I know, I know it’s almost April and this is cold weather food, but it was rather chilly yesterday so it just felt right to throw together a huge pot of vegetarian chili. This healthy dish is our favorite comfort food on cold days. Absolutely delicious!
Gather some spice and fresh vegetables and get started on a pot of yum.
The chopping is the hardest part: chop, chop, chop onions that make you cry and peppers that make you burn. Of course, you could use frozen, but I think fresh is best.
This recipes makes a lot so if you are single or just a couple, you may want to share with friends or cut all ingredients in half. We have a large family, and we still have leftovers. I like to freeze what’s left in quart size bags for later use. This works out great when there’s no time to prepare a meal. Thaw a bag in warm water for just a minute, remove and pop into the microwave. Make sure to date your bags to guarantee freshness.
Note: This recipe was inspired by Dr. Fuhrman’s, Eat to Live. We have tried many variations of this recipe, depending what we have in the kitchen. Once I was missing garlic and jalapeno peppers so I added a package of ranch dressing mix (recommended by my brother, Eddie). It added a different twist to the taste but not as spicy. It’s fun to experiment so give it a try and let me know what you create.
Veggie Chili
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 6 tablespoons chili powder
- A dash of Cajun, or blackening seasoning (can be omitted, but we like it spicy)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 pack firm tofu, dry with a towel and cube
- 2 cups fresh onions, finely chopped (approximately 4 medium onions)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups frozen broccoli, chopped
- 2 cups frozen cauliflower, chopped
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 fresh jalapeno, finely diced, seeds removed
- 2 adobe peppers (the ones in a can), chopped
- 1 can green chilies
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (tends to be sweeter)
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can red kidney beans
- 1 can white beans or any bean of your choice
- Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to a stock pot to brown the tofu. Sprinkle with cumin, and chili power. Saute tofu gently so as not to tear the tofu apart. The tofu needs to absorb as much of the seasoning as possible before adding any other ingredients.
- When tofu is lightly browned, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute until onions are translucent.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir until paste has dissolved and ingredients are well blended. Allow this to simmer until vegetables are tender, approximately 20 minutes.
- Before serving add salt and pepper to satisfy your taste buds. This is where I sprinkle a little Cajun seasoning to appease my Louisiana roots.
I made the chili and I loved it! They did not have the adobe peppers so I used Chiloptle in adobe sauce and believe me it was hotter than a firecracker! lol Next time I will take the seeds out of jalepeno pepper and try to find the adobe peppers. Thanks for the recipe.
Dana, I have never bought tofu so I am not so sure how to get the forest stuff. What brand do you recommend or use yourself? I would have never guessed that this recipe had broccoli & cauliflower in it, but I am willing to try it.
I use extra firm tofu, any brand will do. It’s in the produce section. Tofu absorbs the flavors you soak or saute it with so it’s really good in chili. For this recipe, you can leave it out if it’s not your thing; I don’t eat meat so I include it when I can to get adequate protein.