This is one of the best vegetarian chilies I’ve ever tried. You can make it in a normal pot and let it simmer for at least an hour and a half but if you have a slow-cooker it’s perfect for that. I think the special magic flavour comes from the beer, though I don’t like beer on it’s own. If you want to skip it then substitude with more broth, but the alcohol from the beer should evaporate through the cooking.
Besides being delicious it’s also very healthy. Beans are full of fiber and iron, good for digestion, can help balance blood sugar, lower cholesterol… I served this with sliced avacado, fresh cilantro, sour cream and a little cheese. If you want it vegan then just skip the sour cream and cheese.
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
2 Poblano Peppers, seeded and finely chopped (I couldn’t find poblanos so I used jalapenos instead and added a whole serrano, removing it before serving)
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp of Chili Powder
2 tsp of Ground Cumin
1 tsp of Granulated Onion
1 tsp of of Granulated Garlic
1 tsp of Paprika
2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar
1 tsp of Dried Oregano
3/4 cup of Beer
1/4 cup of Tomato Paste
3 cups of Veggie Stock
1 15oz oz can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 15oz can of Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
15oz can of Sweet Corn Kernels, drained and rinsed
Salt and Pepper, to taste
toppings:
sliced avacado
sour cream
fresh cilantro
shredded cheese
————————
Not using a slow-cooker: In a large pot, add the oil, preheat it over medium heat, add the onions, peppers and carrots and cook for about 10 minutes or until they develop some color and cook down a bit. Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, add the beer, the spices, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, stock, all the beans and corn, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about an hour and a half. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve in a bowl with the toppings.
If using a slow-cooker: In a medium pan, add the oil, preheat it over medium heat, add the onions, peppers and carrots and cook for a few minutes or until they develop some color and cook down a bit. Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to the slow-cooker and add the rest of the ingredients. Let it simmer as long as possible (my slow-cooker goes up to 10 hours), or if you have less time then 4 hours (the lower setting on my slow-cooker at least. Serve in bowls with the toppings.
