Chunky Vegetarian Chili

Chunky Vegetarian Chili is the ultimate in vegetarian chili options.  Loaded with kidney and black beans, big pieces of tomato, and textured vegetable protein, this dish will fool even the most die-hard ground beef lover! This recipe can easily be converted to non-vegetarian too!

One of the things that I miss the most about my life before cohabitating with John.e, the vegetarian, is the ability to prepare dishes with loads of meat.  I used to love cooking chili with extra ground beef; in fact, I much preferred the beef over the beans!  At the same time though, I’ve always preferred a chunkier version of chili rather than just the ground beef crumbles and tomato sauce version.  Using vegetarian beef crumbles in this Chunky Vegetarian Chili recipe has enabled me to find a balance that works for both of us!

If you or your household are not vegetarian, you can certainly enjoy this awesome chili recipe as well.  Just switch out the vegetarian beef crumbles and add in two pounds of lean ground beef. You can even use ground pork, ground turkey, ground sausage, or any combination you’d like.

LET’S TALK ABOUT TOMATOES

To get the chunkiness that I crave, I use tomatoes.  Yes, that’s it; just tomatoes.  A while back, I posted a recipe in which I shared with you the differences between canned diced tomatoes and canned whole tomatoes.  Just a reminder here, canned whole tomatoes are much better than canned diced or chopped tomatoes.  

If the recipe you are preparing requires diced tomatoes, then just simply roughly chop the canned whole tomatoes.  You will benefit from a better-tasting tomato.  Manufacturers use bruised and not-so-pretty tomatoes to make the canned diced tomatoes, however, blemish-free tomatoes are used for the canned whole tomatoes.  It just makes more sense really – use the best in all of your recipes whenever possible.  The result makes the extra effort worth it!

Now, before we get to the recipe, I must warn you – this recipe makes a very large batch of chili.  Even though there are just the two of us, I cannot seem to change the way I cook, which is always more than we need.  I don’t know why that is, but it’s just the way it works for me. 

Feel free to split the ingredients in half if you’d like a smaller amount, but the great thing about chili is that it freezes very well and can be easily reheated without sacrificing any of the flavour or integrity.  In my opinion, reheated chili is even better!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Beef/Beef Crumbles – The version you see in the photographs was prepared using vegetarian beef crumbles, otherwise known as textured vegetable protein. You can make this chili non-vegetarian by substituting the beef crumbles with two pounds of lean ground beef.
• Onion – You can use white or yellow onions.
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Chili Powder – I love to use a lot of chili powder in chili, but you can cut it back to suit your preference.
• Other Seasonings – Paprika, cumin, salt, ground black pepper, and dried red chili flakes. The chili flakes are optional.
• Tomato Paste
• Canned Tomatoes – Buy whole tomatoes and chop them. Add the tomato juice from the can into the chili as well.
• Canned Tomato Sauce
• Canned Red Kidney Beans – You can use white kidney beans too.
• Canned Black Beans
• Parsley – For garnish.

HOW TO MAKE CHUNKY VEGETARIAN CHILI

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. (If you are preparing a non-vegetarian version of this chili, add 2 pounds of ground beef along with the onions. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Continue the recipe at the point where you add in the seasonings.)

Add the vegetarian beef crumbles and stir into the onion mixture. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Stir well to combine. Add the tomato paste, canned chopped tomatoes, canned tomato sauce, kidney beans, and black beans. Stir all ingredients well to combine. Place a lid on the pot.
Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve hot with crusty bread, nacho chips, or toppings such as grated cheese, sour cream, red onions, etc.

LEFTOVERS AND/OR FREEZING

This recipe does make about eight hearty servings, which might be too much or too little, depending on the size of your family. The recipe can easily be halved or even doubled. Just be sure to use a really big soup pot if you’re doubling this recipe! Once everyone has had their fill, you might have some leftovers. If so, you can transfer the cooled chili to a food-safe container and store it in the fridge. It will keep for at least 3-4 days. Otherwise, you can freeze it and it will last for 3 months.

If you do refrigerate or freeze the leftovers, you may need to add a bit of water to the chili when reheating. Start with just a few tablespoons of water at a time to avoid a watery chili! Of course, if you add more water, you may need to re-season as well. Taste and add more salt if needed.