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Vegan Bean Chili

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Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp vegetable better than bouillon
  • 1 ½ cup water
  • 5 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 2 dried chile de árbols stems and seeds removed
  • ⅔ cup olive oil
  • 1 standard 15.5 oz can of black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 bulb of garlic sliced
  • 3 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp your favorite chili powder
  • 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ can of Mexican beer such as Modelo especial
  • 1 28 oz can of high quality diced tomatoes
  • ⅓ cup tomato passata or tomato puree
  • 2 standard 15.5 oz cans of your choice of beans partially drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • ⅔ cup nutritional yeast
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce such as Haddar
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 4 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • Red pepper flakes to taste

Method
 

  1. On the stovetop, bring the water and 2tbsp of the vegetable better than bouillon to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the bouillon is dissolved. As it is simmering, remove the stems and seeds from the chili peppers.
  2. In a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, toast the chilis on a medium-high heat just until they start to smell aromatic or get a little bit of color. This will enhance their flavor. Do not toast for too long or they will begin to smoke and make the air unpleasant to breathe.
  3. Once toasted, immediately plunge the peppers into the water and better than bouillon mixture, remove from the heat, and place a lid on the pot to allow the peppers to steam and soften for at least 10 minutes.
  4. Dice the onion and thinly slice the garlic. Set aside.
  5. Add the olive oil and can of drained and rinsed black beans to the dutch oven. Using a potato masher, mash the beans a little bit to add more texture (almost like the ground beef). Sautee the beans on medium high heat for 4 minutes and then add the smoked paprika, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, onion powder, and diced onions.
  6. When the onions are translucent, add the sliced garlic and continue to cook until the garlic is fragrant.
  7. Add the beer and simmer on a medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
  8. Using an immersion blender, blend the chili peppers with the better than bouillon and water mixture until smooth. Add the chili pepper mixture to the pot.
  9. Add all remaining ingredients to the pot and let simmer on medium-high heat for another 4 minutes.
  10. Taste for seasoning and spice level. Add salt, red pepper flakes, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and/or sugar as desired.

Notes

If you use the recommended peppers, this recipe will yield a medium-heat chili. If you want it to be milder, take out the chiles de árbol. If you want it spicier, add more chiles de árbol or red pepper flakes.