Easy Chili
Zach and I make this at least twice a month and revel in the leftovers, if there are any. We often use canned beans and corn for convenience, but you can always cook your own. If you feel like it needs more substance, try adding drained and crumbled firm tofu, lentils, seitan, or 1/2 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein). This recipe only produces one dirty pot, spatula, cutting board, and knife - hurray!
Ingredients
Cooking
- 1 onion
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 2 12 oz cans black beans
- 2 12 oz cans kidney beans
- 1 12 oz can corn
- 1 12 oz can stewed tomatoes
- 1-2 cups vegetable broth or water and vegetable bouillon
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1/2-1 tbsp paprika, optional
- 1 tspn cayenne pepper, optional
- 1/2 tspn salt - we use a seasoned Hawaiian salt, but regular salt works too
- Garnish: jalapenos, green or red onions, cilantro, Fritos, lettuce, etc.
Cooking
- Dice onion and garlic, wash and open cans.
- Sauté onion on medium heat in large pot until translucent and soft, turn down heat, add garlic. You don't need oil for sautéing! Just cover the bottom of your pot with water or vegetable broth, simmer the onions in that, and add more water/broth as needed to keep the onions from sticking.
- Add seasonings, sauté a minute or so more.
- Add broth or water - amount here depends on how thick you like your chili.
- Bring to simmer, add tomato paste and bouillon if you're using it.
- Add beans, corn, and stewed tomatoes (break them up with your hand or the spatula).
- Simmer at least ten minutes to let flavors meld. Sometimes I get distracted and leave it simmering for half an hour and it's fine; this is a low maintenance dish. Taste it and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Eat over brown rice, quinoa, lentils, or on its own.
- If you want to turn this into the Midwestern favorite Frito Pie, just throw a handful of Fritos on top with your other garnishes.