Smoky Chipotle Vegan Chilli with Charred Lime Corn
A hearty, smoky chili with a bright corn topping.
Chili, chilli or chile? Whatever your preferred spelling, this dish never lets me down. It’s easy to take chilli for granted, it’s not the most thrilling dish in a world of hot new food trends, but it’s dependable. It’s got your back.
Hungry midweek? Those chilli leftovers are there for you. Throw them over some crispy potatoes and top with some cheese- boom. Guests coming over and need something that will please most people? This is so easy to make ahead and leave simmering, all you need to do is throw together some guac and socialise.
Good on the first day but even better as the flavours get to know each other in the fridge, this can also be made in a slow cooker if you don’t want to be near the stove. Just check the notes for my suggestions. I’ve added a charred corn topper that brightens the whole dish up and it’s a game-changer that now also sits on top of most salads and burrito bowls I make.
So there we have it. A smoky, hearty, flavour-packed chilli that will please even the most ardent meat eaters. Don’t sleep on chilli. Chilli 2020.
Smoky Chipotle Vegan Chili
ingredients:
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6-8 cloves of garlic
- 2 cups chopped chestnut mushrooms (approx 4 large mushrooms)
- 2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1-2 tsp chipotle chilli flakes
- 1-2 tsp chipotle chilli powder (or paste)
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast
- 2.5 cups veggie mince
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin mixed beans
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 2 squares dark chocolate (70%)
- Spring onions/scallions to serve
- 1 tin sweetcorn
- Diced jalapeños to serve
- 1/2 tsp concentrated veggie stock (I use Vecon)
- 1 tsp salt
instructions:
How to cook Smoky Chipotle Vegan Chili
- To prep your veggies, dice the bell pepper and onion, crush the garlic cloves and finely chop the chestnut mushrooms. Keep separate and set aside.
- Heat up a large pot on the stove (medium heat) and add the tablespoon of oil until heated.
- Add the peppers and onions and sauté until the onions become translucent.
- Add the garlic towards the end of this process to ensure it doesn't burn.
- Add in the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently until they release some of their water.
- Add in the herbs and spices - cumin, smoked and regular paprika, chipotle flakes, powder, Mexican oregano, and the concentrated veggie stock paste. Reserve a little of the chilli powder for the sweetcorn topper.
- Combine these spices with the veggies in the pan, stirring frequently so the herbs release their flavor and meld with the softened veggies.
- Add in the veggie mince, stirring often. You should be left with a dry evenly coated mixture and the mince should be lightly browned. This recipe works well with the newer veggie minces which resemble meat, but frozen veggie mince or crumbles also work well here.
- Once everything is combined, add in the tin of chopped tomatoes. Fill the empty tin halfway with water and add that too. Stir to combine and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Drain the tin of mixed beans and add that to the pan along with the nutritional yeast and dark chocolate.
- Cover the pan and simmer slowly for at least one hour and up to 3. Add 1 tsp salt to begin and then season to taste with salt and pepper as the flavour develops.
- Before serving, add an optional 2 tsp of lime juice to brighten the chilli.
- Drain and rinse the can of sweetcorn.
- Add the corn to a pan (preferably non-stick) with a little oil and cook on medium - high heat until the corn begins to lightly char.
- Once cooked, toss in salt, 2 tsp lime juice and chilli powder to coat. If you have access to Tajín (I order mine online!) you can just char the sweetcorn and toss them in that to make this speedy.
NOTES:
If you have access to Tajín (I order mine online!) you can char the sweetcorn topper and simply toss it in that. Makes it much speedier and has a similar flavour profile.
If making this in a slow cooker you may not want to add the full 1/2 tin of water as the liquid will not evaporate at all and you can add a cornflour slurry at the end to thicken if necessary.
To make this in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker: Add all chilli ingredients to the Instant Pot with the exception of the chocolate. Fill the empty tomato tin with water 1.5 times and add to the rest of the ingredients. Cook on manual, high pressure for 15 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally. Add the chocolate into the cooked chilli and stir to melt. Add 3 tsp cornstarch to a bit of water and then add to the chilli to thicken. Add an optional tablespoon of tomato paste and keep on "keep warm" function for 10 mins without the lid. Season to taste.
