Thick and spicy, Chorizo and Black Bean Chili Bowls are the ultimate meat and bean lover’s chili! Serve over rice or on a plate of nachos!
I remember long before I met John.e, the vegetarian, I would load just about any dish I could possibly fill with ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey, or the best ‘ground’ of all, sausage meat which had been removed from the casing.
Maybe it’s because ground beef was a constant staple when I was growing up – my parents mostly worked seasonal labour for the most part, and there were a total of five mouths to feed. Ground beef was cheap and it was plentiful, so my mom cooked with it quite often.
Maybe it’s because I just love the taste, and when the meat is ground, it lends itself so well to shoveling. Oh, what is shoveling? That’s what I call eating with a spoon rather than a fork when you know that a fork would do just fine. Like when I eat a rice dish; give me a spoon! I really want a good bite, you know? Chorizo and Black Bean Chili Bowls are perfect for shoveling, as you can see in some of the photographs!
As you know, Dear Reader, ground beef is so widely used in family-style recipes. And, lately, you can find vegetarian and vegan ground beef substitutes that can rival the real thing. Trust me, as a meat-eater in a vegetarian household, I I know what I’m talking about. Some of the vegetarian “meats” are even better than the real thing, in my opinion!
So, with that said, if you want to use a vegetarian ground in this recipe, you certainly can. I’ve used Trader Joe’s soy chorizo many, many times and it’s absolutely delicious and tasty. Yves and Tofurkey brands also carry a soy chorizo product, but I have not tried those particular types. I have used other products from those brands though, and have been completely satisfied.
Chorizo and Black Bean Chili Bowls reminds me so much of those days before the vegetarian when I would make a big pot of chili with way more ground beef in it then there were beans. And, just like in those days, this version of chili is thick and beefy, and has a very intense chili, smoky, and spicy flavour.
Natually, chorizo is hot and spicy. It’s because some of the main seasonings and flavourings in a chorizo sausage are a combination of ancho chili powder, chipotle powder, red chili powder, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. That’s a whole lot of red colouring as well, which is what gives chorizo that beautiful, deep red stain.
You will notice that I did not add any spiciness to the recipe. The only thing I added was some normal paprika to help add some flavour and red colour to the black beans. My goal was to have the entire dish look uniform and cohesive. I think the additional paprika helped to achieve that.
When it comes to serving Chorizo and Black Bean Chili Bowls, I think rice works the best. Not only will the rice act as a buffer for those of us who can’t handle much spiciness, but it’s also compliments the sausage and beans quite well.
Chorizo and Black Bean Chili Bowls do not need to be created with rice. You could certainly scoop a spoonful or two onto some warm tortilla chips and top it the same way I’ve done here – with some sour cream and guacamole. You don’t need to “bowl it up” at all. Try adding the chili to a hot dog, or over a plate of crispy french fries, or place a beautifully fried egg right on top! Yum!!
You can serve Chorizo and Black Bean Chili over top of a salad; you can use it as a base on a burrito, of you could even toss the chili with some cooked pasta. I can eat it any which way, but with a big bowl of hot white rice is my favourite way to dish up this gorgeous, spicy chili!
Don’t forget the fixings either! I added some homemade guacamole, which is free of cilantro, because ew! You can find my Guacamole for Cilantro Haters here. Sour cream is also really good with this. Pickled Red Onions would work very well as a topping! And, who could forget the sliced red chilies for extra heat!?
It’s happy eating, is what it is – no matter how you serve it or no matter how spicy you want it. It’s up to you. In this dish, you get to control not only what’s in the bottom of the bowl, but also what’s going to be on top of it! Dig in!!
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Chorizo and Black Bean Chili Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 cans black beans, 19 ounce cans - do not drain or rinse!
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet or heavy-bottomed pot, over medium heat, cook the chorizo until almost done - about 20 minutes.
- Add the onions. Stir to combine and cook for 10 more minutes.
- Next, add the garlic, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
- Now, add in the tomato paste and beans. Stir and cover. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Lastly, stir in the parsley. Turn off the heat and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Danielle Wolter says
My boyfriend loves “shoveling.” I never knew what to call it before so now I know LOL. This sounds incredible though…love the flavors of chorizo and I’ma sucker for black beans.
Marisa Franca says
This recipe sounds AND looks amazing! I do understand shoveling although I try to be a bit more refined. What I don’t understand is how people can eat rice with chop sticks – I have a hard enough time with a fork. I’ve never tried the meatless meats – we are carnivores through and through. And what is chili without beans? YUM!! I’d even love your chorizo and black bean chili on my salad. And I do understand about cilantro – the first time we tried it we thought ewwwww! What is all the fuss about? Now we love it. I guess it’s an acquired taste. Putting your Guac on top of the chili would be a fantastic finish. Great recipe, Byron!
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
This chili checks all the boxes for my favorite chili qualities! I love how thick it is, and the toppings look delicious! I also love that you serve this over rice versus a pasta. I can’t wait to make this recipe!
Jyothi (Jo) says
Bryon, chili recipe of yours reads absolutely delicious! I can imagine the flavors that goes into it with the addition of chorizo. Too yum! If there exists a person who hates chili in this world, I’d say try this! This is goooood!
Jina says
Love this recipe. Love chorizo in anything! I added some rotel tomatoes to mine because I didn’t have any tomato paste on hand.
Felisha says
Wow ive never had this before! I needed to cook my husband lunch for work and didn’t have any meat defrosted and looked for a quick recipe for Chorizo. I’m so glad this recipe popped up! It’s so freaking delicious!! I cut the recipe in half because I didn’t have a lb of chorizo. Served on top of minute rice! Definitely going to be a go to!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe! ❤️