butternut and carrots smaller so that they get chopped by blades easier
- In a large pot Sauté all the blended veggies in oil, stirring often until you can smell them about 5 mins
- Add drained beans, water, tomatoes and spices and bring to a boil for 3-5 mins and add corn
- Turn down to a simmer for 10-15 mins to let thicken and all flavors meld. Stir often to make sure nothing is burning on bottom Taste for salt.
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